Review of the best USB flash drives of 2022

Flash cards are now an integral part of our lives, far outliving such old storage media as floppy disks and DVDs, which were difficult to write to and the devices themselves were quite fragile.

Unlike them, flash drives, although they appeared a long time ago, do not give up their positions to this day. And they probably never will, because despite the massive spread of cloud services, flash drives still remain simple and reliable tools for storing and transporting information. In addition, they do not require an Internet connection and in most cases do not take up much space.

In this article, we will select the most interesting types of flash cards on the market.

How to choose a flash drive

When choosing a flash drive, they usually pay attention to 2 parameters: Capacity and speed of writing / reading files. Both of them are responsible, respectively, for how much information will fit on a USB flash drive and how quickly it will be written there.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that the final volume of the flash drive will be less than the specified one, due to the technical features of the drive itself, because the operating system believes that the 1st byte is not 1000 kb, as some people think, but 1024. It follows from this that in the conditional 1 GB of memory, it is actually 0.95 GB. This is especially noticeable on flash drives with large amounts of memory, because only 29.8 remains for 32 GB, and for 64-59.6.

It will also be useful to decide on the connection option. After all, in addition to the standard Type A connector, there are connectors such as Type C and micro USB. Type C is commonly used in MacBooks, while micro USB is used in smartphones and some cheap laptops.

The best flash drives with the highest data transfer speeds

PNY PRO Elite USB 3.0

Average price: 10500 rubles.

This PNY model is designed for high speed and stable performance. The flash drive gives the user the opportunity to maximize the potential of the USB 3.0 connector on the PC: the drive guarantees a read speed of up to 400 MB/S, a write speed of 250 MB/S.

It's a great option for simplifying storage and speeding up transfers of large documents, high-resolution photos, HD videos, and other files. Third generation USB ensures the same ease of use and plug-and-play functionality as previous generations of USB technology, but at a faster speed.

• provides high-speed data transfer;
• high assembly reliability;
• made of quality materials;
• enough memory;
• time-tested brand.

• heats up during use.

Corsair Flash Voyager Gs (CMFVYGS3)

Price: from 5500 rubles.

This flash card from a fairly well-known company, dressed in a strict metal case, does not look very elegant, but it boasts high reliability and no less high data transfer speed.

It is produced in volumes of 64, 128 and 256 GB, and depending on the increase in the amount of memory, the recording speed also grows. So in the youngest version of 64 GB, it is only 70 Mb / s, which, by the way, is already a good result, in a device with a capacity of 256 GB, the speed reaches 105 Mb / s.

Reading speed does not change from model to model and is about 260 Mb/s.

To connect to a computer, the device uses a USB type A connector version 3.0.

• High speed of writing and reading data;
• Sturdy and reliable metal case;
• Large amounts of data are available.

• Despite the fact that the case is metal, due to the lack of a cooling system, using a USB flash drive directly as an additional hard drive can be problematic due to overheating. This is especially noticeable when working with graphics directly from a flash drive.
• The price is too high, although it may vary in different regions.

Kingston Ironkey s1000 Enterprise

Price: from 9000 rub.

This flash drive is intended mainly for the corporate segment. It is well suited for recording and storing important documents or other files thanks to its own Iron Key encryption system, which ensures the safety of personal data at the hardware level and allows you to protect data with a password. It is installed using special software that comes with the kit.

The flash drive itself looks very minimalistic in an iron case with an engraved IronKey logo and a small light bulb that indicates its working capacity.

At the moment, all modifications from 4 to 128 GB are available on the market. It uses a USB 3.0 interface and has an average data transfer rate of 300 Mb/s with a read speed of 400 Mb/s. It is noteworthy that the write and read speeds are the same regardless of the modification.

• Convenient minimalistic design;
• Rugged metal housing protected from water;
• Built-in encryption system at the hardware level;
• Special software that allows you to work remotely with IronKey drives;
• One of the fastest flash drives.

• Gets hot during operation
• In order to use IronKey, you need special software preinstalled on the device with which the flash drive will be used;
• The price is quite high.

SanDisk Extreme Pro Usb 3.1

Price: from 5000 rubles.

And the fastest flash drive at the moment was released by SanDisc. The write speed is 380, and the read speed is 420 Mb/s. The secret of such a high speed was probably the pSSD technology that was used to create this device. In a general sense, this is no longer quite a flash drive, it is an SSD drive reduced to the size of a flash drive.

For those who constantly write a lot of small files to their flash drive or, conversely, want to use it for storage for 4K movies, this device is perfect, because it comes with pretty decent memory sizes of 128 and 256 GB.

The body of the flash drive itself is metal, on top there is a switch with which the USB 3.1 connector is extended.

At the moment, it is impossible to find competitors on the market with the same write speed as SanDisk's Extreme line, but there is a small nuance. For normal operation, it is necessary to delete junk files from the SSD from time to time, which do not affect the materials on the Flash drive in any way, but over time reduce the performance of the flash drive.

This is done with the TRIM command.

• The highest data transfer rate currently available;
• Quality assembly;
• Attractive price among competitors with similar parameters;
• The manufacturer gives a lifetime warranty.

• No protection against dust and dirt;
• Heats up during operation, but there have been no cases of failure due to overheating;
• At the first start, you will have to reformat to the desired format for writing large files;

HyperX Savage

Price: from 6000 rubles.

This flash drive looks like an attribute of an avid gamer, at least this is evidenced by the case with a huge red X, made in the same aggressive style in which gaming peripherals are created.

But this device is not attractive by its design alone. It is also capable of storing huge amounts of information, ranging from 64 to as much as 512 GB. The data transfer speed is also impressive. Depending on the model, it can reach 250 Mb/s. This is for models with high memory capacity. On 64 GB devices, it is approximately 180 Mb / s.

At the same time, the reading speed also remains on top and does not fall below 350mb / s in any of the above models. For connection, the latest generation Type A 3.1 connector is used here.

• Stylish gaming design;
• High read and write speed;
• Large available memory
• No overheating issues.

• A rather voluminous design, which makes it impossible to use it with another device in the connectors located close to each other.

The most successful cheap flash drives

Flash cards based on the old USB 2.0 connector are still popular because of their cheapness, because they can have any amount of memory. The only difference is the write speed. However, it is vastly different. Judging by the tests, USB 2.0 flash drives cannot deliver more than 30 Mb/s. when recording. Here we take a look at some of the most interesting devices in this budget class.

Patriot Memory Push+

Average price: 750 rubles.

This is a great option for users who are looking for an attractive miniature flash drive design. This model does not require auxiliary power. This long life drive is perfect for high-speed file transfers on any PC or laptop.

This flash drive is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 models, which guarantees stable operation and excellent performance. This model differs from analogues in high reliability of assembly, since only high-quality materials were used in the manufacture.

• high data transfer rate;
• support for USB 2.0;
• does not need pre-configuration;
• no cap;
• light weight (only 10 g);
• can be used at temperatures from 0 to 70 degrees;
• Correct work with all new operating systems, including Microsoft Windows 10, Apple MacOS (and higher), Linux (and higher).

• not detected.

Netac U505 USB 3.0

Average price: 750 rubles.

This model is equipped with a USB 3.0 interface, which guarantees high read and write speeds: 90 and 30 MB/S, respectively. The case of the drive is made of metal and plastic.

• enough memory;
• low price;
• great for work;
• concise design;
• good file transfer speed.

• not identified.

Netac U336

Average price: 400 rubles.

This is a great helper for storing user data. The flash drive has enough memory. It is equipped with a high-speed connection interface - USB 3.0. The write and read performance of this model is one of the best in this segment. The body is made of metal.

• protected from erasure and writing;
• high data reading speed;
• high assembly reliability.

• low for USB 0 write speed.

Kingston Datatraveler se9

Price from 700 rub.

A good compact flash drive with an interesting design in a metal case that protects it from negative environmental influences, and so well that, judging by the reviews, it can survive more than one wash in the washing machine. It can be easily attached with the keys and forgotten, it does not take up much space.

Flash-cards of this model come in 2 types: 32 and 64 GB. Both of these options are inexpensive and work well as storage for business documents and other small files.

However, when uploading large files, problems begin. Since the write speed is only 15 mb / s, and the read speed is 25, it will take a long time to wait until a high-quality movie or a large ISO image is recorded.

• Reliable metal case;
• Beautiful and ergonomic design;
• Good price.

• Low write and read speed;
• There are problems with the firmware, which sometimes bugs, especially if you insert it into the 3.0 connector, so it's best to refrain from such experiments.

Transcend Jetflash 600

Price: from 1000 rubles.

The next item on our list is a drive from Transcend. Here the situation is strictly opposite. The design of the device is quite unsightly. The most common plastic flash drive with a cap, even without a rope attachment, apparently the designer was on vacation when it was made, because it looks too ordinary, although the color indicator looks good.

Nevertheless, the write speed here is worthy of special praise.The average write speed reaches 18 Mb/s, and in some cases it can reach up to 30, which is a very impressive result for this class. Reading speed here varies from 30 to 40 Mb/s, which is also very commendable.

You will have to pay a little extra for such a speed, but it's up to you to decide whether it's worth it or not. The flash drive is available in a wide variety of available sizes, from 4 GB to 64, so the choice here is quite extensive.

• High write and read speed, probably the highest in its class;
• Lifetime warranty;
• A nice blue indicator that flashes when the system is accessing the device.

• Rugged body. After some time, the lid will begin to fall off, and in general it must be treated quite carefully;
• The speed may drop when writing in FAT 32 format, it is recommended to format it in NTFS.

The best flash drives with the largest amount of memory

SanDisk Ultra USB 3.0

Average price: 5850 rubles.

This manufacturer from the United States has proven itself in the electronics market. This flash drive is a clear proof of this. It has a small size, attractive design and ergonomic body. The model stands out from the background of analogues with high-speed operation.

The manufacturer gives a long-term guarantee for products - 5 years. This flash drive is integrated with the manufacturer's proprietary software SecureAccess, thanks to which it is possible to create a personal folder protected by a strong password. All data is protected with 128-bit AES encryption.

On the manufacturer's website, you can download RescuePRO and RescuePRO Deluxe proprietary utilities for free, which are designed to recover erased data for any type of electronic media.

• nice appearance;
• high-speed data reading thanks to USB 0 technology;
• a utility for protecting and encoding user files is integrated into the device;
• the manufacturer offers to use its cloud of information storage for 3 months completely free of charge;
• practical retractable mechanism;
• high assembly reliability.

• low for USB 0 data write speed.

iStorage datAshur PRO2

Average price: 43100 rubles.

This is one of the most secure and easy-to-use USB 3.2 flash drives. Due to 256-bit AES hardware encryption and access to files exclusively by PIN code, user confidential information is reliably protected and cannot fall into the hands of intruders.

The model has an option to completely erase files. In this case, entering a pre-set password will erase all data on the drive, including passwords and encryption keys. You can then set a new password and generate an encryption key for later use.

The developer integrated his protection against brute-force attacks into this model. If the PIN code is entered incorrectly from 1 to 10 times (the number of attempts to enter the password is configurable), then the flash drive will be blocked and all data will be erased. The microcircuits located inside the case are filled with epoxy resin, which makes them protected from physical tampering and attempts to connect gadgets to read files.

The vast majority of firms pay insufficient attention to the security of confidential data. The damage caused by the loss and theft of personal files in the Russian Federation amounts to hundreds of millions of rubles. This number is increasing every year.Personal files of clients, data about buyers and suppliers, contracts and any other data that can then be monetized or resold on the black market are the targets of cybercriminals.

• works with all operating systems and devices;
• FIPS 140-2 Level 3, NCSC CPA, NLNCSA BSPA, and NATO Restricted Level 3 (Pending Q3) protection;
• is FIPS Level 3 certified;
• super Fast USB 3.2 (Gen 1 × 1);
• criteria EAL4 in combination with a microprocessor;
• protected from Brute Force attacks and keyloggers;
• there is a read-only mode to prevent erasing or editing data;
• you can install the operating system and boot it directly from a USB flash drive;
• the presence of a lock override mode to prevent the drive from blocking when the PC is restarted;
• user password strength policy (length, special characters, etc.) is configurable;
• the ability to recover a user password with a temporary password;
• you can set a password to delete files;
• you can add the device to the white list;
• protected from attacks such as Bad USB;
• dust and moisture protection, which complies with the IP58 standard;
• automatic lock when removed from the USB connector;
• you can put your own logo on the case.

• not identified.

SanDisk Ultra Flair USB 3.0

Average price: 5800 rubles.

This model, despite the fact that it is equipped with a high-speed interface, is still not very fast when recording. It works great with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. The fact that the flash drive heats up is normal, since its dimensions are very tiny, and the case is metal, besides, it cools down in almost 1 minute.

This drive performs exemplary when connected to a USB 3.0 port, and when working with USB 2.0, the transfer speed is significantly reduced. The model is made in China. It is covered by a five-year warranty. Other competing products have significantly shorter lead times, meaning the Sandisk model is of better quality.

The body of the drive is made of metal. It has a dark plastic loop on it. Additionally, you can buy a bright lace to wear the accessory, so as not to lose it. The model comes in a nice package, which contains all the information about the interface, the amount of memory and speed. Supporting information is on the back of the package.

Inside is SN, which is required to work with proprietary RescuePRO Deluxe software. This program can be downloaded from the official website of the manufacturer. It is needed to recover lost or accidentally deleted files.

SN is the serial number of the product.

The drive contains another good proprietary utility called SecureAccess. It is necessary to set a password for certain files or folders at the discretion of the user. The utility is intuitive to use, despite the fact that the entire interface is presented in English.

There are a large number of videos and reviews on the Web on working with this software.

The speed of this flash drive was tested by the USB Flash Benchmark utility. According to the test results, the speed and stability are very good.

• attractive design;
• a light weight;
• damage-resistant housing;
• high assembly reliability;
• high speed reading and writing data;
• you can set a password;
• proprietary file recovery software.

• not identified.

Kingston Datatraveler Ultimate GT

Price: from 55 000 rub.

The absolute leader in this category is the new flash drive from Kingston, which holds a whole terabyte of data. And this is if we are talking about the younger version of this device. The maximum volume of this device is 2 Terabytes, and recently it has also been available on the Russian market.

The write speed is as impressive as the volume. Its average value reaches 200 Mb/s. Reading speed fluctuates around 300 Mb/s. This device was a new discovery this year. Despite the fact that flash drives created using SSD technology are far from new, no one has yet thought of making a flash card with such a volume of data.

The flash drive itself looks pretty impressive. Much larger than conventional flash cards. It is a heavy rectangle made of metal with a sliding mechanism, the parts of which are made of plastic. The design looks solid and is likely to serve its owner for many years.

But what really impresses is the price. This device costs like a good laptop, so at the moment this is the most compelling reason why this device is not so popular.

• Huge amount of memory;
• High read and write speed;
• Almost complete absence of heating during operation;
• Quality build.

• Very high price;
• The flash drive does not support the hardware encryption function due to the specifics of the technological process;
• The device is not protected from dust and water.

HyperX Savage512GB

Price: from 18,000 rubles.

Another creation from HyperX, in the same Savage line as the previously reviewed model with a smaller volume.It has exactly the same design with a huge metallic red X and generally looks no different. The difference lies only in the huge amount of memory - 512 GB

The recording speed here is the same as that of the 128 GB and is equal to 250 MB / s, according to the manufacturer. The reading speed is exactly a hundred more and is 350 MB / s. Judging by the tests, these figures are not far from the truth, on average, these figures are 220-230 MB / s for reading and 345 MB / s for writing. However, this speed is only possible when connected to a 3.1 connector.

Since this flash drive is also made using SSD technology, it does not support hardware encryption due to the limited number of rewrite cycles.

• High write speed;
• Pleasant to the touch body due to the soft touch coating;
• Build quality;
• Relatively affordable price for devices with a similar amount of memory.

• A very bright indicator of the operation of the device, which can cause inconvenience to people with sensitive eyes;
• The speed may drop when writing a large number of small files.

The best flash drives with several types of interfaces

It often happens that it becomes necessary to connect a flash drive to an apple device or to a smartphone. It is for this that some manufacturers make flash drives with several types of interfaces.

SanDisk SDIX70N-128G-GN6NE

Average price: 6400 rubles.

This flash drive comes with not one, but two ports, so the user can easily transfer data from an iPhone, iPad, devices running on the MAC operating system and having a USB Type-C port, including smartphones running Android OS.

With this drive, the owner no longer has to send photos by email in order to transfer them to another gadget. The user can quickly transfer all data from a USB flash drive to a PC with a USB Type-C port using a USB 3.0 connector that supports high-speed information transfer.

To free up memory, you only need to connect a USB flash drive. There is no need to connect to a wireless network to transfer data. This model has enough memory for the owner to store a lot of photos, videos and games, besides, you no longer have to be afraid of losing rare frames and videos. The fact is that pictures and videos are archived automatically every time a user connects a flash drive to an iPhone.

This model also solves the issue of personal data security and the ability to share it with other users. The iXpand Drive program password-protects files and photos on devices that operate on the basis of the iOS operating system, as well as on computers.

The design of the flash drive also provides a cap that protects the ports when the owner carries the drive in his pocket or bag, and thanks to the hole in it, you can easily fix the accessory on, for example, a cord or keychain to take it with you.

• two ports;
• high speed data transfer to PC;
• quick release of space if necessary;
• creating a backup in automatic mode when connecting the device;
• user data is protected by a strong password;
• the design provides a cap with a hole for fixing the accessory on, for example, a keychain.

• not detected.

Kingston DataTraveler 70

Average price: 600 rubles.

This model is available for sale with a capacity of up to 128 GB (there are modifications for 32, 64 and 128 GB). If such a volume is not enough for the user, then you can buy several of these flash drives: with dimensions of 59x18.5x9 mm and a weight of 7 g, carrying and storing them is not a problem.

It also makes no sense for the owner to worry about the conditions of use. The five-year manufacturer's warranty period and support is not just a nice gesture, but an actual indicator of the high reliability of the model. For example, the operating temperature of the accessory ranges from 0 to 60 degrees Celsius, and the storage temperature ranges from -20 to +85.

The number of overwriting cycles before the first failure is not indicated by the manufacturer, however, given the 5-year warranty, it is quite impressive. The USB flash drive supports Chrome operating system and traditional Microsoft Windows (from version 8), Mac (version 10.10.x and higher), and Linux from kernel versions 2.6.x.

The body of the flash drive is made of matte plastic to prevent accidental slipping, and the half-transparent dark cap looks quite attractive, but did not appeal to tourists who prefer brighter colors.

There are no laces and other safety elements on the case of the model, but we should not exclude the possibility that the manufacturer released this drive primarily for businessmen and office workers.

• high-speed file transfer;
• there is a USB-C interface;
• low price;
• high assembly reliability;
• made from quality materials.

• sometimes gets very hot

Transcend JetFlash 890S

Average price: 2200 rubles.

This model has an aluminum body, which made it possible for the manufacturer to provide it with excellent strength while maintaining miniature dimensions. The dimensions of the drive are 28.6x14.3x8.6 millimeters. Weight - 3 g. On the top of the case there is a personal logo of the company and information about the amount of available memory. There is also a loop, thanks to which the carrier can be fixed on a strap or keychain for ease of transportation.

In order to protect the USB interface, there is a classic half-transparent cap. During the operation of one port, you can put it on the back of the accessory so as not to lose it. Out of the box, the flash drive is formatted according to the FAT32 standard, which has a file size limit of 4 GB. At the same time, the total amount of new items varies between 15.8 and 14.6 GB.

To interact with large files, we advise you to format the drive with the NTFS or exFAT file system.

One of the essential advantages of flash drives from this manufacturer from Taiwan is excellent software that makes it possible to take care of the drive and significantly increases its functionality.

All useful software components can be downloaded for free from the official website of the manufacturer.

The Elite proprietary program allows the owner to backup files, encrypt data, save browser bookmarks (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome), synchronize personal information, and use iCloud cloud services and Google Drive.

• file transfer is carried out at high speed;
• compactness;
• there are 2 types of USB connectors;
• low price.

• operating temperature (it gets very hot during operation).

ADATA i-Memory UE710

Price: from 6000 rubles.

A special hybrid device for connecting to apple technology. It is a plastic rectangular case with a retractable action mechanism that allows you to switch between a USB 3.0 interface and a lightning connector.

The recording speed, however, is not too high, despite the USB 3.0 interface. It does not exceed 30 Mb/s. The read speed is 94 Mb/s.

With the Lightning interface, the situation is slightly different. If the USB 3.0 connector provided high read speeds at a relatively low write speed, then the Lightning interface is more balanced in this regard, though not for the better. Its read/write parameters are 30/20 Mb/s. respectively.

In order for your apple device to be able to determine it, you need to download a special application from the appStore. After that, you can use it as additional storage for your files from your iPhone or iPad, as well as view video files in any resolution directly from it, the speed is quite enough for this.

The device is available in 3 different versions: 32, 64 and 128 GB, which directly affects its price.

• Two connectors that allow you to connect it to a computer or to devices from apple;
• Lightweight and comfortable design;
• Ability to upload files directly from a USB flash drive to iCloud.

• Lack of protection against water and dirt;
• Sufficiently low read and write speed, although the read speed is enough to play any video files on apple devices;
• The need to install additional software on i-devices.

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0

Price: from 750 rubles.

For those who do not use Apple technology, you may like the product from SanDisk. It also uses 2 interfaces: USB 3.0 and microUSB, which at least gradually fades into the background before TypeC, but is still quite often used.

Switching between them is carried out using a sliding mechanism. Actually, these two interfaces occupy the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe flash drive, since the manufacturer has reduced its size to a minimum. Its width is only 20 mm, with a length of 37 mm and a thickness of 11 mm. The case is made of plastic and is tied in the middle with a metal bracket that can be hung on a rope or used as a keychain.

Its write speed is also not very high. It is only 15 Mb/s, but sometimes it can reach up to 30. But the speed of reading files from it is impressive and can reach 130 Mb/s.

Such a miniature, in addition to convenience, has its drawbacks. When recording, it often heats up, there is no health indicator, and the mode switch is not very conveniently located.

• Miniature design that fits anywhere. At the same time, you can hang it on a rope or use it as a keychain;
• Hybrid version, which allows you to use it for both a computer and a smartphone;
• Not a bad amount of available memory for such a tiny device. It can vary from 16 to 64 GB.

• During operation, it noticeably overheats, which was noted by many users;
• Low write speed, which is partly offset by the price;
• Inconvenient connection mode switch.

The most secure flash drives

Uniscend Tactum Fast

Average price: 5900 rubles.

This model is a representative of innovations in the issue of security of confidential data on USB-drives. Access to the flash drive is carried out by the fingerprint of the owner. To get to the protected user files, the owner of the device must put his finger on the fingerprint reader at any angle.

• fingerprint identification (up to 6 fingerprints can be stored);
• instant recognition;
• high-speed data transfer: 40 MB / S - reading, 20 MB / S - writing;
• reliable protection of confidential information;
• the possibility of sharing without fingerprint protection;
• secure file storage - the drive has a partition protected by the owner's fingerprint;
• attractive chrome-plated metal case;
• Works with Microsoft Windows since XP Service Pack 3, Linux and MacOS;
• Intuitive, integrated fingerprint protection software that does not need to be installed on a computer (after setting up the drive).

• not identified.

Apricorn Aegis Secure Key

Price: from 100$

Our list already included protected flash drives, such as Iron key, but they were protected only at the hardware level. The device from Apricorn is a rather heavy monolithic block, with a cap that covers the entire flash drive.

The device itself has a keyboard that is used to enter the administrator password. Only after that it will be determined by the device. You set the password yourself according to the instructions that come with the device. However, when creating a password, remember that if you enter it incorrectly more than 20 times, then all data will be automatically deleted.

Data can also be deleted by introducing a special self-distract pin that allows you to destroy all information if the need arises. You also install it yourself.

By the way, hardware encryption is also present here. This is the 256-bit AES system used by the military. In order to receive data from a flash drive, a special program must be installed on the computer that comes with the kit, which serves as a kind of decryption key.

In pursuit of data reliability, manufacturers have forgotten about the speed of their recording. Read / write speed here is at the level of cheap flash drives, namely 30 mb / s for writing and 35 for reading.

As for the capacity, the manufacturer has provided a very large range for a wide range of users. The capacity of Aegis Secure Key starts from 8 GB and ends with 480 GB.

• Unsurpassed two-level data protection system;
• Robust and reliable construction, well protected from water, dirt and damage, but only when the cap is on;
• A huge selection of performances by the amount of memory, designed for any category of users.

• Very low data transfer rate;
• The need to install additional software for reading data.

The choice of a flash drive should be made based on how it is supposed to be used, what volumes will be stored on such a medium.