Samsung USB sticks: small blue data carriers with USB-C and 400 MB/s

The manufacturer Samsung, known for its SSDs, returns to using a different form of flash memory after a long time: USB sticks. The newcomers, simply called USB Flash Drive Type-C due to the modern plug, in a stylish blue casing offer up to 256GB of storage space, 400MB/s read and 110MB/s write.

mid-range performance

With these performance data, USB sticks are not particularly fast because, for example, Patriot and Team Group have products with up to 600 MB/s up their sleeves; Kingston’s DataTraveler Max even reaches 1,000 MB/s.

According to Samsung, the maximum throughput of 400 MB/s is only reached by the 128 GB and 256 GB models. In the “smaller” version with 64 GB it should be up to 300 MB/s when reading. The 110 MB/s when writing apparently applies to all models.

Small, light and with some protection

Including the removable protective cap, the USB flash drives measure a compact size of 33.7 × 15.9 × 6.4 mm (width × height × depth) and weigh just 3.4 grams. The low weight suggests plastic as the case material, but this has yet to be confirmed. However, the clubs must be shockproof up to an acceleration of 1,500 G.

In addition, they should survive up to 72 hours in salt water at a depth of one meter and offer some resistance to magnetic and X-ray radiation. However, they are not true outdoor storage units and, for example, are not intended to function at subzero temperatures.

USB-C is configured

Samsung doesn’t do things by halves when it comes to connector type and is completely relying on the new USB-C connection for this series. Compared to the USB-A plug, this offers the advantage that it cannot be plugged into the socket upside down, as it also fits upside down. USB-C is also often found in modern mobile devices, such as laptops and smartphones of the younger generation. In the classic PC segment, however, USB-A is still dominant, so an adapter might be necessary, but it is not included in the scope of delivery.

When it comes to the USB protocol, Samsung talks about USB 3.1, but points out that USB 3.2 Gen 1 means the same interface with a new name. Basically, this means that it is still USB 3.0 with a bit rate of 5 Gbit/s (gross), in practice around 450 MB/s would be possible, which USB sticks do not take full advantage of.

Samsung has not yet revealed how much the USB sticks, which come with a 5-year warranty, will cost. Publishers are in contact with the manufacturer for more information.