With the increasing need for portable data storage, many wonder if 64GB is sufficient space on a flash drive. The answer depends on your specific needs and usage. For light users who only occasionally transfer documents or small media files, 64GB offers ample capacity. Power users who store large programs, media libraries, or system backups require much more space. Let’s explore the key factors in determining if 64GB meets your flash drive needs.
Typical flash drive uses
Flash drives have become a convenient way to store and transport files. Here are some of the most common uses:
- Transferring school or work documents
- Sharing presentation slides and reports
- Storing personal photos and videos
- Backing up contacts, calendars, and emails
- Transporting software programs and apps
- Storing music playlists and audiobooks
- Saving game save files
For basic document transfer and sharing, 64GB offers ample capacity. But for storing extensive media libraries or backing up large amounts of data, you will likely need a larger drive.
Average file sizes
To estimate capacity needs, consider the average file sizes of the content you intend to store:
| File Type | Average Size |
|---|---|
| Documents | 50KB – 100MB |
| Photos | 2MB – 10MB |
| Songs | 3MB – 5MB |
| Videos | 50MB – 2GB+ |
| Software/apps | 100MB – 2GB+ |
A 64GB flash drive can hold:
- 640,000 documents averaging 100KB each
- 6,000 photos averaging 10MB each
- 12,800 songs averaging 5MB each
- Around 32 hours of HD video at 5GB per hour
- A handful of large software programs or app installers
As you can see, capacity needs increase quickly if storing substantial media libraries or software programs.
Choosing flash drive capacity
Consider these guidelines when selecting flash drive size:
- Documents and photos only: 16GB to 32GB offers ample room.
- Small music/video library: 32GB to 64GB lets you store hundreds of files.
- Full media library: 128GB+ is ideal for tens of thousands of songs and plenty of video.
- System/software backup: 64GB works for a single system backup image file. 500GB+ is better for multiple full system backups.
Also allow for future growth. If you’re close to maxing out a drive now, move up a capacity tier for extra overhead.
Maximizing 64GB capacity
There are also ways to maximize available 64GB space if needed:
- Store documents and media on separate drives
- Use hard drive for large backups, flash for transfers
- Compress folders using zip/RAR formats
- Stream music/video instead of storing locally
- Move old files to other storage once no longer needed
With selective transfers and cleanup, 64GB may be workable for many users.
When to choose larger capacities
Situations requiring flash drives larger than 64GB include:
- Storing entire media collections – music, videos, photos
- Performing system backups and disk images
- Maintaining multiple large software install files
- Saving space for future growth
- Regularly transferring large batches of files
For massive storage needs, external hard disk or cloud drives may be preferable to large flash units.
64GB flash drive options
Many name brands offer quality 64GB flash drives, including:
| Brand | Sample Models |
|---|---|
| SanDisk | Cruzer, Ultra Fit, Extreme Pro |
| Kingston | DataTraveler |
| Samsung | BAR Plus, FIT Plus |
| PNY | Elite, Elite-X, Pro Elite |
| Corsair | Flash Survivor, Flash Voyager |
Look for drives with USB 3.0/3.1 for fast transfer speeds. Also consider rugged models if you require durability.
Memory card vs. flash drive
Portable flash memory also comes in the form of memory cards used in consumer devices like cameras, phones, and handheld game consoles. How does a memory card differ from a flash drive?
- Size and shape: Cards are much smaller and thinner than drives.
- Interface: Cards use built-in slots while drives use USB.
- Device support: Cards are made for single devices; drives connect universally.
- Speed: The fastest drives are quicker than all but the fastest cards.
- Capacity: High-end drives currently exceed the largest cards.
While their shapes differ, memory cards effectively provide onboard flash storage for specific host devices. Flash drives offer removable storage that connects via standard USB ports.
When to use a memory card
Memory cards are designed for storage in host devices like:
- Digital cameras
- Phones
- Tablets
- Handheld game systems
- Laptops
- DJ equipment
Their small durable form factors neatly fit device slots. While cards are not as fast or capacious as drives, they conveniently add storage specifically for their intended gadgets.
When to use a flash drive
External flash drives work best for:
- File transfers between devices and computers
- Adding removable storage to laptops and desktop PCs
- Storing large media libraries
- Performing system backups
- Transporting folders too large for cloud storage
- Quickly sharing large batches of files
Flash drives are ideal for shuttling data thanks to their plug-and-play USB connectivity. Larger drives provide expansive capacity exceeding most memory cards.
Final tips on choosing flash drive capacity
To determine if 64GB meets your needs:
- Estimate total space for planned files and allow for growth.
- Factor in file sizes for documents, photos, music, video, software, etc.
- Separate media collections if size exceeds 64GB.
- Use hard drives or cloud for overflow and archiving.
- Compare name brand models for speed, design, and reliability.
While 64GB flash drives meet many users’ needs, larger capacities provide flexibility and room to expand. Consider your specific storage requirements when selecting drive size.
Conclusion
A 64GB flash drive offers sufficient capacity for most users’ document transfers, shared files, photos, music and occasional video storage needs. Power users desiring expansive media libraries or system backups will prefer drives of 128GB or higher.
With a bit of organization and cleanup, 64GB works fine for shuttling common files between computers and devices. But anticipate growth, especially if managing large batches of photos, music, video, software installers or disk images. In those cases, it pays to move up to a roomier high-capacity flash drive.