Today, the demand for large-capacity flash drives has never been higher. These nifty, thumb-sized devices are still fundamentally essential for file transfer and a host of other functions.
While cloud-based storage has increasingly encroached data management systems, flash drives are arguably still the main go-to portable storage system that's dead simple to use.
There's a sizable list of the world's biggest hard drives, or even solid state drives, but rarely can the same be said for flash drives. However, Kingston's DataTraveler Ultimate GT, boasting a maximum storage capacity of 2 TB, might just assume its place up there with the pantheon of large storage systems.
Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT
The DataTraveler Ultimate GT comes in either 1 or 2 TB of storage. With these figures in mind, there's a disturbingly high chance that this smaller-than-your-palm boxy plaything can pack more storage space than the embedded hard drive in your run-of-the-mill laptop.
"With the DataTraveler Ultimate GT, we empower users to increase their data storage mobility in a highly manageable form factor," said Jean Wong, Kingston's Flash business manager. The new flash drive follows the company's release of a similar one in 2013, albeit with a lower maximum storage capacity at only 1 TB.
If the notion of 2 TB sounds ludicrous, check out Kingston's handy reference table detailing just how many files across different file types the flash drive can store. For starters, a 2 TB flash drive can store up to 70 hours of 4K content, 96 average-sized PC games, 500,000 songs, and 256,000 photos with a 24-megapixel resolution.
Unfortunately, the flash drive only supports USB 3.1 Gen 1 performance, instead of USB Type-C, which is increasingly becoming the standard nowadays. But laptops still do come with USB 3.0 ports, so this is a negligible gripe. Still, USB Type-C support could have been a nice future-thinking addition.
Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT Design
The world's highest-capacity flash drive should obviously not skimp on the aesthetic front, and the DataTraveler Ultimate GT does not disappoint. The flash drive is enclosed in a zinc-alloy shell casing for shock resistance and improved durability.
Given their size, flash drives are prone to minor mishaps such as accidentally being flung, dropped, or crushed inside a student's jam-packed bag. Because of its high-end design, the new Kingston flash drive should fare well against these types of physical damage.
If it does break, owners shouldn't worry. Kingston is backing every purchase of the flash drive with a five-year warranty, free technical support, and a reliability associated with the brand.
Pricing And Availability
The Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT will be out in February. The company has yet to disclose the flash drive's pricing, but those interested in purchasing the world's largest-capacity flash drive should be ready to shell out lofty amounts of cash.
The flash drive is compatible with these operating systems only: Windows 7 and up to Windows 10, macOS 10.9 and up, Linux 2.6 and up, and Chrome OS, Google's proprietary operating system for Chromebooks.
