The shift away from upgradeable and repairable components has particularly hurt laptop users, shortening upgrade cycles and forcing them to buy replacements when something goes awry. Running out of available storage space is one of the top reasons buyers look to buy new laptops, especially if their model lacks support for upgradeable storage. When buying a laptop, storage upgrades are often incredibly overpriced, pushing consumers to skip them — a decision they might regret later if their storage quickly fills up.
When I purchased my last laptop, I consciously decided to configure it with only 512GB of solid state storage rather than upgrade to a higher amount. This gave me a solid amount of on-device storage that could later be supplemented with cloud storage or external drives. A few years later, I’m now in need of extra storage space, and that’s why Sandisk’s new Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive caught my attention. It’s minuscule, fast, cheap, and available in high capacities, so I bought one.
I’m shocked 1TB flash drives are this small
Unlike high-capacity microSD cards, these stay in your device
I have plenty of flash drives, portable SSDs, and USB enclosures for NVMe SSDs. They all help me expand the storage of my devices with space constraints, as well as handle backup and file transfer duties. They’re not a realistic solution to on-device storage space filling up, however, because these external solutions are not designed to remain plugged in forever. It’s not uncommon to see clever laptop users strap a portable SSD to their computer’s lid, or use magnets to secure it, but these options lacked polish for my taste.
I’ve been intrigued by the concept of “plug-and-stay USB-C storage,” as Sandisk calls it. Theoretically, flash storage technology is small enough for users to expand their laptop storage with a tiny USB-C drive that never needs to be unplugged. Past implementations haven’t quite fulfilled the vision I had in mind, but Sandisk’s Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive is the closest yet. This flash drive fits on my fingertip while offering up to 1TB of high-speed storage expansion.
The Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive is only 0.63 inches tall, making it thinner than many laptops and only slightly thicker than ultrabooks like the MacBook Air when shut. It’s 0.73 inches long and 0.54 inches wide, forming a tiny cube shape. This flash drive is the smallest I’ve ever used, and you have to see it to believe it. In the photos above, you can see the Sandisk Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive in size comparisons with my hand, other flash drives, and USB-C devices.
The design of a flash drive is largely inconsequential. Given that this one is designed to remain inserted in your laptop indefinitely, Sandisk does earn some points by adding a cool light-refracting design that faces outward.
I doubled my laptop’s storage instantly
It’ll work with any macOS or Windows laptop with a USB-C port
Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf
I bought the 512GB model of the Sandisk Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive, and frankly, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever made. The discreet flash drive costs just $60 for that size, which is unbelievable. I remember paying those prices for quality 64GB and 128GB flash drives not too long ago, and the value proposition feels appealing here. Since my M2 MacBook Air and Lenovo Yoga Book 9i both have 512GB of SSD storage, I’ve effectively doubled the amount of space I can use to store files, photos, videos, music, and other data.
My main concern with this flash drive is longevity and durability. Flash drives aren’t usually designed for sustained loads and constant use, so I worry about leaving this one plugged into my laptop constantly. I’m also guilty of dropping my laptop violently into my backpack, and I now need to be careful that I don’t accidentally smash the Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive.
The flash drive comes with a five-year limited warranty, which gives me a bit of peace of mind on the longevity front. Of course, this warranty doesn’t cover accidental damage or data loss. This makes it crucial to back up the files stored on your flash drive somewhere else just in case there’s a failure or defect. I’m using this drive to keep files I’d usually store in the cloud available locally for quick access.
This isn’t the fastest storage accessory on the block, but the USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds of up to 400MB/s supported by the Sandisk Extreme Fit are more than enough for my needs.
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Don’t overpay for manufacturer storage upgrades
Get the Sandisk Extreme Fit USB-C flash drive and save
Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf
It’s unfortunate that modern laptops don’t support expandable and upgradeable storage like they used to. It’s even more disappointing that laptop manufacturers continue to overcharge for memory and storage upgrades at the time of purchase. The sole bright spot here is that flash storage is becoming small enough and cheap enough to fill the gap. I wasn’t sure how my decision to only equip my work laptops with 512GB of SSD storage would turn out a few years down the road. Now that I’ve doubled their capacities with one $60 accessory, I’m confident I made the right choice.
Capacity
64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Speed
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (up to 400MB/s)
Connection
USB-C
Warranty
5 years
The Sandisk Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive is a compact expandable storage solution for laptop and tablet users. It’s available in up 1TB storage capacities, comes with a five-year warranty, and works with Windows, macOS, and iPadOS.
