Samsung BAR Plus 128GB Gray
Score: 77/100
Kingston DataTraveler Exodia 128GB
Score: 65/100Rankings
The Samsung BAR Plus 128 GB USB flash drive combines a sleek metal body with waterproof and shock-proof protection, offering decent performance for everyday use. However, real-world read speeds are lower than advertised and some users experience occasional disconnections and heat issues. It suits casual users and professionals who value durability over top-tier speed.
The Kingston DataTraveler Exodia 128 GB provides a budget-friendly, plastic-cased flash drive with high-speed reads up to ~120 MB/s and ample storage. However, its write speed is sluggish and it lacks waterproof or shock-proof protection. Best for users needing large, read-heavy storage on a budget.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
128 GBbest | 128 GBbest | |
400 MB/sbest | 100 MB/s | |
61.84 MB/sbest | 20 MB/s | |
| ↓ lower better | 1.13 gbest | 11 g |
5 yearsbest | 5 yearsbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Performance(2) | ||
Read Speed (MB/s) | 400 MB/s | 100 MB/s |
Write Speed (MB/s) | 61.84 MB/s | 20 MB/s |
Connectivity(2) | ||
USB Version | USB 3.1 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
Interface | Type-A | USB Type-A |
Build & Design(3) | ||
Weight (g) | 1.13 g | 11 g |
Dimensions (L×W×H) (mm) | 12x15.5x40.1 mm | 67.3 x 21.1 x 10.1 mm mm |
Material | Metal | Plastic |
Features(2) | ||
Waterproof | true | false |
Shock Resistance | true | false |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers acknowledge the BAR Plus as a solid mid-range USB flash drive that delivers a noticeable performance jump over Samsung's older BAR 3.0 while maintaining an attractive price per gigabyte. They commend its metal build, compact design, and five-year warranty, but criticize the gap between advertised (400 MB/s) and real-world sequential read speeds (≈283 MB/s) and its modest write speeds, positioning it below premium options like the SanDisk Extreme Pro.
Everyday users generally praise the drive's durability, attractive design, and ample 128GB capacity, noting reliable plug-and-play operation across devices. Recurring complaints focus on occasional disconnections, heat buildup that can lead to failure, and the lack of a dust cap, with a few reports of corrupted files during transfers.
“responded very quickly”
“fast uploads”
“great for music/photos”
Professional reviewers acknowledge the Exodia's solid build and impressive read speeds for its price, but consistently criticize its poor write performance and reliance on QLC NAND, which leads to reliability concerns. While it may serve as a cheap read-only solution, it falls short for any demanding storage tasks.
Everyday users appreciate the drive's quick read response and convenient keyring design, but the overwhelming complaint centers on sluggish write speeds and occasional data integrity problems. Overall sentiment is mixed, with many recommending it only for light, read-heavy use.
