Understanding the read and write speeds of your USB drive is essential for optimizing file transfers and identifying potential bottlenecks. While Windows 11/10 offers a built-in method via Task Manager, several third-party tools provide more detailed and comprehensive speed analysis.
Checking USB Drive Speed in Windows 11/10 using Task Manager
Task Manager offers a quick, real-time look at your USB drive's performance during data transfer.
Connect the USB drive to your computer.
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
Switch to the Performance tab.
In the left pane, click on your USB drive (it will typically be listed as "USB Drive" or by its drive letter).
When you transfer data to or from the USB flash drive (e.g., copy a large file to or from it), you will see the Read speed and Write speed displayed in the graphs and statistics. These values represent the current transfer rates.
Best USB Drive Speed Testing Software for Windows PC
For more precise and benchmark-style speed tests, dedicated software offers superior functionality:
1. Novabench Novabench is a user-friendly freeware that provides a quick and easy way to benchmark your storage devices.
How to Use:
Download and install Novabench from its official website.
Open the application.
Click on the arrow icon (usually pointing to the right, often labeled "Start Tests") and select the 'Storage Test' option.
Allow the test to run for a few moments. The results, including read and write speeds, will be displayed.
2. USBDeview USBDeview, from Nirsoft.net, is a compact utility that lists all USB devices ever connected to your computer. It also includes a handy speed test feature.
How to Use:
Download and extract the portable USBDeview tool from Nirsoft.net.
Open the executable file.
Right-click on your connected USB device in the list.
Select the 'Speed test' option from the context menu (or press Ctrl + T).
In the Speed Test window, expand the 'Drive Letter' list and choose the correct drive letter for your USB device.
Click the 'Start Test' button.
3. DiskCheck DiskCheck is another portable software solution for quickly assessing the speed of various storage devices, including USB drives, memory cards, and external hard drives.
How to Use:
Download and open the DiskCheck tool.
From the interface, select your USB device from the available drives.
Click on the 'SpeedTest' option located in the bottom section of the window.
Wait for the test to complete, and the results will appear.
4. SysGauge SysGauge (from sysgauge.com) is a comprehensive system resource analyzer and performance monitor. While it covers various system components, it also offers detailed disk monitoring.
How to Use:
Download and install SysGauge.
Open the software.
Navigate to the 'Disk Monitor' section.
Select your USB device from the list of drives displayed.
Observe the 'Disk Transfer,' 'Disk Read Transfer,' and 'Disk Write Transfer' sections. These will show real-time data transfer speeds as you perform operations involving the USB drive.
5. CrystalDiskMark CrystalDiskMark (from crystalmark.info) is one of the most popular and widely respected benchmarking tools for all types of storage devices, including USB drives, SSDs, HDDs, and NVMe drives.
How to Use:
Download and install CrystalDiskMark.
Connect your USB device to your computer and then open CrystalDiskMark.
From the drop-down menus at the top of the window, select your USB drive's letter.
You can then run various sequential and random read/write tests by clicking the 'All' button (to run all tests) or individual test buttons.
The results will be displayed in the interface, showing the speeds for different test patterns.
By utilizing these methods, you can effectively assess the performance of your USB drives on Windows 11/10, helping you understand their capabilities and troubleshoot any speed-related issues.
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