PNY 512GB Turbo Attache 3 USB 3.2 Flash Drive 100MB/s, Silver (Pack of 1)

Pros -Faster speeds than USB 2.0 -Good Build Quality -Slide Up Cap Cons -Not the fastest drive available -USB Plug is Exposed -Slightly larger than most other drives. I was looking for a USB drive to replace the one that I had originally lost and couldn’t find. I just wanted a drive that would be able to work reliably and be able to store most of my common files that I work between PCs. After much consideration, I decided to buy a USB 3.0 instead of a 2.0 since they have dropped price a lot and they are starting to become mainstream in the newest laptops. Seeing as most of my files total around 20GB, I decided to go for a 32GB. This kind of proved tricky because of the large selection on Amazon; from name brands to totally unknown companies. After much thought, I decided to buy this PNY USB 3.0 Turbo. Thoughts? It’s not the fastest drive available, but it works well that it is the best budget USB drive. -Design- The design looks like most of the PNY drives that have recently come out. It’s a device made entirely out of plastic (so don’t expect premium details like aluminum) but for all intents and purposes it is sturdy and feels like it will last. It isn’t one of those flash drives with a cap, but it does have a cover that slides across the drive. The benefit of this is that the port itself will probably remain protected from most physical damages, but the drawback is that the USB connector might collect dust and will probably get damaged if it comes in contact with things like sand and water. But at a budget price, these kind of things are to be expected. The size of the device itself is small and portable, but it should be noted that it is bigger than its 2.0 sibling: the PNY Compact Attaché 2.0. Still, it should fit it most people pockets or PCs without taking up much room. -Performance- This is probably where most consumers will ask the question: is USB 3.0 better than USB 2.0? In one simple answer: Yes! By how much? Well it depends on the drive. The PNY Turbo is a speedy device, but there are faster drives. On a positive note, there are also slower drives out there as well. However, this PNY Turbo completely knocks out the PNY Attaché 2.0 out of the water. In most of the benchmarks on CrystalDiskMark 4.0.3, it beats the old USB 2.0 by a wide margin (typically more than 80 MB/s in read and more than 50 MB/s in write). On the practical side of performance, files loaded much faster on the PNY Turbo; in some cases, almost instantly. This will be noticeable in most, if not all file transfers to and from the drive, especially with programs and huge HD videos. Sure, there are a couple drives that are clearly faster, but for the price, it hits a nice middle ground to work with. One thing to note though, the drive will get warm when it is in use. This is something that I’ve never experienced with the older USB 2.0; but I have heard that it is common with USB 3.0. -Conclusion- Is this the best drive on Amazon? For most people, it is. It is practical and reasonably quick for what you’re paying; especially when compared to the old USB 2.0 standard. If your concern is absolute speed, the SanDisk Ultra Extreme 3.0 or the Lexar JumpDrive P10 will probably fit your needs better. If you want the absolute cheapest drive possible, there are countless drives with the same storage amount but with a lower price tag (including the PNY Compact Attaché 2.0). However, I would strongly encourage you to spend a little extra and get the PNY Turbo 3.0. Why? Because here in 2015 (at the time of this writing) more computers are coming out with at least one USB 3.0. Even the cheapest Chromebook has them as well. Even if you aren’t concerned about speed or transferring large files, it would provide a way of future proofing your devices and allow you to spend more time working rather than waiting for files to transfer and load. For me, it was a good purchase and I hope it last a long time (at least throughout college).

The **PNY 256GB Turbo Attaché 3 USB 3.0 Flash Drive** is a reliable and lightweight storage solution, perfect for anyone who needs to store and transfer large files quickly and securely. With **256GB** of storage and **USB 3.0** technology offering speeds up to **100MB/s**, this flash drive is ideal for both personal and professional use. Here's a detailed review based on its **performance, design, and functionality**. ### **High-Speed USB 3.0 Performance** One of the most important features of this PNY flash drive is its **USB 3.0 interface**, which significantly enhances transfer speeds compared to USB 2.0. With a **transfer rate of up to 100MB/s**, this drive handles large files, such as HD videos, high-resolution photos, and software installations, with ease. In my experience, this flash drive is perfect for tasks like: - **Backing up large files** - **Transferring multimedia content** - **Storing important documents** The **100MB/s** transfer speed makes it faster to upload and download files, which is especially useful when handling large files or when you're working on time-sensitive projects. It’s also **backward compatible with USB 2.0**, so you can use it on older devices, though with slower transfer rates. ### **Ample 256GB Storage Capacity** With **256GB of storage**, this flash drive provides ample space for storing a wide range of files. You can easily store thousands of documents, photos, music files, and videos. It’s perfect for users who need to carry large amounts of data on the go, whether for school, work, or personal use. The large capacity is also beneficial for: - **Software developers** who need to store programs and data. - **Content creators** who handle high-resolution video and image files. - **Students** managing school projects, coursework, and multimedia files. ### **Lightweight and Portable Design** The **PNY Turbo Attaché 3** is designed with portability in mind. It's incredibly **lightweight**, making it easy to carry in your pocket, backpack, or laptop bag without adding bulk. The **slim and compact design** ensures that it’s not cumbersome, even when plugged into your computer or other devices. The **slide-to-cover** mechanism protects the USB connector from dust and damage when not in use, eliminating the need for a separate cap (which can be easy to lose). The design is practical and convenient for everyday use. ### **Durable and Sturdy Build** Despite its **lightweight** design, the PNY Turbo Attaché 3 flash drive feels solid and durable. The plastic housing is built to withstand regular use, ensuring that the drive can handle the daily rigors of being plugged in and out of various devices. This durability makes it a reliable option for users who need to use it frequently or travel with it. ### **Plug-and-Play Functionality** The **plug-and-play** functionality means you can start using the flash drive immediately—no installation of drivers is needed. It's compatible with most **operating systems**, including **Windows, macOS, and Linux**, making it a versatile tool for transferring files between different computers and environments. ### **Security and Data Protection** While this flash drive does not come with built-in encryption or security software, you can easily use third-party software to encrypt sensitive files, ensuring your data remains protected. The **256GB capacity** is more than enough for storing critical data, and you can easily integrate additional layers of security for peace of mind. ### **Pros** - **Fast USB 3.0 transfer speeds**: With speeds up to **100MB/s**, it allows for fast and efficient data transfers, perfect for large files. - **Large 256GB capacity**: Provides ample storage for a variety of files, including multimedia content, documents, and software. - **Lightweight and portable**: The slim, compact design makes it easy to carry anywhere, and the sliding cover protects the USB connector. - **Durable build**: Sturdy enough to withstand regular use and travel. - **Plug-and-play functionality**: Ready to use without the need for additional drivers or software installation. - **Backwards compatibility with USB 2.0**: Works with older devices, though at slower transfer speeds. ### **Cons** - **No built-in encryption**: The drive does not include native security features, so users will need third-party software for data encryption if needed. - **Plastic housing**: While durable, the plastic build may not be as premium or rugged as metal alternatives, though it’s lightweight for portability. ### **Final Thoughts** The **PNY 256GB Turbo Attaché 3 USB 3.0 Flash Drive** is an excellent choice for users who need **high-speed transfers** and a **large storage capacity** in a lightweight, portable design. With **100MB/s transfer speeds** and 256GB of space, it's perfect for managing and transporting large files efficiently. Whether you're a student, professional, or content creator, this drive provides a reliable and durable solution for your data storage needs. If you’re looking for a fast, spacious, and easy-to-use USB flash drive, the **PNY Turbo Attaché 3** is a great option. Its lightweight build and high-speed performance make it an essential tool for anyone dealing with large amounts of data.

Works very well.

This seems pretty good and cheap as dirt! I recall when USB Keys were about $50 for a 200mb one and had USB-1 performance to boot. How far we have come I thought a comparison with other devices might be helpful. Summary: This device has read performance comparable to a traditional "spinny" hard disk and write performance about half of that. It is much faster than any USB2 device and has speeds comparable to USB 3 hard drives. This is a good device and you should definitely consider this range if you use USB drives mainly to move files about which are too large to comfortable transport in the cloud. However, you will likely have bandwidth issues writing 4k video, etc. Playback should be fine, though I have not tested this. Details: → This device: Read 117.4mb/s Write: 43.39mb/s ← USB2 Key: Read: 21.60 Write: 8.07 (Sandisk Cruzer) USB3 Hard Disk: Read 112.0 Write: 109.7 (Seagate Expansion USB-3) SATA [Internal] HDD: 139.2 / 124.4 (An older WDC WD10 EZEX 1TB Drive. YMMV) Notes: Crystaldiskmark was used with the sequential multi-thread test setting. In my opinion, this most resembles how people use USB-3 devices. Mostly we copy relatively biggish files on and off of them and don't put them under tremendous load for random read/writes. Mostly, our PCs can thread IO operations, etc. If you plan to use this device to run Windows To Go, some other live-booting OS or to do some other weird thing please note that the results for the tougher random (4KiB Q32T1) test are: Read 6.942 and Write 1.392. This is actually quite decent. For comparison, my SATA HD performed much worse at read 0.823mb/s and Write 1.097 in that test and my USB-3 HD at 0.550 and 0.985. USB 3 devices in this comparison attached via a Fresno Logic USB3 chipset . This is a rock-solid USB-3 controller but my experience is that it is a little slower than the flaky but popular VIA/VLI chipset common on on-board motherboard controllers and cheap add-on cards. USB 2 device attached via the RealTek onboard USB-2 controller. This is a pretty iffy chipset and you might do better if you are less lazy than I. SATA is internal SATA-3 with AHCI. AMD Chipset. This is a pretty good SATA controller but not super deluxe, you might do better. The drive is an older 7500RPM model, you definitely can do better. Disclaimer: IANAL, and IANA Engineer. Your results will vary because even with an identical setup there are nondeterministic factors at play.

Good usb storage drive. Portable, Connects instantly, so far compatible with everything Ive used it with

Good quality, good amount of storage, and convenient back of 5. I never have a flash drive when I need one so I bought these for the routine data transfer I do when transferring over the network isn’t an option. Small, simple, and reliable. Plug and play!

I backup my photos to this drive. I used to have a seagate hard disk drive for my photo backups, this is so much smaller and easy to carry. It did take about 3-hours to back up 23,000 high quality large file photos.

The memory stick has worked well so far. It has good transfer speeds and plays files without any problems. It's made of plastic, which I'm not keen on, but as long as you treat it with care, it shouldn't be a problem. You can slide the cover up to protect the connector, although the port remains exposed.