Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt Review - An External with USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt
by Brian Klug on August 1, 2012 4:04 PM EST- Posted in
- Storage
- SSDs
- USB 3.0
- Thunderbolt
- Buffalo
The first Thunderbolt peripherals were primarily aimed at the very high end, as they were usually either RAID or JBOD solutions, with either a number of HDDs or SSDs and first generation Thunderbolt controllers. For the vast majority of customers, single drive solutions with much more modest price points were what everyone has been waiting for, and I strongly feel that the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt is one such drive.
The combination of Apple-reminiscent industrial design, an affordable price point, and the option for either USB 3.0/2.0 and Thunderbolt as an interface makes it a no brainer for shoppers with both feet squarely in the Apple ecosystem. Even outside the Apple ecosystem, users with Z77 boards that include Thunderbolt will shortly be looking for drives and enclosures that allow them to use the new interface. In addition, a number of previous drives haven’t been nearly as portable as the MiniStation Thunderbolt is in practice, which is a one-piece solution that’s powered entirely over either USB2.0/3.0 or Thunderbolt.
As Apple moves to a platform that increasingly is flash-only, albeit with less overall storage, external mass storage will start becoming important once again. Buffalo feels that it’s here they can win with the MiniStation Thunderbolt for iTunes and Video collections that users will stick on external storage. Whether that comes true or the cloud-centric, thin client as a cache model wins out is still something that remains to be seen. As a drive, however, the MiniStation Thunderbolt is an excellent use of what boils down to the current fastest external interface, even if it isn’t over fiber, yet.
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lin2log - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
Which part of: "Don't get it? Don't need it? Then don't BUY it." is confusing you exactly?AnnonymousCoward - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
lin2log, you're nothing but nonsense.500GB USB3 external drives are $70. Yet somehow, $200 is an affordable price point. What a joke.
Dman23 - Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - link
I've been waiting for an affordable external SSD from Buffalo. This is great!! Faster thunderbolt speed, with the option to go USB 3, at an affordable price. Excellent!!!Sm0kes - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
Ummm.... this doesn't offer an SSD as an option.philipma1957 - Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - link
Lets see t-bolt can do about 800 mbs read write. so you put in a hdd that does about 100 mbs read write why? last month crucial was selling 512gb ssds for under 375. Why not drop a big ssd in this .Then sell it for 550- 600 and call it a day?
Jaybus - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
Because the previous gen MB Pros do not have a USB 3.0 port. TB is overkill for a hard drive, but the only other option for last gen MB Pro owners is USB 2.0 which drastically slows down even the hard drive.sicofante - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
So let's make this clear once and for all:If you buy one of those Apple computers that refrain from using the standard USB 3.0 ports, you are forced into a very expensive standard that won't give you anything extra except when:
a) The peripheral is capable of extremely high speed transfer rates (>5 Gbps that is offered by USB 3.0)
b) The peripheral can be hooked to a chain of TB devices (i.e. has TB passthrough).
Buffalo fails to make it in both cases.
You buy expensive Apple hardware? You've been properly punished by not being allowed to use USB 3.0 peripherals and forced to use an overkill (for the purpose) ultra-expensive technology instead.
You didn't fall into Apple's trap? Nothing to see here. Move on.
KitsuneKnight - Thursday, August 2, 2012 - link
All Thunderbolt devices can be hooked to a chain. Some can be in the middle (ones with passthrough) and others have to be at the end (like this one).Your post comes off as incredibly angry and bitter... why? "properly punished"?
Impulses - Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - link
Yeah, the only way this product makes any sense is if they sell it with an SSD to begin with... There's no tangible benefit to the huge TB price premium compared to cheap USB 3.0 HDD.philipma1957 - Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - link
I use a lacie little big disk with 2 ssds in it. an easy mod. I put in 2x 256gb samsung ssds. I use it as an external boot drive for a mac mini and the internal slow 500gb oem is my backup easy peasy. 4 screws and the case is open.I don't understand the use of a slow drive like the one in this case.