Hi all,
there are some threads in the forum about this, but I miss numbers in them. People write 'fast', 'slow', but I'd like to know about the speed of the different models in a more precise way.
For example, for my two 2Gb keys, HDTune gives the following values:
HD Tune: Intuix U3 2Gb
-----------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 3.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 12.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 12.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.4 ms
Burst Rate : 11.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 15.5%
HD Tune: Oki 2GB
----------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 1.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 10.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 9.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 18.0 ms
Burst Rate : 9.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 5.0%
Rate your USB keys in a similar way, please!
And, in order not to open a new thread, I'll make use of this one to make a question.
From the two USB keys above, I consider the Intuix to be "fast" but Oki "terribly slow". Since the biggest difference between them is the access time, I regard it as one of the most important points to consider when buying a pendrive.
But the thing is that these are the figures for my laptop's 20Gb hard disk:
HD Tune: IC25N020ATMR04-0
-------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 5.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 29.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 22.2 MB/sec
Access Time : 20.7 ms
Burst Rate : 71.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 12.0%
A very high access time too, but the disk is not nearly as slow as the OKI key. What's the explanation?, the burst rate maybe?
Sorry for the long post...
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When I test my Lexar Elite 128 mb flash drive, it gives the following data.
Transfer Rate Minimum : 0.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 0.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 0.9 MB/sec
Access Time : 6.4 ms
Burst Rate : 0.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 62.9%
When I test my SanDisk Cruzer Micro, it give the following data:
HD Tune: SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 0.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 0.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 0.9 MB/sec
Access Time : 7.8 ms
Burst Rate : 0.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 65.7%
which shows a faster access time. In the 128, I can open FFPE in
4 minutes 30 sec, while I open it from the sandisk in about 45 secs.
Hmmm, me thinks there's something wrong with my scoring system,
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
what u used to test your drive?
Never curse the alligator till you done cross the bridge.
HD Tune
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
HD Tune: KingstonDataTravelerMini Benchmark(uses PAM & ASuite)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 4.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 13.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 12.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.7 ms
Burst Rate : 4.2 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 30.5%
HD Tune: USB Flash Memory Benchmark(no name uses geek)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 6.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 9.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 9.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 5.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 22.3%
HD Tune: USB DISK Pro Benchmark(just a spare drive)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 6.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 10.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 9.9 MB/sec
Access Time : 2.1 ms
Burst Rate : 5.0 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 25.1%
Never curse the alligator till you done cross the bridge.
With reference to your query on the hard drive.
As I understand it, other things can influence the apparent speed of your H/D. Most drives have a built in buffer, this can range from say 2mb to 32mb and I wouldn't be surprised if the amount of RAM and the size of your swap file (in windows) effects things.
So really you can't just go off the transfer rate, unless the program your using takes these things into account.
Right I'm off to find HD tune to see how good/bad my stick is.
For those of you that want it, I found it here http://www.hdtune.com/ and downloaded the zipped version onto my stick into the apps.
These are the results I got with my emaxUSB 2gb e-bay special !!
Transfer Rate Min 14.8mb
Transfer Rate Max 16.0mb
Average 15.8mb
Access time 1.0 m/s
Burst Rate 15.5mb/sec
CPU Usage 53.2%
Having looked at the other figures, I suspect mines crap. The CPU usage worries me.
Could someone give pointers as to what is a decent speed etc.
Cheers
Paul
Well, those access rates were for a usb 1.0 or 1.1. New test results indicate:
Lexar Elite 128 mb
Transfer Rate Minimum : 6.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 8.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 8.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.6 ms
Burst Rate : 5.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 40.6%
I don't know how old this flash is. I think its three years old. Anyway, I'll have to test another of my lexars. I think they're faster then the sandisk. To be Continued . . .
Sand Disk Cruzer2gb
Transfer Rate Minimum : 15.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 17.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 17.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.1 ms
Burst Rate : 13.1 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 18.8%
Too many lonely hearts in the real world
Too many bridges you can burn
Too many tables you can't turn
Don't wanna live my life in the real world
Transfer Rate Minimum : 0.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 11.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 7.6 MB/sec
Access Time : 135.5 ms
Burst Rate : 10.4 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 16.9%
Access Time : 135.5 ms WTF!!! Time for a Corsair Voyages GT 2GB
The Transcend 2GB JF V60 is going under my car tyre.
I'm told writing is much slower on a Flash drive than reading, so perhaps there should be two measurements. It's hard to tell from the above whether the "transfer rate" includes "writes" and if so in what proportion to the "reads", and whether subsequent tests by others comes up with the same mix. (Just wanting the numbers to be comparable.)
Read speed is quite important, since it is what is done most often. Write speed is important too.
MC
HD Tune: SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 12.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 18.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 16.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 14.7 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 11.0%
HD Tune: SanDisk U3 Cruzer Micro /2GB/ Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 13,4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 17,6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 16.0 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 13,9 MB/sec
HD Tune: Ext. USB 3,5" HDD
Transfer Rate Minimum : 18,2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 21,9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 20,3 MB/sec
Access Time : 17,3 ms
Burst Rate : 17,9 MB/sec
HD Tune: Corsair VoyagerGT Benchmark (2 GB)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 19.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 21.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 21.4 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.0 ms
Burst Rate : 17.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 13.9%
Corsair Flash Voyager (2GB)
HD Tune
-------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 27.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 29.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 27.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 24.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 9.6%
Looks to be the fastest drive so far, and even outperforms wraithdu's more pricey GT version
Steve, looks like those numbers are without any load... I noticed similar on mine. Try unloading/loading a program while HD Tune is running.
Patriot extreme performance
HD Tune
-------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 14.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 25.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 19.4 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.8 ms
Burst Rate : 25.0 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 12.6%
Appears to be capped at 25mbs? Either way it screams and I couldn't be happier with it. Plus it was way cheaper than any Corsair that competes. EDIT: Can't wait till I can afford 16gb GT.
Still, I wonder what influence the machine has on this test. I'll have to try it on my beast at home.
I tested my two drives, and came up with:
-----------------------------------------
HD Tune: PNY Attache 2gb
-----------------------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum: 9.1 m/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 17.8 m/s
Transfer Rate Average: 17.1 m/s
Access Time: 0.6 ms
Burst Rate: 5.9 m/s
CPU Usage: 3.4%
-----------------------------------------
HD Tune: Lexar SecureII 512mb
-----------------------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum: 10.5 m/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 12.5 m/s
Transfer Rate Average: 12.4 m/s
Access Time: 0.9 ms
Burst Rate: 7.8 m/s
CPU Usage: 2.6%
Buffalo FireStix Type R RUF2-R4G-S 4GB
Transfer Rate Minimum : 29.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 32.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 30.8 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.5 ms
Burst Rate : 24.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 18.2%
Expensive but excellent speed!
Kingston Data Traveler ELITE 2.0 512MB
Transfer Rate Minimum : 10.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 20.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 19.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.5 ms
Burst Rate : 17.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 12.0%
HD Tune: SanDisk Titanium Benchmark (4GB)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 9.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 13.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 12.8 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.0 ms
Burst Rate : 10.7 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 11.0%
==========================
Much too slow to do any productive work in my opinion. Firefox for example takes over one minute to actually start and runs very sluggishly once it has started. OpenOffice feels like molasses and the Gimp also takes ages to start up.
HD Tune: SanDisk U3 Titanium Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 2.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 19.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 17.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 15.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 14.9%
__
This was while using FFP, which opened in seconds onto my homepage which has large pics.
Now I guess I don't know how significant the minimum/max rate means. What do I want? Like I have the same as Cantello, but why would it have that big a differnce?
I have about 2GB of stuff on it, I bought it about 1.5 years ago. Took off U3.
Don't be an uberPr∅. They are stinky.
...the big difference, as you say.
It's the same with Corsair Flash Voyager and Flash Voyager GT above. Really difficult to believe the GT is slower than the normal one when the price is almost double.
Anyway, I started the thread and want to thank you all for publishing the data. Now I know what can be expected from the different brands and models.
It is curious. Here's my bench with my laptop at home, a little better.
HD Tune: Corsair VoyagerGT Benchmark (2GB)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 21.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 23.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 22.8 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.7 ms
Burst Rate : 19.2 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 7.5%
FS: FAT32
I'm curious what effect the disk contents have on this test. My flash drive is really just one big TrueCrypt container (one file), leaving only 50 MB free. There's some stuff in the free 50 MB, but obviously not that much. Versus a normal drive with thousands of files, I'm not sure how the test would differ.
People should probably post their filesystems too. Mine's FAT32.
Transfer Rate (directly off my laptop)
Minimum - 11.1 MB/sec
Maximum - 12.2 MB/sec
Avergage - 12.0 MB/sec
Access Time - .6 ms
Burst Rate - 11.2 MB/sec
CPU Usage - 5.0%
Transfer Rate (located on a TARGUS USB hub)
Minimum - 11.2 MB/sec
Maximum - 12.2 MB/sec
Avergage - 12.0 MB/sec
Access Time - .6 ms
Burst Rate - 11.2 MB/sec
CPU Usage - 2.7%
**************************************
4gb flash drive to store personal data
**************************************
Transfer Rate (directly off my laptop)
Minimum - 9.3 MB/sec
Maximum - 10.0 MB/sec
Avergage - 9.9 MB/sec
Access Time - .7 ms
Burst Rate - 9.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage - 3.1%
Transfer Rate (located on a TARGUS USB hub)
Minimum - 7.8 MB/sec
Maximum - 10.0 MB/sec
Avergage - 9.8 MB/sec
Access Time - .7 ms
Burst Rate - 9.4 MB/sec
CPU Usage - 9.9%
**************************************
4gb flash drive to store personal data
**************************************
I'm curious what effect the disk contents have on this test. My flash drive is really just one big TrueCrypt container (one file), leaving only 50 MB free. There's some stuff in the free 50 MB, but obviously not that much. Versus a normal drive with thousands of files, I'm not sure how the test would differ.
Can you share/explain how you setup you PortableApps so that you run everything from the TrueCrypt container? What do you do on PC's that don't allow you Admin access to install the TrueCrypt device driver?
Thx,
-IP
HD Tune: SanDisk U3 Contour 8GB Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 23.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 27.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 24.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.6 ms
Burst Rate : 15.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 17.7%
(U3 removed immediately after purchase)
HD Tune: Imation 4GB Flash Drive Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 0.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 11.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 10.9 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.1 ms
Burst Rate : 6.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 26.7%
Transfer Rate Minimum : 8.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 11.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 11.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 1.8 ms
Burst Rate : 5.1 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 23.1%
The portable apps run just fine, start up quickly, I'm happy with it.
HD Tune: VGI
-------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 9.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 12.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 12.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 3.7 ms
Burst Rate : 11.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 9.8%
HD Tune: SanDisk Cruzer Micro Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 10.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 13.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 12.9 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.5 ms
Burst Rate : 11.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 10.5%
HD Tune: Crucial Gizmo! JR. Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 23.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 27.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 24.4 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.6 ms
Burst Rate :
CPU Usage : 15.9%
measured using HD Tune 2.54, Vista on C2D laptop, no load.
*note: i'm not sure how everyone else is measuring their drives, but i have a feelling these numbers are somehow skewed-- this usb drive is one of the slowest ones i've ever used (think MicroSD speeds) yet i seem to have some of the highest numbers in this thread. i'm going to take these results with a grain of salt.
I was the one who started this thread because I am very interested in the speed of these devices.
I've made many tests and I'm not sure HD Tune is the best way to measure the real speed of the USB keys. Now I'm trying a different and easier approach, I just measure the time that the key takes to install and to erase FirefoxPortable 2.0.0.12.
These are the times for my Sandisk Cruzer Micro 4Gb:
It installs FFP 2.0.0.12 in 27 seconds (from the click on the last "Install" button until the "Finish" appears)
It erases it in 11 seconds.
The times for a Transcend JF V90 Pearl are 71 and 20 seconds.
Your tests are welcome.
My latest two drives, both are very nice for the money...
HD Tune: Patriot Memory Benchmark (8 GB)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 29.4 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 31.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 30.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.7 ms
Burst Rate : 27.7 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 8.4%
HD Tune: OCZ ATV Benchmark (4 GB)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 28.2 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 31.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 29.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 24.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 8.6%
An interesting note; on my older laptop these scores were about 20%+ lower. However, the Patriot was always faster by .1, so the figures are consistent... But, I think the host PC bus speed is definitely a factor in these benchmarks.
edit: spelingz
Min: 0.5mb/sec
max: 0.9mb/sec
average: 0.8mb/sec
access time: 6.1 ms
Burst Rate: 0.8mb/sec
CPU Usage: 54.0%
Na na na, come on!
My 2gb cruzer micro can finish copying 200MB in about 5 minutes!!!
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
I got curious with all these numbers and ran HDTune myself.
You have a driver issue... (as did I)
I have a WD 1600JB External and a Sandisk Cruser Titanium 512.
The PC has 7 built-in USB ports and a Belkin USB 2.0 5-Port PCI Express Card. (4+1)
Both the WD and SD scored 0.9, 0.9, 0.9, 5.9, 0.9, 6.6 reading top to bottom on the seven built-in ports.
On the Belkin the WD scored 10.7, 12.3, 11.9, 14.1, 10.4, 1.9
On the Belkin the SD scored 10.7, 12.6, 12.5, 1.6, 7.8, 6.3
Device Manager appeared to show one USB source as running Enhanced and one as Standard. So, I rebooted with old PS2 stuff and removed everything USB from the Device Manager. When it rebuilt about half the stuff changed IDs and is now running 12.7, 15.6, 15.4, 0.8, 9.6, 9.7 on the SD and the WD is 28.4, 31.0, 30.3, 13.5, 25.0, 8.1 when plugged into the seven. Up from the 0.9's it was. Score is the same when plugged into the Belkin.
Check your drivers... Worked for me.
Seagate ST3250410AS (250GB internal SATA HDD for comparison)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 41.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 87.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 76.6 MB/sec
Access Time : 15.4 ms
Burst Rate : 125.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 7.1%
Kingston DataTraveler DT100/16GB
Transfer Rate Minimum : 18.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 33.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 29.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.7 ms
Burst Rate : 15.6 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 10.8%
Geek Squad 512MB (old flash drive from '04)
Transfer Rate Minimum : 14.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 16.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 16.5 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.7 ms
Burst Rate : 13.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 8.6%
Tested using Vista Enterprise x64 SP1, HD Tune 2.55, and the front USB ports of an xw4600 (p/n: RB494UT#ABA).
_josh
Corsair Readout 4GB, real nice drive. A little bulky, but solid, and comes with an extension cable for real narrow USB slots (e.g. between two plugs) since it is about 1/2" thick. And I got it for about $10 shipped on Newegg.
HD Tune: Corsair Readout Benchmark
Transfer Rate Minimum : 20.5 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 22.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 22.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.8 ms
Burst Rate : 17.9 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 28.3%
Is that good? I'm always putting House and Battlestar Galactica episodes on it, and they're 350MB apiece. I can hold 7 (5xBSG, 2xHouse) and it only takes a couple minutes to transfer a few over.
//edit: I'd like to add, since I didn't see it mentioned, that the free version of HDTune can be used by opening the installer with Universal Extractor, just go into the {app} folder and start HDTune.exe. The app might not stealth, but at least you don't gotta install it, e.g. if you're at work like I am (slacker).
Four months later, got a new flash drive. Corsair Flash Voyager 16GB. One of the ones that beat my Readout was a Flash Voyager, so that's where I went for my next drive. That Readout was nice; this is kinda fugly, but it's hard to find anything really bad to say about 16GB the size of a Bic.
Transfer Rate Minimum : 16.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 27.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 26.4 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.7 ms
Burst Rate : 22.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 25.6%
So I guess it's a better drive across the board, except that transfer rate minimum. And what happened there was, for some reason HDTune's benchmarking spiked downward four times. Wasn't doing anything. 95% or more of the time it was sitting at or above 25 MB/sec. As you can see the minimum doesn't hurt the average (much).
Mine seems to be one of the top contenders.
Geek Squad 4GB Best Buy Flash Drive:
HD Tune: Best BuyGeek Squad Benchmark
-------------------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 24.3 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 26.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 26.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.6 ms
Burst Rate : 20.8 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 12.9%
HD Tune: Best BuyGeek Squad Error Scan
--------------------------------------
Scanned data : 3837 MB
Damaged Blocks : 0.0 %
Elapsed Time : 3:08
--Skate6566
HD Tune: Sandisk Cruzer Titanium 16GB
-------------------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 23.6 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 26.8 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 24.7 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.5 ms
Burst Rate : 19.5 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 11.1%
HD Tune: Sandisk Cruzer 2GB
---------------------------
Transfer Rate Minimum : 22.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 26.1 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 23.1 MB/sec
Access Time : 0.6 ms
Burst Rate : 19.1 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 13.6%
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