PNY PRO Elite V2 review: Faster USB 3.2 transfer speeds

We’ve reviewed a few PNY storage options over the past few years, and for the most part, they offer decent bang for the buck. Our latest review looks at a portable USB 3.2 flash drive for faster transfer speeds.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Our PNY PRO Elite V2 review takes a look at their 256GB USB 3.2 Flash Drive with read speeds of up to 600MB/s and write speeds of up to 500MB/s. Read on for our full review!

Quick Take

While still relatively slow when it comes to common data transfer speeds these days, the PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive does offer decent speeds when compared with older USB formats. It is a bit pricier than some other options but the sliding metal sheath offers solid protection for when the drive is in your pocket or loose in a backpack or other bag.

Specifications

The PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive has the following features and specifications:

Capacity	256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2
Max Read Speed	Up to 600MB/s
Max Write Speed	Up to 500MB/s
Compatibility	USB 3.2 Gen 2 equipped host devices, backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
Environmental Conditions	Operating Temperature: 0° to 60° C, Storage Temperature: -25° to 85° C

What’s in the box

• PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive

Design

The PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive is a pretty standard-sized USB key. As for dimensions, the drive is roughly 2 1/4″ in length, about 3/4″ wide, and 3/8″ in height. The main unit consists of a metal sheath with which you can slide the USB-A connector in and out for added protection. On one side of the sheath is the PNY logo and the words 256GB printed on it.

As for the USB-A port, it is wrapped in a pretty solid-feeling plastic sheath and slides out fairly easily. Sliding it back in does take a bit of force, but not enough that you feel like you are going to wreck it. As a bonus, this means the drive doesn’t accidentally close inwards when inserting it into a USB-A port on your computer. On the top end of this inner component is a cutout for attaching a string or to a key ring.

Performance

The PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive is rated at up to 600MB/s read and up to 500MB/s write speeds. As I usually do with storage drives and memory cards, I ran it through several benchmarks on their default settings. These tests were taken while the USB flash drive was inserted into a USB 3.2 port. Using a USB 3.0 or 2.0 port will significantly reduce these speeds.

AS SSD Seq Read	579.05 MB/s
AS SSD Seq Write	590.04 MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Seq Read (max)	989.37 MB/s
ATTO Disk Benchmark Seq Write (max)	966.04 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Seq Read (Q8T1)	636.67 MB/s
CrystalDiskMark Seq Write (Q8T1)	625.09 MB/s

As you can see from the tests above, the drive easily met, and in some cases, exceeded the stated read and write speeds depending on the test and file size.

Benchmarks are great, but real-world performance is what matters most. To test performance, we copied files between the drive and a computer and vice-versa and timed how long it took. When copying a single file roughly 2GB in size, it took about 8 seconds to copy from the computer to the drive. Copying from the drive to the computer was about the same. Next, I copied an assortment of 80 files. The total size of this transfer was 1.2GB. Transferring to the PNY USB key took about 3 seconds while transferring back to the computer was about the same.

Price/Value

The PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive retails for US$4.99 for the 256GB version, $74.99 for 256GB, and $106.99 for the 1TB version. At full retail, they are a bit pricey but often go on sale so I’d keep my eye out for when they do to get better value.

Wrap-up

The PNY PRO Elite V2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Flash Drive offers decent transfer speeds and storage options in a fairly sturdy form factor. If you can grab them on sale, they are a pretty decent deal.

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