If you’re a MacBook user, chances are you’ve hit a point during your ownership where a little extra storage was needed. With MacBook Air and Pro (for the time being) starting at 128GB of internal storage, it’s no surprise that your hard drive can fill up fast. Adding a USB flash drive to the mix is not only helpful for storing files on-the-go but it also can help alleviate this problem.
While there are plenty of options on the market today, not all of them are up to the task of matching Apple’s design cues. We’ve rounded up the best metal USB 3.0 flash drives that are guaranteed to look right at home with your MacBook.
There are a few key things you’ll want to consider before picking up new your drive. First off, what kind of design do you prefer? We’ve found a variety of options that range from traditional thumb drives to smaller models that nearly sit flush to the port. Other styles fit on your keychain or offer multiple connectors (Lightning, for example).
Additionally, you’ll need to take stock of how much data you’re planning on moving or storing. Some of the options below have as little as 8GB of on-board memory with others topping out at 128GB. Generally speaking, the difference in price is negligible but it is something worth considering. If you’re just moving documents or smaller images, 32GB should do the job. Fuller backups and higher resolution content will need 128GB to be safe.
Without further ado, here are the best metal USB 3.0 flash drives for your MacBook:
Samsung BAR USB 3.0 Flash Drive from $10
- Glossy metal design with a built-in keyring
- NAND Flash Technology
- Five-year Warranty
- Rated 4.5/5 stars by over 1,100 Amazon customers
Kingston USB 3.0 Metal Ultra-Compact Flash Drive from $8
- Ultra-compact design
- Speeds up to 100MB/s
- Five-year warranty
- Rated 4.4/5 stars
Transcend JetFlash Metal USB 3.0 Flash Drive from $6
Dust/Shock/Water-resistant design- Built-in Keyring
- Rated 4.5/5 stars by over 900 Amazon customers
SanDisk Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Metal Flash Drive from $7
- Read speeds of up to 130MB/s
- Password protection and 128-bit AES encryption software
- Five-year warranty
- Rated 4.2/5 stars by over 800 Amazon customers
HooToo USB 3.0 + Lightning Connector Metal Flash Drive $60
- USB 3.0 and Lightning Connector design
- Apple MFi-Certified
- Free iOS App
- Rated 4.3/5 stars
While not a flash drive, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Transcend JetDrive Lite ultra-slim SD card for MacBook. Although a bit more expensive than the options above, its unique design adds significant storage your laptop without adding any bulk. Hundreds of Amazon customers have left solid ratings across the board.
For USB-C buyers, we’d recommend Samsung’s metal Duo Flash Drive that features both A and C connectivity. Prices start at just $12 for a 32GB model.
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