USB SSD Performance

[jrabbit]

I upgraded the SSD in my Rev. A 1.8/SSD from the stock 64GB Samsung PATA SSD to a 128GB Photofast.

I wasn't sure what to do with the old SSD, until I found a StarTech USB enclosure on Newegg that would house a 1.8 PATA ZIF drive (the Samsung uses the same ZIF cable as Toshiba drives).

I ordered the enclosure, installed the old SSD (about 5 minutes of work), and here are the Xbench results from all the drives:

64GB Samsung PATA SSD (stock MBA Rev. A)
Internal standard drive connection

Disk Test 33.77
Sequential 45.21
Uncached Write 41.82 25.68 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 37.38 21.15 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 33.26 9.73 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 129.18 64.93 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 26.95
Uncached Write 8.44 0.89 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 39.25 12.57 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 810.06 5.74 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 311.64 57.83 MB/sec [256K blocks]


64GB Samsung PATA SSD (stock MBA Rev. A)
Connected via USB in StarTech enclosure

Disk Test 38.13
Sequential 30.77
Uncached Write 30.48 18.71 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 30.25 17.12 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 20.72 6.06 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 63.00 31.66 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 50.12
Uncached Write 20.41 2.16 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 42.33 13.55 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 794.63 5.63 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 168.56 31.28 MB/sec [256K blocks]


128GB Photofast PATA SSD
Internal drive connection

Disk Test 33.60
Sequential 46.79
Uncached Write 44.79 27.50 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 37.38 21.15 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 36.75 10.75 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 108.78 54.67 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 26.21
Uncached Write 7.99 0.85 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 42.69 13.67 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1041.94 7.38 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 324.76 60.26 MB/sec [256K blocks]

Interesting to note that the overall performance of the stock Samsung and the Photofast is quite similar, and the Samsung performance actually goes up when connected via USB.

For comparison, here are the Xbench scores for an external Samsung S1-Mini 120GB USB drive:

Disk Test 20.68
Sequential 22.52
Uncached Write 33.59 20.62 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 34.97 19.79 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 9.77 2.86 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 59.31 29.81 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 19.11
Uncached Write 6.58 0.70 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 49.62 15.88 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 46.80 0.33 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 63.12 11.71 MB/sec [256K blocks]

 

[justit]

I never thought Xbench was an accurate tool, on the OSX there really aren't any. BUt what I don't understand is that your "Disk Test" marks which is an average of the all 8 parameters seem very low. My slowest magnetic disk scores 71 and your fastest is 38.
Amazing external USB stats nonetheless.

Disk Test 38.13

 

[jrabbit]

Added Xbench scores of non-SSD USB drive to original post for comparison...

 

[NC MacGuy]

I never thought Xbench was an accurate tool, on the OSX there really aren't any. BUt what I don't understand is that your "Disk Test" marks which is an average of the all 8 parameters seem very low. My slowest magnetic disk scores 71 and your fastest is 38.
Amazing external USB stats nonetheless.

What kind of HDD's are you testing to get slowest at 70?
Mine range from stock HDD at 35, WD Scorpio Blue 500 at 55, Scorpio Black 320 7200 at 70 to X25M SSD at 250.

X Bench is fine for benchmarking basic disk use just so long as it's used the same way each time and you take an average of more than three runs.

After reboot, wireless off, no other app.s running and plugged into power adapter seems to generate fairly consistent data for me. Verified by running AJA.