SanDisk SDCZ73-064G-A46 64GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive — main product image

SanDisk SDCZ73-064G-A46 64GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive

SanDisk

SanDisk SDCZ73-064G-A46 64GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive

Name: SanDisk SDCZ73-064G-A46 64GB Ultra Flair USB 3.0 Flash Drive
Brand: SanDisk
SKU: SDCZ73-064G-A46

★★★★★4.4 (50 reviews)

USB 3.0

150MB/s read speeds over USB 3.0 in a metal-encased 64GB drive that fits your keychain and password-protects your files.

$18.23*$19.99Save 8%

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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 04, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The SanDisk Ultra Flair SDCZ73-064G-A46 is a 64GB USB 3.0 flash drive rated to 150MB/s sequential read speed, housed in an all-metal casing. The 150MB/s figure is meaningful context: it represents the effective limit of what NAND flash can deliver over USB 3.0's 5Gbps interface in a mass-market consumer drive, and it makes transferring a full 64GB of data a roughly seven-minute operation rather than the 45+ minutes that USB 2.0 drives would require. The metal housing is not cosmetic — it replaces the flex-prone polycarbonate shells common on budget drives with a chassis that resists the cracking and connector-separation failures that emerge after months of keychain carry.

This drive targets the professional or power user who transfers large files between machines regularly and wants reliable everyday carry without sacrificing speed. Photographers moving RAW files between editing workstations, IT administrators carrying OS installation media, and road warriors maintaining encrypted document vaults will all extract direct value from the 150MB/s read speed and SecureAccess password protection. The drive is less suited to use cases dominated by large sequential writes — SanDisk's unpublished write speed means users in backup-heavy workflows should evaluate a drive with transparent write specifications before committing. For read-heavy use cases — booting live OS images, distributing large files, or fast reads from an archive — the Ultra Flair delivers its specification reliably.

Key Features

Fly through file transfers

Stylish and tough

Password-protect your files

Specifications

Capacity

64GB

Interface

USB 3.0 (backward compatible with USB 2.0)

Read Speed

Up to 150MB/s

Write Speed

Not specified by manufacturer

Housing

All-Metal

Security

128-bit AES password protection (SanDisk SecureAccess)

Color

Silver/Black

Brand

SanDisk

Model

SDCZ73-064G-A46

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

150MB/s rated sequential read speed over USB 3.0 reduces large file transfer times to a fraction of USB 2.0 alternatives — 4GB files transfer in under 30 seconds on a USB 3.0 host port.
All-metal housing resists the flex-failure cracking that plastic flash drives develop after months of keychain or bag carry — a direct durability advantage in daily-carry scenarios.
SanDisk SecureAccess software delivers 128-bit AES encrypted password protection for sensitive files without requiring host machine software installation.
64GB capacity accommodates multiple OS installation ISOs, large photo libraries, or document archives in a keychain-form-factor drive.
USB 3.0 backward compatibility with USB 2.0 ports preserves full functionality across all host systems, eliminating the compatibility concerns that newer interfaces introduce.

👎 Cons

Write speed is unspecified by SanDisk — third-party testing shows 30–70MB/s depending on file type and size, which is a significant limitation for users performing large sequential writes regularly.
No waterproof or IP rating is listed — the metal housing protects against physical impact but not liquid exposure, limiting everyday carry durability compared to ruggedized alternatives.
SanDisk SecureAccess encrypted vault is accessible only through the SecureAccess application — files are not natively visible to the OS file manager without decryption, which complicates access on systems without the application available.
The retractable USB connector mechanism is a moving part that will eventually wear — users who plug and unplug multiple times daily will accumulate mechanical wear faster than a fixed-connector drive with a cap.
No write protection switch is present on this drive — accidental overwrites or malware-driven file modification cannot be prevented at the hardware level.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the actual read performance difference between this drive and a USB 2.0 flash drive?

USB 3.0 delivers a theoretical bandwidth ceiling of 5Gbps versus USB 2.0's 480Mbps — roughly 10x the raw interface bandwidth. The SDCZ73's 150MB/s read speed is approximately 15–20x faster than a typical USB 2.0 drive in practice, reducing the time to copy a 4GB video file from several minutes to under 30 seconds.

Is the Ultra Flair backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports?

Yes. The SDCZ73 is fully backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports. At USB 2.0 speeds the drive will be limited to the port's bandwidth ceiling (approximately 40–60MB/s practical throughput) rather than its 150MB/s rated speed, but all functionality is retained.

What software is required to use the password protection feature?

SanDisk SecureAccess software enables 128-bit AES encrypted password protection on a private vault partition. The software runs from the drive itself without installation on the host machine, making it compatible with machines where you cannot install software — though the vault is only accessible from the SecureAccess application.

Is the metal casing durable enough for everyday keychain or bag carry?

The all-metal housing resists the flex and crack failure modes that plague plastic-cased flash drives. The retractable or sliding connector design (depending on variant) protects the USB plug from damage during pocket and bag carry. It is not rated waterproof, however — liquid exposure to the USB connector remains a risk.

What write speeds can I expect from this drive, and does SanDisk publish that specification?

SanDisk publishes only the read speed of 150MB/s for the Ultra Flair — write speed is not officially specified. In third-party testing, write speeds typically land in the 30–70MB/s range depending on file size and type. For write-heavy workflows like daily backup of large files, a higher-tier drive with published write specifications would better serve the use case.