At CES 2018, Sandisk unveiled a super small USB drive prototype, using the same form factor as its Ultra Fit line, which was also dubbed the world’s smallest flash drive. Flash drives have grown increasingly smaller in recent years, improving their portable nature and offering larger storage sizes — allowing you to store a host of files and media. That’s a positive, of course, but there’s also the point that they’re meant to be removable. You take them out and use them in other computers and devices, like moving files from your laptop to a desktop. Sandisk has now taken the Ultra Fit drives and swapped out a USB-A connector for a USB-C one, like what the prototype from 2018 had. The new model also rests nearly flush to the port, meaning it barely sticks out. The idea is to allow you to plug in the compact flash drive and forget about it.
It will function as a storage expansion device that you leave plugged in at all times. A Sandisk rep explains that the new drive won’t “interrupt your daily lifestyle as you’re moving on the go.” So, if you have it plugged into a laptop, the drive is not in danger of being broken off. Sliding the laptop into your bag or purse with the drive plugged into the USB port doesn’t leave it exposed. It will be available on Amazon from November 4, and prices start at $15 for 64 GB up to $110 for the 1 TB variant. It may not be the biggest USB thumb drive in terms of capacity, but it’s surely convenient.
Why would you want something like this?
The new Sandisk Ultra Fit drive is small, sits nearly flush with the port, and comes with a Memory Zone backup software utility pre-installed. Moreover, the prices seem reasonable, starting at just $15 for the 64 GB model. It’s a solid way to expand storage for your devices, and not just your laptop or desktop. With the addition of USB-C, you can now use the drive with additional gear, like your smartphone or handheld consoles like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2. If you’re using the drive explicitly to back up files or add some extra storage, Sandisk may have created one of the most convenient ways to do so.
Because it rests flush against the device, you don’t have to worry about the drive snagging on bags and potentially snapping off. That keeps your data safer, too. It could also help you if you’re trying to keep your sensitive data away from cloud storage. Another idea is that it could provide an extra storage source for devices that eschew the SD card slot — no more having to set an SD card as default storage on Android phones, for example. Those extra use-cases may make the drive more enticing than the idea of leaving it in a USB port at all times. If you bought the base storage version of a laptop or Mac, the SanDisk Ultra Fit seems like the most affordable way to expand the storage without adding any bulk.
