- Raspberry Pi flash drive offers high-speed 128GB and 256GB options
- Sequential performance briefly reaches maximum USB 3.0 bandwidth
- SMART reporting and TRIM support help maintain performance and lifespan
Raspberry Pi fans have a new storage option that combines a compact design and high capacity in a single device.
The Raspberry Pi flash drive features an expressive design with an aluminum casing and a subtle Raspberry Pi logo.
This flash drive is a compact USB 3.0 device created specifically for Raspberry Pi enthusiasts and offers 128GB and 256GB storage options.
Maintains USB 3.0 performance
Like many high-density NAND flash storage solutions, it uses a small pseudo-SLC cache reserve to improve performance during burst write workloads by streaming data to slower QLC flash memory in the background.
This approach allows sequential write speeds to reach the maximum bandwidth of USB 3.0 for short periods, while maintaining sustained performance even under intense I/O activity.
Benchmarking this type of setup is challenging, which is why the numbers quoted reflect sustained write speeds when the cache is fully committed and read speeds measured with an empty cache.
The drive has undergone extensive testing to ensure it withstands sudden disconnections or power outages, surviving tens of thousands of random power cycles under intensive workloads intermittently.
The device also supports SSD-style SMART status reporting to monitor its lifespan and supports TRIM operations to maintain performance over time.
Automatically enters USB 3.0 low-power states when idle, minimizing power consumption.
The 128GB variant offers 16,000 IOPS for 4kB random reads, 21,000 IOPS for random writes, and up to 75MB/s sequential write speed.
The 256GB version achieves 18,000 IOPS reads, 22,000 IOPS writes, and 150 MB/s sequential writes.
Both models use a USB 3.0 Gen1×1 interface with a Type A connector and support the USB attached SCSI protocol, with support for USB mass storage.
The drive can store, transfer or backup data, and can also run operating systems and other Raspberry Pi distributions directly.
This offers similar storage flexibility to SSDs or standard hard drives without sacrificing portability.
The device also features a durable casing that resists physical damage and a small attachment hole that allows the unit to be attached to a keychain or similar accessory for security.
The Raspberry Pi flash drive is now available through approved Raspberry Pi resellers for $30 for the 128GB version and $55 for the 256GB option.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
