# Best 32GB USB Flash Drive 2026: 8 Ranked, Read vs Write

Source: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives
Published: 2026-09-19 | Updated: 2026-09-19 | Prices checked on Amazon UK on 2026-09-19

Shop for a 32GB USB flash drive and the biggest number on the page will usually be the read speed. When the specification also lists a write speed, the two rarely agree. The SanDisk Ultra Flair advertises 150 MB/s read; its own listing states 4 MB/s write, a ratio of 37.5 to 1 on the same page. The SanDisk Ultra promises 130 MB/s in the title and 100 MB/s in the spec table. Meanwhile the SanDisk Cruzer Blade is a USB 2.0 drive claiming 70 MB/s read, above the theoretical 60 MB/s (480 Mbps) ceiling of the USB 2.0 interface it uses.

We ranked eight of the best 32GB USB flash drive options on Amazon on three honest criteria: the read and write figures the listing itself publishes, the price of each drive, and the size of the rating base behind it. Where one number in a listing contradicts another number in the same listing, we say so rather than repeat the headline.

## The ranking

### 1. SanDisk Ultra 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive (Black)

- Price: £14.79 | Amazon rating: 4.6 from 210,354 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/sandisk-ultra-32gb-usb-flash-drive
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DQG9OZ2?tag=ranked10-21

The safest 32GB USB flash drive here: it publishes both an 80 MB/s write and a 100 MB/s read figure, and 210,354 ratings sit behind it.

The listing title says 130 MB/s. The specification table says 100 MB/s read and 80 MB/s write. Crucially, the write figure is the highest published anywhere in this group, more than double the next best at 40 MB/s. That, rather than the title, is why this 32GB USB flash drive leads the list.

A full-length movie in under 40 seconds is the claim in the bullets, and 80 MB/s write is roughly the speed that would take. In practice, small files copy far slower than large ones, because a flash drive spends its time opening and closing files instead of streaming one long one. The drive is USB 3.0 and backward compatible with USB 2.0, and it ships with SanDisk SecureAccess for password protection and encryption.

Who should not buy it: anyone moving only documents and photos. At £14.79 it is the most expensive drive here, roughly twice the £6.79 ENUODA and £7.99 SIMMAX. Those two are USB 2.0, with published write speeds of 10 MB/s and 18 MB/s. The Ultra earns its price only if you regularly move files of a gigabyte or more.

Pros: Publishes 80 MB/s write against 100 MB/s read — the highest write figure in this list; 210,354 ratings at 4.6 stars, the second-largest review base here; USB 3.0 with backward compatibility to USB 2.0; SanDisk SecureAccess encryption and password protection included; Also sold in 16 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB capacities
Cons: The title says 130 MB/s; the spec table says 100 MB/s; £14.79, the highest price of the eight; The spec sheet lists the hardware interface as USB 3.0 Micro B, which is not the connector a USB stick uses; Costs more than double the cheapest drive in this list

### 2. Acer UT300 32GB USB 3.2 Flash Drive, USB-A and USB-C

- Price: £10.29 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 1,777 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/acer-ut300-32gb
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FFM7SRGC?tag=ranked10-21

Second because it carries both USB-A and USB-C connectors and a 150 MB/s read claim at £10.29 — but the listing publishes no write speed at all.

The read figure is 150 MB/s, joint-highest in this list. Worth noting what is missing: there is no write speed anywhere in the specification. You can compare its reading against the SanDisk Ultra Flair's 150 MB/s, but you cannot compare its writing against the Ultra's 80 MB/s, because the number is not given.

That said, the dual USB-C and USB-A connectors are why it sits this high. Most 32GB thumb drive options here are USB-A only, which means an adapter for a modern phone. In practice the aluminium alloy body and 10 g weight suit a laptop bag, and it carries a five-year limited warranty — two years more than the Lexar and four more than the SIMMAX.

The catch is the rating split. 7% of its ratings are one-star and another 1% are two-star, against 2% one-star for the SanDisk Ultra, on a sample of 1,777 rather than 210,354. If you need a proven write speed before ordering a 32GB USB flash drive, this listing will not give you one.

Pros: 150 MB/s read, joint-highest in this list; USB-C and USB-A on the same drive, so no adapter for phones; Five-year limited warranty, the longest of the eight; £10.29 — £4.10 less than the SanDisk Ultra Flair, with the same 150 MB/s read claim; 10 g aluminium alloy body with a shockproof claim
Cons: No write speed published anywhere in the specification; 1,777 ratings, and 7% of them are one-star; USB 3.2 Gen 1 is the same 5 Gbps as USB 3.0 — the newer name is not a faster drive; The manufacturer of record is BIWIN, not Acer

### 3. SanDisk Ultra Flair 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive (Silver/Black)

- Price: £14.39 | Amazon rating: 4.6 from 194,842 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/sandisk-ultra-flair-32gb
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015CH1JIW?tag=ranked10-21

Third despite the best headline number: the 150 MB/s read figure sits beside a 4 MB/s write figure in the same specification, a 37.5 to 1 split.

This is the clearest case of the gap this article is about. The bullets promise up to 150 MB/s and a full-length movie in under 30 seconds. The specification table then lists a write speed of 4 MB/s. At that speed a 4 GB film takes roughly 17 minutes to write, not 30 seconds. Even so, the 150 MB/s read figure is real, and for reading files off the drive nothing here is faster.

In practice the Flair is a reading drive. Moving a film onto a TV, pulling documents off a laptop, backing up photos one way — it handles those quickly. Bulk writing is where 4 MB/s shows. It carries 194,842 ratings at 4.6 stars and the same SecureAccess encryption as the SanDisk Ultra.

Who should not buy it: anyone who regularly copies large files onto the drive. If your job is dumping a 20 GB folder onto a 32GB USB flash drive, this is the wrong choice, and the cheaper Acer UT300 has the same 150 MB/s read without a published 4 MB/s write figure.

Pros: 150 MB/s read, joint-highest here; 194,842 ratings at 4.6 stars; 40p cheaper than the SanDisk Ultra, with a 50 MB/s higher read figure; SecureAccess password protection and encryption included; USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
Cons: The specification lists 4 MB/s write against 150 MB/s read on the same page; The 'full-length movie in less than 30 seconds' bullet does not fit a 4 MB/s write speed; No USB-C connector, unlike the Acer; No shockproof or water-resistance claim

### 4. Lexar JumpDrive 32GB USB 3.1 Flash Drive (Black)

- Price: £10.35 | Amazon rating: 4.5 from 3,691 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/lexar-jumpdrive-32gb-flash-drive
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08H1FPF6X?tag=ranked10-21

Fourth: the 130 MB/s read figure matches the number in the SanDisk Ultra's title, while the write speed is given only as '10x' with no base figure.

Read is 130 MB/s, and it appears only in the specification — no speed claim in the title. That is the opposite of the SanDisk Ultra, which puts 130 MB/s in the title and then lists 100 MB/s in the table. Meanwhile the write speed here is '10x faster than standard USB 2.0 drives'. Ten times what is not stated, so the number cannot be checked.

In practice this is the drive for hardware encryption at a lower price. It includes 256-bit AES encryption, a retractable connector with no cap to lose, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 — the same 5 Gbps as USB 3.0 — with backward compatibility to USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. At £10.35 it undercuts both SanDisk drives.

As a result, the choice comes down to warranty and certainty. If you need a stated MB/s write speed before you buy, this is not the drive; the SanDisk Ultra gives you 80 MB/s. If you want a three-year warranty instead of one, the Lexar has it, though the Acer offers five.

Pros: 130 MB/s read, in the same band as the SanDisk Ultra's 100 MB/s spec figure; 256-bit AES encryption built in; £10.35, cheaper than both SanDisk drives; Retractable connector, so no cap to lose; 3,691 ratings at 4.5 stars
Cons: Write speed given only as '10x faster than USB 2.0', with no MB/s figure; Spec table lists hardware connectivity as USB Type B; Three-year warranty against five years for the Acer; Costs £3.56 more than the ENUODA for the same 32 GB

### 5. ENUODA 32GB USB 2.0 Swivel Memory Stick (Black)

- Price: £6.79 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 17,648 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/enuoda-32gb-usb-swivel-drive
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09CKKNDKV?tag=ranked10-21

The cheapest drive here at £6.79 and the most consistent on paper: 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write, both matching its USB 2.0 interface.

Nothing in this listing is hidden. Read is 20 MB/s, write is 10 MB/s, and the interface is USB 2.0 — the numbers agree with each other and with the connector. At £6.79 it is the cheapest 32GB USB stick here and the only one under £7, which is why it outranks three faster-sounding drives further down this page.

The swivel design rotates the metal cover 360 degrees, so there is no cap to lose, and there is a keyring hole for a lanyard or a set of keys. It works with Windows 11 back to 2000, Linux and Mac OS, plus laptops, desktops, smart TVs and car audio systems. In practice, that breadth is the point: this is a 32GB memory stick for a car stereo and a TV, not for moving video between machines.

By contrast with the USB 3.0 drives above it, 10 MB/s write means roughly 100 seconds for a 1 GB file. However, the honest trade is a £3.56 saving against the Lexar. If you regularly move files larger than a few hundred megabytes, spend the extra. Worth noting too that 8% of its ratings are one-star, the second-highest share in this list.

Pros: £6.79, the cheapest drive here and the only one below £7; Publishes 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write, consistent with its USB 2.0 interface; 17,648 ratings at 4.3 stars; 360-degree swivel metal cover and a keyring hole; Works with Windows 11 through 2000, Linux, Mac OS, smart TVs and car audio
Cons: USB 2.0 only — 10 MB/s write is an eighth of the SanDisk Ultra's 80 MB/s; 8% of its ratings are one-star, the second-highest share here; 20 MB/s read is the second-slowest in this list, ahead of only the SIMMAX; No hardware encryption, unlike the SanDisks and the Lexar

### 6. SIMMAX 32GB USB 2.0 Swivel Memory Stick (Blue)

- Price: £7.99 | Amazon rating: 4.4 from 2,786 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/simmax-32gb-usb-flash-drive
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07S61HHS6?tag=ranked10-21

Sixth, and the only drive here whose read and write figures are identical at 18 MB/s — and the only one that states how much of the 32 GB you actually get.

Two things stand out. Read and write are both listed at 18 MB/s, the only identical pair in this list. And the bullets admit the usable capacity: 29.10 GB to 29.8 GB out of a nominal 32 GB, which means you know before buying that roughly 2 GB goes to formatting and overhead. That is more candour than most 32GB memory stick listings offer.

It is a USB 2.0 drive with a 360-degree metal clip rotating around an ABS plastic body, and no cap. Plug and play across Windows 7 to 2000, Linux and Mac OS. In practice this is a documents-and-photos stick for a desk drawer, not a drive for video work.

That said, £7.99 is £1.20 more than the ENUODA for a slower read speed — 18 MB/s against 20 MB/s — and the same USB 2.0 interface. Either way, both write more slowly than any USB 3.0 drive here. If the stated usable capacity is not worth £1.20 to you, buy the cheaper drive.

Pros: States usable capacity as 29.10–29.8 GB rather than only the nominal 32 GB; Read and write both listed at 18 MB/s, the only matching pair here; 2,786 ratings at 4.4 stars; 360-degree metal clip over an ABS body, capless; One-year warranty stated against three years for the Lexar
Cons: £7.99 is £1.20 more than the ENUODA for a slower read speed; 18 MB/s read and write is the slowest combination in this list; USB 2.0 only, so a USB 3.0 port brings no benefit; 5% of its ratings are one-star

### 7. SanDisk Cruzer Blade 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (Black)

- Price: £13.39 | Amazon rating: 4.6 from 286,613 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/sandisk-cruzer-blade-32gb
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FYNT3G?tag=ranked10-21

Seventh: it claims 70 MB/s read on a USB 2.0 interface with a 60 MB/s theoretical ceiling, so two numbers in the listing cannot both be right.

In theory, USB 2.0 caps out at 480 Mbps, which is 60 MB/s. The specification for this drive lists 70 MB/s read. The listing does not explain the gap, and the interface field says USB 2.0. That single contradiction is the most useful thing to know about this drive before you buy it.

Meanwhile the write speed is 40 MB/s, the second-highest published figure in this list after the SanDisk Ultra's 80 MB/s — on a drive rated USB 2.0, where the ENUODA manages 10 MB/s. It also carries 286,613 ratings at 4.6 stars, more than any other drive here, plus SecureAccess encryption and support for tablets and smartphones with a Lightning adapter.

Even so, £13.39 is close to the £14.79 SanDisk Ultra, which is USB 3.0 and publishes 80 MB/s write. If you are buying a 32GB USB flash drive for a USB 3.0 port, the Ultra is the better buy for £1.40 more. Buy the Cruzer Blade if you want the compact body, or if your devices are USB 2.0 anyway.

Pros: 286,613 ratings at 4.6 stars, the largest review base in this list; 40 MB/s write, the second-highest published figure here; SecureAccess password protection and encryption included; Compact body that sits flush in a laptop; Compatible with computers, tablets and smartphones with a Lightning adapter
Cons: Claims 70 MB/s read on a USB 2.0 interface with a 60 MB/s theoretical ceiling; £13.39, only £1.40 less than the USB 3.0 SanDisk Ultra; Spec table lists the flash memory type as CompactFlash, a different technology; USB 2.0 interface, so a USB 3.0 port brings no benefit

### 8. Vansuny U202 32GB USB 3.0 Mini Flash Drive (Black)

- Price: £12.99 | Amazon rating: 4.3 from 603 ratings
- Full review: https://www.ranked10.co.uk/tech/best-32gb-usb-flash-drives/vansuy-32gb-usb-flash-drive
- Buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088K6LCPH?tag=ranked10-21

Eighth: the bullets claim 100 MB/s read and the specification table says 60 MB/s — two different read speeds for the same drive on the same page.

The bullets state read and write speeds of up to 100 MB/s and 30 MB/s. The specification table gives a read speed of 60 MB/s and a write speed of 30 MB/s. One of those two read numbers is wrong, and the listing never says which. The write figure, at least, agrees with itself.

The zinc alloy and ABS body carries waterproof, shockproof, magnetic-proof and X-ray-proof claims, and the keyhole takes the supplied lanyard. At 2 g it is the lightest drive here. In practice, though, £12.99 is a lot for a USB 3.0 flash drive 32GB when the Acer UT300 and the Lexar JumpDrive both cost at least £2.60 less and publish higher read figures — 150 MB/s and 130 MB/s.

Who should not buy it: anyone comparing specifications before ordering. If you want the best 32GB USB flash drive in this list, this is not it — the mismatch between 100 MB/s and 60 MB/s is unresolved, the sample is 603 ratings, and 10% of them are one-star. The one case for it is the ruggedness claim, which no SanDisk here makes.

Pros: Write speed of 30 MB/s, third-highest published here; Waterproof, shockproof, magnetic-proof and X-ray-proof claims; Keyhole and lanyard included, 2 g body; USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0; 60 MB/s read stated in the specification table
Cons: Bullets say 100 MB/s read; the spec table says 60 MB/s; £12.99, more than the Acer and the Lexar, which publish higher read figures; 603 ratings, the smallest sample in this list, and 10% are one-star; Spec table lists both USB Type A and USB Type C, though the bullets describe only a standard USB stick

## Verdict

In short: for most buyers the SanDisk Ultra is the pick, because it is the only 32GB USB flash drive here that publishes both a 100 MB/s read and an 80 MB/s write figure, and 210,354 ratings sit behind it. If you need the cheapest workable option for a car stereo or a drawer of documents, the ENUODA at £6.79 is the honest USB 2.0 choice, with 20 MB/s read and 10 MB/s write that match its own interface. And if you want a cheap 32GB USB stick that also plugs into a phone, the Acer UT300 at £10.29 gives you USB-A and USB-C with a 150 MB/s read claim — and no write figure at all.