# Smallest (physically) USB flash drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 25, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331 "2023-02-25T01:19:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/1 "2023-02-25T01:19:39Z")
I’d like to have a specimen of the smallest USB drive available, just for the novelty. I have seen online over the years several very flat drives with no metal shell around the terminal. I’ve found this one available now at a reasonable capacity (I don’t want a 10-year old 2 GB drive) but I don’t know if it is real or fake. > **[DSLRKIT 64GB USB Flash Drives Slim Thumb Mini Nano Micro Waterproof](https://www.amazon.com/DSLRKIT-64GB-Flash-Drives-Waterproof/dp/B08NFWTR81)** > > Buy DSLRKIT 64GB USB Flash Drives Slim Thumb Mini Nano Micro Waterproof at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision! Anyone know anything about really tiny flat drives, or this particular brand? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/2 "2023-02-25T03:02:46Z")
I once had one that was just a circuit card with the USB male connector as large circuit traces on one end. So the whole thing was about as thick as the tongue of a male USB, exactly as wide, and about twice as long/deep. one half stuck into the female USB port and the other half had the storage chip on it and served as a handle for globby human fingers. Compared to the thing in your pic it was a little longer and looked more exposed / mobo-ish. But the same basic idea. That was back in the day when 1GB was mongo & 500MB was typical. My punchline being that although I cannot vouch for the specific thing you cited, I can say real products not too dissimilar were available 10-15 years ago. IMO there’s no reason they should not be available today. Besides, how far wrong can you go for $12? Some places that won’t even buy a beer. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/3 "2023-02-25T03:21:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > once had one that was just a circuit card with the USB male connector as large circuit traces on one end. Yeah, that’s the kind I’m thinking of. (Some of the older ones [here](https://techpp.com/2012/09/03/smallest-usb-flash-drives/).) For one I thought of buying years ago, for some reason one of the advertising photos was of someone with one of the drives stuck in their ear like [this](https://thingspanamanianslike.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/57-putting-quarters-in-their-ear/). My questioning it isn’t because it is small but because Amazon is flooded with fake flash media and I don’t recognize that brand. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/4 "2023-02-25T03:54:08Z")
The problem with that size of storage card is the same as the problem of a super-expensive super-lightweight bicycle. You need something bigger and heavier than the thing itself to protect it from loss. If I had one of those ultra-minis, it’d disappear pretty quickly. Not stolen, merely lost. All the more practical ones have a loop so you can attach it to a keychain or something else bulky enough not to disappear into a crevice in your laptop bag or be accidentally pulled unseen out of your pocket while reaching for your car keys, money clip, loose change, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/5 "2023-02-25T03:59:41Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > If I had one of those ultra-minis, it’d disappear pretty quickly. Not stolen, merely lost. I’ve thought of storing one in a pocket in my wallet as one more level of redundant backup for valued files. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/6 "2023-02-25T04:21:59Z")
Why not just get a one for your key chain? StG ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/7 "2023-02-25T04:53:05Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > Why not just get a one for your key chain? From the OP: > I’d like to have a specimen of the smallest USB drive available, just for the novelty I want one of the smallest one available because it is the smallest one available. What I would do with it is of secondary concern. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/8 "2023-02-25T05:12:41Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > What I would do with it is of secondary concern. But are we allowed to speculate? Place it next to something ordinary-sized to make it seem big? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/9 "2023-02-25T05:17:06Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I want one of the smallest one available because it is the smallest one available. What I would do with it is of secondary concern. What’s next? The largest USB drive? The heaviest Bernoulli cartridge? … Or the most-easily-spontaneously-combusting SSD drive? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/10 "2023-02-25T05:33:45Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I want one of the smallest one available because it is the smallest one available. What I would do with it is of secondary concern. You’re primarily interested in its size? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf-pUFczfoM&t=1m5s) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/11 "2023-02-25T05:38:19Z")
Okay, all kidding aside, I’ve had one of these on my key chain and in my pocket every day for a couple of years. It has no moving parts and has held up very well. It just takes a lickin’ and keeps on ticking. In my pocket and on my key ring, it does get beat up. > **[SanDisk 512GB Ultra Luxe USB 3.1 Flash Drive - SDCZ74-512G-G46](https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-512GB-Ultra-Flash-Drive/dp/B083ZS6ZR7)** > > Buy SanDisk 512GB Ultra Luxe USB 3.1 Flash Drive - SDCZ74-512G-G46 at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision! It’s 512GB which is decent in its capacity, but I now see that there are 2TBs available at decent prices. 2TB is much bigger than 512GB. Yes I am preoccupied with size… 😜 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/12 "2023-02-25T05:45:20Z")
Check this one out. 2TB and pretty small. [https://m.aliexpress.us/item/3256804945427498.html?pdp\_npi=2%40dis!USD!US%20%242.27!%241.13!!!!!%40210312ea16773037743222919eee90!12000031787236082!btf&\_t=pvid%3A56a1f342-47d0-4413-b30e-fbbbd1580e4d&afTraceInfo=1005005131742250\_\_msite\_\_c\_ppc\_item\_bridge\_\_xxxxxx\_\_1677303774&spm=a2g0n.ppclist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=gloPc2usaMsite&\_randl\_shipto=US](https://m.aliexpress.us/item/3256804945427498.html?pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%21US%20%242.27%21%241.13%21%21%21%21%21%40210312ea16773037743222919eee90%2112000031787236082%21btf&_t=pvid%3A56a1f342-47d0-4413-b30e-fbbbd1580e4d&afTraceInfo=1005005131742250 __msite__ c_ppc_item_bridge __xxxxxx__ 1677303774&spm=a2g0n.ppclist.product.0&gatewayAdapt=gloPc2usaMsite&_randl_shipto=US) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/13 "2023-02-25T06:02:46Z")
Yes, that is entirely a legitimate 2 TB flash drive being sold for one dollar and thirteen cents. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/14 "2023-02-25T11:31:07Z")
One dollar and thirteen cents? My my, the dollar / yuan exchange rate is favorable this morning. Shame it won’t hold up. Or hold data. 😉 Liike many of us, I go back to ~~IT~~ DP in Ye Olde Darke Tymes. And in PCs back to the IBM original and DOS 1.0. Over the years I’ve had and used all sorts of simple or intricate backup systems as the tech evolved. I have zero of that now. All the data I own is in one of the major clouds and I think of all my various computing devices as just terminals off that cloud storage. Yes, almost everything also resides on most of my devices. So in a sense they are each backups of each other. But the cloud is where it’s at. Literally not figuratively. So the idea of carrying a physical backup around with my car keys is almost inconceivable. (And I _am_ sure that word means what I think it means. 😉 ) When I was actively working as a dev or dev manager I had a thumbdrive in my desk that had a few tools on it that I carried to other people’s desks to diagnose and fix certain stupid problems that occurred regularly. For that sort of mission a “daily carry” thumbdrive makes at least some sense. While you’re at work. But less so today when most end-user computing is done on portable devices. You want me to fix your \, bring your laptop to my desk; the Doctor does not make house calls. For tech folks who maintain server infrastructure, of course you have to go to it; it can’t come to you. Net of RDC and equivalent remote control tools. So, with that long-winded introduction … For those of you who carry a thumbdrive everywhere, or nearly everywhere, what generally is on it, and when / how do you generally use it? ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/15 "2023-02-25T14:14:30Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > For those of you who carry a thumbdrive everywhere, or nearly everywhere, what generally is on it, and when / how do you generally use it? I use it to pass information between my work and home computers, because my work computer is locked down as to what it can connect to. I also use it to pass information to/from data loggers that do not have things like keyboards, screens, and internet access. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/16 "2023-02-25T15:24:09Z")
Our own @mangetout debunks cheap 2TB thumb drives. This video is almost five years old, but I suspect that drive is still a scam. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZG-Joa3e5Tk/maxresdefault.jpg "Testing A \*FAKE\* 2TB USB Flash Memory Stick (SCAM from Wish.com)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG-Joa3e5Tk) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/17 "2023-02-25T15:55:58Z")
Here’s a print article for the video-averse. > **[The 2TB Flash Drive Scam: Why “High-Capacity” Flash Drives Are Fakes -...](https://datarecovery.com/2022/03/the-2tb-flash-drive-scam-why-high-capacity-flash-drives-are-fakes/)** > > Scammers are marketing “2TB flash drives" on popular retail websites. Here’s why consumers should steer clear of cheap data storage. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/18 "2023-02-25T15:56:29Z")
Cool. That’s why I always go with a quality name brand like my SanDisk posted upthread. It’s been in my pocket every day for 2-3 years, 512GB so decent capacity, and very reliable. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/19 "2023-02-25T16:00:56Z")
For 2TB storage I go with Samsung SSDs. Good quality, reliable. But we digress… > **[Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E2T0B/AM)](https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Inch-Internal-MZ-76E2T0B-AM/dp/B0786QNSBD)** > > Buy Samsung SSD 860 EVO 2TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-76E2T0B/AM) at Amazon. Customer reviews and photos may be available to help you make the right purchase decision! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331/20 "2023-02-25T16:03:15Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Okay, all kidding aside, I’ve had one of these on my key chain and in my pocket every day for a couple of years. It has no moving parts and has held up very well. It just takes a lickin’ and keeps on ticking. In my pocket and on my key ring, it does get beat up. > > [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-512GB-Ultra-Flash-Drive/dp/B083ZS6ZR7) That’s the one! I have a poker gang that I share music and audiobooks with. We’ll have a theme, like “Unknown but great covers”, and there’s such an assortment of technological tastes in the group (from “I ain’t playin’ any music I don’t have a physical copy of” to “Can’t ya just put it on Soundcloud?”) that we’ve settled on USB drives. Whenever I put my stuff on those sleek SanDisk flash drives, everyone oohs and ahhhs. They didn’t do that when I gave everyone cartoon drives (pull the Smurf’s pants down and plug 'er in). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smallest-physically-usb-flash-drive/980331.md?page=2)