Most USB 3.0 controller cards available on the market today utilize the PCIe x1 interface.  With a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 5Gbps, it is possible that these controllers could bottleneck performance when transferring data between, say, multiple SSDs, HDD arrays, and high-performance USB 3.0 flash drives.  We take a look at HighPoint's RocketU 1144 PCIe x4 USB 3.0 controller card.  Its utilization of PCIe x4 promises 20Gbps of bandwidth.  Is this enough to satiate even the most demanding transfers?

Given the rise in prevalence of USB 3.0-enabled computer systems and maturation of the USB 3.0 flash drive market, we provide here benchmarks and real-world performance tests of USB 3.0 portable storage devices. How much faster are USB 3.0 flash drives compared to their USB 2.0 predecessors? Are they worth the cost premium? Does using a USB 3.0 flash drive in a USB 2.0 port yield better results than native use of a USB 2.0 flash drive? Do USB 2.0 flash drives benefit from being plugged into USB 3.0 ports? To find out the answers to these questions, read on!

OCZ and Kingston have already shown us what solid state technology can do for external drive transfer speeds when given the headroom provided by USB 3.0 technology. Now, ADATA bring us the N004, an Indilinx Barefoot based solid state drive that features both USB 3.0 and SATA connectivity. At this stage of proceedings, Indilinx would not be our first choice of controller utilized this way – at the very least we’d like to see something done with Indlinx’s Martini, more preferably Sandforce’s SF1200. However, ADATA's pricing for the N004 series may be enough to warrant closer inspection if you're in the market for a solid state drive that can be used both internally and externally with minimal fuss...

Although OCZ was first on the market with a USB 3.0 enabled SSD with its Enyo drive, competitors are knocking down the doors and bridging the gap. We saw the first lower cost USB 3.0 SSD with Kingston's DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0, however the JMicron JMF612 controller it was based on didn't really impress. The only thing the DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 had going for it was a lower total cost for the smaller capacity versions.

Hot on the heels of the release of its unusually potent V+100 SSD, Kingston aims its sights at the high end with its second USB 3.0 SSD: the HyperX MAX 3.0. Borrowing a brand from Kingston's enthusiast memory line, the HyperX MAX 3.0 is literally a SSDNow V+100 SSD paired with a SATA to USB 3.0 bridge PCB. 

Read on for a quick look at the drive's performance and behavior over time.

Since I reviewed my first SSD, three things have happened. 1) Controllers have improved significantly. My personal favorite, SandForce’s SF-1200, can outperform the original X25-M by more than 3x in random write speed. 2) Consumer capacities have tripled. While the majority of SSDs sold are still under 100GB in size, you can now get 240GB and even 480GB consumer drives. 3) Prices have dropped. The first SSD I reviewed was Intel’s 80GB X25-M and it carried a $595 MSRP. OCZ will sell you a 120GB Vertex 2 for about half that today.

As a result of prices dropping, SSDs are being used for more than just expensive boot/application drives. Personally, I use a couple of old SSDs connected to Apricorn SATA-to-USB adapters as Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6 install discs. Using an SSD instead of a DVD drive speeds up OS install time considerably. I can install Windows 7 from one of these SSDs to an SSD in just under 3 minutes (timed from the moment it starts installing to the first reboot).

OCZ was the first to produce an interesting SSD for external use but Kingston has since delivered a lower priced alternative. Read on as we look at both options.