It's funny to think that just a decade ago, I carried a USB stick everywhere I went. It was the simplest way to keep my school projects, photos, and documents on hand, and it made moving files between campus computers, the library, and my PC at home effortless. As a media student in college, transferring files was part of my daily routine, so a USB stick was essential.
External SSD
Fast and reliable storage
I used to keep everything I needed to move between PCs on a USB stick -- such as emulators, Photoshop files, and Premiere Pro projects-- but that all changed once I switched to an external SSD. External SSDs are simply far faster, which makes a huge difference with large project files and games. Many can hit read/write speeds of 1,000-2,000 MB/s, while most USB sticks max out around 200 MB/s. You can find faster USB sticks, but at that point, the price is close to that of an external SSD, which you can find for under $100.
External SSDs also offer much larger capacities. Ten years ago, all my projects and files rarely hit 100GB, but with 4K video, heavier Premiere timelines, and larger games, I routinely need far more space. These days, 1TB feels essential. And while you can find USB sticks with a terabyte of storage space, their speeds are usually disappointing. An external SSD, which is still compact and very portable, ends up being the much better choice.
Cloud storage
Access your files anywhere
When Google Drive first launched in the early 2010s, I was hesitant to use cloud storage. Storing my files on the internet didn't seem like the safest choice, and my USB stick was always with me, providing peace of mind. Now, my perspective has changed significantly. Google Drive and OneDrive are two cloud storage services I rely on heavily. With all the account security measures I have in place, I know my files are safe, and the best part is that I can access my files anywhere -- on my laptop, desktop, phone, or tablet -- something a USB stick can't magically do.
OneDrive, in particular, has become one of my most-used apps. I can easily use it on my Windows 11 desktop to back up and store files, and when I use my Mac on the go, I can open OneDrive and access those same files. In the past, I used a USB stick to transfer files between my Windows PC and my Mac, but now, with cloud storage, any file I save on my Windows PC can be almost immediately opened on my Mac.
SD card
It's hard to use a USB stick without a USB-A port
Finally, one last storage device that has led me to stop using USB sticks altogether is the modest SD card. Although SD cards have been around roughly as long as USB sticks, they fit my workflow much better. I've used them in cameras for years, of course, but they're also excellent for storing large batches of photos that I later upload to the cloud, and you can find them in sizes quite similar to USB sticks, such as 64GB or 128GB.
Plus, most laptops still include an SD card slot, even as USB-A ports disappear. My MacBook Pro, for example, has an SD card reader and three USB-C ports -- so I can't even plug in my USB stick without an adapter. An SD card, on the other hand, slides right in and gives me instant access to my files.
It's also worth noting that SD cards are smaller than USB sticks, making them easier to carry, and despite their size, they’re surprisingly fast. Many can reach speeds of 100-200 MB/s, which is quite good for something so tiny.
Overall, I never planned to stop using USB sticks entirely, but as I began relying more on my external SSD, SD card, and cloud storage, I simply didn't need them anymore. Don't get me wrong, USB sticks can still be quite useful to some people, and I'm not claiming they are completely useless now, but in my experience, these alternatives are faster, more convenient, and make managing files on a daily basis easier.