Samsung Duo Plus Flash Drive

Samsung Duo Plus 256 GB USB 3.1 Flash Drive

$52.17

9

Value/Pricing

9.0/10

Functionality

8.0/10

Usefulness

9.5/10

Durability/Quality

9.5/10

Pros

• Happy with the storage functionality. Copying, moving, etc. is fast enough for me.
• The form factor is good. Not so small I'll lose it, but not too bulky
• Probably a bit too large for a keychain, but does have a loop for it.
• Price was good for the amount of storage and advertised transfer speeds

Cons

• It's unfortunate that the cap doesn't attach anywhere when it's in use
• Despite the cap being unattached, the unused connection portion must be attached. It's a bit disjointed
• More of the same, but...this is in effect just a USB 3.1 flash drive with a USB-C adapter rather than a true all-in-one

Go Check it Out

Recently, I decided to start a YouTube channel to share some portrait art progressions and various other things. I have a few smaller flash drives laying around, but decided I needed something bigger to move files around between my PC (USB 3.1) for uploading, Samsung Galaxy (USB-C) for video, and iPad Pro (USB-C) for video editing. I came across this Samsung Duo Plus, which has both USB 3.1 and USB-C connections, so I decided to give it a try.

I got the 256GB version, which seemed a lot cheaper than the last time I bought a flash drive. I guess I should thank Moore’s Law for that. Anyhow, this one works pretty well. I haven’t tested the speed, but anecdotally it seems good to me; faster than my older flash drives certainly. I’m really appreciative of the extra space because my next largest USB flash drive I believe is 32 GB. It’s a good device and I’ve really grown to trust the Samsung brand for storage mediums over the last couple of years.

I really like having a convertible flash drive that has both USB-C and USB 3.1. I have to add a “but” here though…I was expecting a unit that was always self-contained. When you’re using either portion, the cap does not connect anywhere. So you’ve got that portion just sitting on your desk. But, the other portion must be connected to the side you’re using, or the thing doesn’t work. It’s not a huge issue, but it is sort of disjointed; one part will always be disconnected, while another has to be connected. I was hoping everything would stick together because I’m notorious for losing things.

Overall though, I’m happy with the purchase. It’s working well for my purposes, even if it is more of a regular USB that comes with an adapter than a true dual-port drive. I just need to make sure I keep all the pieces together.

Before you buy this one, you might consider checking out some of the Amazon reviews on this one. There are some reviewers who put it through tests and weren’t happy with the write speeds. As I said, I’ve been satisfied on that end, but it’s worth taking multiple experiences into account.

Manufacturer Description:

• Redefine everyday file transfers with speeds up to 300MB/s
• A cable free, 2 in 1 Type C USB on the go flash drive for expanded storage and easy file transfers between your smartphones, tablets, and PCs, designed with a key ring to prevent loss
• Reliable and secure storage for your photos, videos, music, and files. Operating Temperature – -13°F to 185°F. Non-operating Temperature – -40°F to 185°F
• Safeguard your data backed by a 5 year limited warranty (Water proof, shock proof, magnet proof, temperature proof, x ray proof)
• Type C USB 3.1 flash drive with backwards compatibility (USB 3.0, USB 2.0)

(1) Up to 300 MB/s for 256/128GB models; Up to 200 MB/s for 64/32GB models.

(2) Minimum of 10 secs for 256/128GB models; Minimum of 14 secs for 64/32GB models.

(3) Waterproof up to 72 hrs in seawater and shock-proof up to 1,500 gravitational acceleration.

(4) Withstands -25°C to 85°C operating, -40°C to 85°C non-operating.

(5) Magnet-proof up to 15,000 gauss and X-ray proof up to 50 Roentgen.