The Best 2TB Flash Drives (and Alternatives) in 2022
Finding the best option in a sea of fakes
Are 2TB flash drives real? No – As of 2022 there are no mainstream 2TB options available on the market.
We’re glad you found this post though, as there are unfortunately a huge plethora of fake options around online marketplaces.
Today’s feature is here for 2 things:
- We’ll keep it updated as the situation with 2TB pen drives changes (eventually they’ll appear, and when they do, we’ll review the best ones)
- Until then, we’ve detailed your best authentic alternatives to a 2TB flash drive below (and how to spot fakes)
So, let’s get to it…
- Best 2TB Flash Drive Alternative: SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO
- Best 2TB Drive: Sabrent Rocket Nano 2TB
A quick word on fake 2TB flash drives
If you looked on one of the popular online marketplaces, you’d probably be surprised that we’re saying all 2TB pen drives are fake because there are so many of them listed, and some even have good reviews!
Unfortunately, today’s scammers can be pretty deceptive and the storage market in particular (including SSDs and HDDs) seems to attract a huge amount of fakes.
Typically, fakes use smaller flash drives and rewrite them to appear larger. For example, this could be a 128GB drive that pretends it’s 2TB, but as soon as you fill up to 128GB, the drive will stop working.
What makes this harder is that some of these pages also use a page that previously had a lot of great reviews for a different flash drive, then is edited into a fake page (in other words, although lots of good reviews is usually a good sign, there’s still a possibility that you’re looking at a fake product).
How do you spot a fake flash drive?
There is no sure-fire way, which is why we highly recommend you stick to our recommendations in this article and our other memory features.
However, if you want to stray to other picks, stick to the big-name brands (Samsung, Corsair, SanDisk, etc.) and practice the rule of “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” (in other words, if you see a flash drive that is 20% of the price of a Samsung equivalent of the same size, it is almost definitely fake).
That all sounds very pessimistic, but fear not, we have a couple of excellent alternatives to share.
SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO
Best 2TB Flash Drive Alternative
SPECIFICATIONS*
Capacity: 1TB | Read/Write Speeds (up to): 420/380Mbps | Input Type: USB 3.2 | Weight: 0.64 ounces
Our Score: 95%
REASONS TO BUY
+ Fantastic real-world speeds
+ Durable build quality
+ Lifetime limited warranty
REASONS TO AVOID
Although there are no 2TB thumb drives available on the market, the best 1TB flash drive around is a fantastic alternative.
The SanDisk 1TB Extreme Pro is a very popular market choice for a reason. on top of the 1 terabyte storage capacity, this device really shines due to its fantastic read write/speeds.
Not only is up to 420/380Mbps a great starting point, but real-world benchmarks tend to show the PRO performing similarly in real world scenarios (this is an important distinguishment, some drives advertise fast speeds but fall down under real tests).
SanDisk also has excellent onboard encryption if you are dealing with sensitive data that needs protection (and simple software included to get you started).
We think the aspect that solidifies this Sandisk flash drive as our top choice compared to its competitors, however, is its longevity.
Not only does the PRO boast a fantastic, sturdy build quality, but SanDisk also includes a lifetime limited warranty.
Durability is an underrated buying factor of flash drives considering how much we move them around, but even the most durable of drives eventually encounters problems.
This is why a lifetime limited warranty is such a great perk and, in our opinion, justifies the slightly hefty price tag.
(It’s worth adding that the lifetime warranty is at the time of writing this feature, please check that this is still the case in the region you’re purchasing).
If you want other 1TB options, we have a full feature breaking other ones down in detail (including cheaper options).
Note: We see some customer reviews exclaim annoyance at how the drive they receive is around 920GB in usable space as opposed to the advertised 1TB
Although we appreciate it’s frustrating, this is something that every storage manufacturer does; the drive is 1TB, but flash storage does not operate well when filled to full capacity, so nearly every decent supplier portions a section of the drive (usually around 10%) for longevity and data security.
In other words, assume you’re getting a 920GB drive, no matter which 1TB product you’re looking at.
With all that said, we love the Extreme Pro, not only is this the best 2TB thumb drive alternative, but it’s arguably the best flash storage in any category.
Sabrent Rocket Nano 2TB
Best 2TB Drive
SPECIFICATIONS
Capacity: 2TB | Read/Write Speeds (up to): 1,000/1,000Mbps | Input Type: USB 3.2-C (includes type-A adapter) | Weight: 1.6 ounces
Our Score: 90%
REASONS TO BUY
+ Incredible SSD speeds
+ One of the smallest SSDs available
+ Competitive price for size
REASONS TO AVOID
Now although this article is about 2TB flash drives, we really think that many of you will end up preferring this alternative (even to a 2TB pen drive if they were on the market!).
A solid-state drive is a type of flash memory and for the novice user, is essentially providing the same function.
The most favorable difference is twofold: first, there are 2TB solid-state drives (and much larger ones if you’re interested) and secondly, ones like the Rocket Nano, which run on NVMe architecture, can reach speeds of up to 1000Mbps read & write.
This is an incredible increase in speed compared to our above pick and would make it a great 2TB gaming flash drive alternative (or any PC/Mac user who appreciates fast transfers in general).
What’s more, real-world benchmarking indicates the device does well in actual speed testing too.
Traditionally, one of the drawbacks of an external SSD compared to a pen drive is its size, they’re usually much larger.
That is not the case with the Nano. It may still be slightly larger and heavier, but it’s overall still extremely portable (and thinner than our top pick).
Aside from that, the only tiny difference to bear in mind is that a thumb drive has a USB output directly sticking out of it (so it conveniently attaches to your laptop/desktop).
With an external SSD like the Nano, you have a cable that runs from your PC to the drive. It’s still very portable, but if you’re the type of user who is constantly moving around with your laptop every 15 minutes, you will probably like the convenience of our top pick over an SSD alternative.
If you haven’t heard of Sabrent, they’re a major player in the storage space and play in the same league as SanDisk and Samsung, so we’re pleasantly surprised to see how they manage to pick this immensely small drive with not only such a large capacity but a respectable price too.
You may be asking why we score this device slightly lower than the SanDisk 1 TB flash drive with everything the Nano has going for it.
That is mostly down to the change in warranty. As of the time we write this, the Nano comes with a 1-year standard warranty (3 years limited if signed up for within 90 days).
This is pretty typical for most drives, but as we’re comparing it to a device that has a lifetime limited warranty, it’s a signifinat drop.
SSDs tend to fail in the 8-10 year mark (with proper care), so having the lifetime warranty is a real value add.
That said, the Nano is a durable, aluminum-built device (and storage technology moves on a lot in 10 years, you may not even care for a replacement that far down the line).
If lightning-fast speeds, better price-per-byte, and a drive that is exactly 2TB are things that matter for your storage, then the Nano is an amazing choice and undoubtedly the best 2TB flash drive alternative for you.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it! Although this article is focused on alternatives right now, as real options emerge, we’ll be sure to update this feature with the best 2TB flash drives available.
But right now, there is no sign of these emerging on the market, so we don’t recommend waiting for them. Picking up a couple of 1TB flash drives or a tiny 2TB solid-state drive is definitely going to be the best option for you.
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About the author
Kaelum Ross
* Specifications throughout our articles are double-checked and intended to inform our users, but should not be treated as factual information. When making final decisions on your products, please check the manufacturer pages to confirm the fine details.