How Much Data Can a Flash Drive Hold?
Flash drives, also known as thumb or USB drives, are small external storage drives that connect to a computer's USB drive. Users can employ these drives to move data between computers or to back up data.
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Identification
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Flash drives and other external storage media typically state the maximum data capacity on the drive itself or on the drive's packaging. In addition to this, Windows users can determine the maximum capacity and available capacity of a flash drive by right clicking the drive in "My Computer" to view the capacity.
Maxiumum Capacity
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As of October 2010, the maximum capacity of a flash drive is 256 gigabytes. Kingston's 256 GB DataTraveler is larger than some computer hard drives, which makes them ideal for copying an entire hard drive. Flash drives are also available in much smaller capacities including 512MB, 1GB, 4GB and 8GB.
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Considerations
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Generally, the flash drives that can hold more data cost more money than smaller drives. In addition to this, the number of files a flash drive can hold depends on the type and size of the file. For example, a 512 megabyte card will only be able to hold about 232 photos at a 6-megapixel resolution while the same card can hold roughly 464 photos at a 3-MP resolution. Generally, a flash drive can hold more images than audio files and more audio files than video files.
Misconceptions
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An 8GB flash drive will not hold exactly 8GB, similar to how a computer's hard drive will actually have less room than advertised. Drives dedicate some space to formatting data and this reduces the overall capacity.
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References
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