Original Flash Drive vs Fake

An original flash drive is one that is made by the manufacturer and is sold through authorized channels. A fake flash drive, on the other hand, is a counterfeit version of the original product. Fake flash drives may have lower storage capacity or may not work properly. It is important to buy flash drives from reputable sellers to ensure that you are getting an original product. 

There are several ways to detect a fake flash drive:

1. Check the packaging: Make sure that the packaging is not damaged and that the branding and labeling match the original product.

2. Inspect the flash drive: Look for any inconsistencies in the design or materials used. Original flash drives will have high-quality plastic and smooth edges.

3. Test the storage capacity: Use a storage capacity testing tool to see if the flash drive has the storage capacity that it claims to have.

4. Check the serial number: Original flash drives will have a unique serial number that can be verified with the manufacturer.

5. Compare the price: Be wary of flash drives that are significantly cheaper than the retail price, as they may be fake.

6. Run a scan: use anti-virus software to scan the drive, if it shows any error or the drive is not accessible, it may be fake.

7. check that the capacity stated in Windows Properties matches the capacity printed on the outside of the drive or on its box.

   7.1. Additionally, there are several tools available to test and detect fake or counterfeit USB flash drives, such as H2testw

   7.2. FakeFlashTest

   7.3.  Flash Drive/Card Tester

   7.4.  and Quick Disk Test

Please note that these are general indicators, and no single method can guarantee that a flash drive is real.

The maximum storage capacity for flash drives can vary depending on the technology and manufacturing process used. Currently, the most stable and widely available flash drive storage capacity is 2TB. However, larger capacities such as 4TB, 8TB and even 16TB are available but they are still not widely adopted and not as stable yet.

Keep in mind that larger storage capacities may also come at a higher cost and may be more prone to data corruption or failure. It's important to consider your needs and budget when choosing a flash drive, and to also regularly backup important data to prevent data loss.