Want small USB flash memory drive with micro USB connector

Question

I tend to use [this sort of thing] as non-volatile storage for Raspberry Pis.(https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33000041651.html)

I want something similar for a Raspberry Pi Zero with a micro-USB connector:

I've used a converter cable to attach a USB-A flash memory drive, but wonder if there's something which does not require a converter. The problem is the physical layout, as I will often want to connect a USB cable for power next to the USB socket for my NVM. Is there a small, cheap, single-product solution?

Answer 1

Western Digital has a line of these. The 16 GB version sells for $7 in their store, the 128GB version sells for $20, and the 256GB version is $37.

The Western Digital data sheet does not show dimensions. The Raspberry Pi Zero mechanical specs show a distance of 12.6mm, from the center of J1 to the center of J10, both to the right side of the board's bottom edge.

Since you need to connect power to the MicroUSB Power Input port J1 immediately to the right of the data port J10, you may need extra room.

My solution would be to use a Dremel-like rotary tool to remove its dark grey shoulder from the side adjacent to the power connector, along the orange line in the photo below, if you need more room.

There are many more flash drives with Micro USB connectors, such as this SanDisk SDDD2-032G-AW46, a locally stocked WalMart item

but all I found have the connector embedded in a wider case; every one had that 'shoulder' sticking out which may be problematic, given your need to connect power into the adjacent port.