USB flash drives remain far from obsolete, according to a report from technology outlet Engadget, even as solid-state drives (SSDs) continue to outpace them in speed, capacity and durability.
The Obsolete Media Museum rates the risk of flash drives becoming obsolete at just 1 point, meaning very low risk. As long as computers and other devices keep shipping with USB ports, the report said, compact flash drives will retain their place.
The USB flash drive first rose to prominence in the early 2000s, when it replaced the floppy disk as the dominant portable storage format. Since then it has become a familiar accessory that often sits unused in a drawer, prompting Engadget's author to ask whether the format is finally nearing the end of its life.
No clear evidence of falling sales
Despite talk of flash drives disappearing quickly, the report found no direct evidence that USB flash drive sales are falling. Instead, the format is likely losing popularity gradually, as people increasingly work with large files and expect the higher transfer speeds that modern devices offer.
This is especially visible in professional settings, where IT specialists and creative professionals increasingly need faster, higher-capacity storage.
SSDs are faster, more reliable and hold more
The main drawback of today's flash drives is their comparatively small capacity. Most popular models top out at around 128 GB, which is no longer enough for many tasks.
Even smartphones can now store huge libraries of 4K video, and at high frame rates a single minute of footage can take up roughly 1 GB. ZIP archives, phone or PC backups and other large files can easily exceed a flash drive's capacity, and even when a file does fit, transferring it can take a long time.
SSDs solve much of this. The best portable models typically offer 1 TB of storage or more, along with significantly faster data transfer. They are also more reliable, often protected by rugged casings and fitted with higher-quality memory controllers.
Modern portable SSDs have also become far more compact. They remain larger than a standard flash drive but still fit easily into a pocket or small bag.
The shift to USB-C has added to the appeal of SSDs. Some modern laptops now include only USB-C ports, and while USB-C flash drives exist, SSDs tend to be more convenient in practice, since many popular portable models ship with both USB Type-A and USB Type-C cables, allowing them to connect to a wider range of devices.
AI boom pushes up SSD prices
The picture shifted unexpectedly with the artificial intelligence boom. Since late 2025, demand for data centre storage and memory has surged, driving SSD prices sharply higher, while PC sales have fallen.
The Engadget author cited a personal example: a Samsung 990 Pro SSD with 4 TB of storage was bought in November 2025 for $318. By the time the article was written, the same drive cost around $1,100 on Amazon, with the slower Samsung 990 model priced even higher.
USB flash drives have seen far calmer price movements. They have also become more expensive, the report said, but nowhere near as steeply as SSDs and hard disk drives (HDDs). Flash drives are also sold in smaller capacities, which keeps their overall purchase price lower.
As an example, a five-pack of 64 GB PNY USB 3.0 flash drives currently costs around $45. For users who do not regularly work with 4K video and simply want to carry documents or store tax records, the report said, a flash drive is once again looking like an attractive option.
Google Trends data cited in the report also points to growing interest, with searches for terms such as "portable USB flash drive" and "128 GB USB flash drive" rising sharply since the start of 2026.
What flash drives are still used for
Flash drives continue to serve jobs that are hard to replace fully with an SSD. They remain convenient for creating a bootable drive for Linux or Windows 11, a task for which using an entire SSD makes little sense.
They are also useful for running portable operating systems such as Tails, storing a set of diagnostic and repair tools, or simply serving as a compact storage device on a keychain, keeping essential files on hand whenever they are suddenly needed.
Flash drives do lag behind SSDs in speed, capacity and durability, the report concluded, but it is still too early to write off their disappearance.
