All about electronics: SanDisk Extreme 3.0 32GB

Performance

SanDisk advertises that the 32GB Extreme can get read speeds of up to 245MBps and write speeds of up to 100MBps. While our testing never realized anything close to 245MBps for read speed, the write speed came pretty close to 100MBps.

The SanDisk Extreme did well in our testing, especially in the 4K read and write categories. On average, the Extreme managed sequential read speeds of 179MBps. That's not especially fast compared to some of the other USB flash drives on our lineup, but it's still pretty good. What it means is that, when you want to view files on the Extreme, it won't be quite as responsive as faster drives. However, the Extreme also clocked in at a very impressive sequential write speed of 91MBps. That's the fastest we've seen, and it allows you to transfer files to the Extreme very quickly.

We'd also like to point out that the Extreme did very well in 4K random read and write. This means that the Extreme is a good option if you want to run an operating system or other applications off of a USB flash drive. The Extreme's 4K read speed of 9.7MBps is impressive, though not the best, and the 4K write speed of 7MBps is outstanding. There are many USB 3.0 flash drives that can't even achieve 1MBps 4K write speeds, and the Extreme puts them all to shame.

Design & Features

This USB flash drive comes with the SanDisk SecureAccess software, which allows you to keep your sensitive files safe and secure, even if you lose your drive or it gets stolen. The software lets you create a password-protected folder on your drive so you can easily share other files while keeping your private ones private. You simply drag and drop files anywhere on your computer into the folder to transfer them.

In addition to the private folder security option, your files are kept confidential with 128-bit AES encryption, which is weaker than the common 256-bit AES encryption found on other drives. While the Windows-compatible version comes ready to go right on the drive, you have to download the Mac version from the SanDisk website.

Help & Support

The SanDisk Extreme USB 3.0 flash drive comes with a limited lifetime warranty. You will need to provide proof of purchase, including date and place of purchase. In the event that you need to return the drive, you need to register the product using the company's online registration.

Should you need help and support, the SanDisk website should be your first stop. There you can email a question, chat live with a product representative, browse community forums, register your device, read the user manual and warranty information, and get the phone number of customer service representatives. If you just need some troubleshooting, give the forums a try – you will be pleasantly surprised at how many questions have already been answered by the community of SanDisk customers. Before you join in, though, the company asks that you read and abide by the forum rules and guidelines.