Best USB Flash Drive for Chromebooks

Best USB Flash Drive for ChromebooksUsing a USB Flash Drive on a Chromebook is one of the best ways to expand a Chromebook’s limited internal storage options. Most USB flash drives can be used with a Chromebook. A USB flash drive is also known as a USB drive, USB stick, thumb drive, pen drive, flash-disk, or USB memory stick. Since many Chromebooks have USB 3.0, plugging a USB flash drive into a Chromebook can operate at very fast speeds.

 

Buying a USB flash drive for Chromebook

The low price of the USB flash drives is what makes them very appealing to Chromebook users looking for a little more storage. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable. There small size allows them to be easily attached to a keychain and some have a slim profile which makes them barely noticeable when plugged in. For users looking for much more storage space, a Chromebook compatible external hard drive might be the best option. However, for those who do not need 500GB+ of storage, a nice Chromebook USB flash drive will do just a fine job (also check out the Best SD Cards for Chromebooks)!

 

 

Chromebook Compatible USB Flash Drives

Most USB thumb drives will work with Chromebooks right out of the box. The file format that Chromebook is pretty standard and even if a Chromebook cannot recognize the file format of the flash drive initially, it is very easy to format a USB memory stick for Chromebook use. Some USB Flash drives have been known have more issues than others, but overall it is very easy to format the USB drive for Chromebooks.  A formatting option is available directly from the File Manager; no extra apps, add-ons or actions needed. Open up the files app and right-click on the drive you wish to format and select the ‘Format Device‘ option from the menu. This is very easy to format a USB flash drive. More information on moving and using files on a Chromebook.

 

 

Best Chromebook USB Flash Drives

The following is a list of some of the best USB Flash Drives for Chromebook users. These are some of the best Chromebook USB flash drives available due to price, speed, and other features. Most of the USB flash drives are available in different storage sizes and colors. Look at them below and select the best USB flash drive for your Chromebook!

 

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0

This is one of the most versatile flash drives available. It will work on most computers and cell phones.  With a micro-USB connector on one end, and a USB 3.0 connector on the other, the drive lets you move content easily between all your devices—from your Android smartphone or tablet to your laptop, PC or Mac computer. The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 is compatible with Android smartphones and tablets featuring OTG (On-the-Go) USB support. High-speed USB 3.0 lets you transfer a full-length movie to the drive faster than with a standard USB 2.0 drive (2), up to 150MB/s (3) from drive to computer. The flash drive is available from 16GB to 128GB.

 

SanDisk Cruzer Fit CZ33 32GB USB 2.0 Low-Profile Flash Drive

This Chromebook compatible USB flash drive is a low-profile drive for notebooks, tablets, TV’s and car audio systems. The standard version has 32GB of Capacity in a tiny portable USB Drive. There is a built-in LED light to monitor drive’s activity. This drive is a little slow than other Chromebook flash drives because it uses USB 2.0 instead of USB 3.0

 

PNY Attache USB 2.0 Flash Drive

The PNY Attaché is sleek and durable; small enough to slip in your pocket, purse, briefcase & etc. From the classroom to the boardroom, it’s a durable and attractive electronic accessory. The sliding collar, capless design protects your important content when not in use. The included key loop easily attaches to key chains, so important files are never out of reach. The 32GB Attaché USB 2.0 Flash Drive can hold approximately 5,632 songs. Overall, this is a very good basic USB Flash drive from Chromebook users.

 

Samsung 64GB BAR (METAL) USB 3.0 Flash Drive

The Samsung 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive works on Chromebooks and offers fast file transfer speeds. The Samsung USB flash drives features sleek yet rugged design, giving you reliable portable storage. With data transfer speeds of up to 130 MB/s and 64GB of storage, this SuperSpeed USB 3.0 flash drive lets you transfer large files in seconds and is backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports.Using USB 3.0 will make file transfers from a USB flash drive much quicker than using USB 2.0 on a Chromebook.

 

Lexar JumpDrive S45 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive

This is another USB 3.0 Flash drive for Chromebook. It stores and transfers content quickly with USB 3.0 performance (up to 150MB/s read and 45MB/s write). USB 3.0 is available on most Chromebooks and users should take advantage of faster USB memory sticks when available. For example, quickly transfer a 3GB HD video clip in less than 90 seconds, compared to more than 4 minutes using a standard USB 2.0 drive. This Chromebook USB flash drive is available in a range of colorful capacities—16GB in orange, 32GB in blue, 64GB in teal, and 128GB in black.

 

Other Chromebook USB Memory Sticks