EggXpert

Can anyone recommend a FAST USB flash drive? I have a simple 2GB Kingston Datatraveler, and it's just too slow. I copy about 1 GB worth of files off my computer to the flash drive before I go to work each morning, and I need something that can do it as fast as possible.

 

Suggestions? 

The speed limitation in flash drives is in the interface. USB 2.0 is as fast as you can get a USB flash drive to function.

Well of course--but the flash drives themselves have varying abilities to come close to the maximum that the USB 2.0 format allows, so the format certainly isn't the ONLY limitation.

uh, anything new should be pretty much the same speed, how long does it take you to copy the gb? 

smartalco:

uh, anything new should be pretty much the same speed, how long does it take you to copy the gb?

 

mmm. . . maybe 15-20 minutes?

I went ahead and got this one:

http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220251 

 

Heraklitus:

Can anyone recommend a FAST USB flash drive? I have a simple 2GB Kingston Datatraveler, and it's just too slow. I copy about 1 GB worth of files off my computer to the flash drive before I go to work each morning, and I need something that can do it as fast as possible.

 

Suggestions?

this one would be faster....though I don't own one to verify it's claim

a 173.3x write 4GB speed USB flash 

Tallon41 

[edit:  this Compact Flash claims a 30MB/s write speed, (40MB/s read,)  product page ]

 

 

no idea.

however, why not get a SATA enclosure with HD... much faster, portable, more storage room

I would disagree.  I think a small usb flash drive is much more portable than a sata HD.  If he is only copying 1 gig, why get a large disk-based drive?  And plus, with most computers you can plug the usb drive right into the front of the case.  I was curious about this same question so I googled it and thats how I found this thread.  I also found a few articles about  Corsair Flash Voyager GT.   Apparently, this drive is supposed to be pretty fast as well.

Mike 

dmikester1:

  I also found a few articles about  Corsair Flash Voyager GT.   Apparently, this drive is supposed to be pretty fast as well.

I've been using a 1GB Voyager for a couple years now....and it's pretty fast.  The main thing is to remember that regardless of the type....writing will be quicker than reading.....I get impatient sometimes....know how fast I can get the data off of it !  LOL

 

dmikester1:

I would disagree.  I think a small usb flash drive is much more portable than a sata HD.

a 2.5" enclosure fits in MY pocket....80GB  mines IDE....probably SATA out there by now....usb.

dmikester1:

  If he is only copying 1 gig, why get a large disk-based drive? 

yeah if only a few gigs are needed....but when the 4GB were 250 bucks....I got my external 80GB and shell for around $70 LOL....I like my math better

Tallon41

The 4GB Patriot XT I linked above is working out well. This morning I was getting about 8MB/sec write which is much better than I was getting with the old Kingston stick. I was able to copy my 1GB of stuff in just a couple of minutes (it was taking closer to 20 with the old one).

 Thanks for the input, fellas.
 

Wow, Im pretty surprised to see a person having a high rating, post some absolute ****EDIT****!!!

 First of all, no flash drive works at the maximum USB speed which is theoritically 48MBps(8 bits + 2 parity). And the Maximum practical speed achieved is about 40MB/s (USB HDDs). (well, Im talking abt USB 2.0). And the maximum speed for flash drives are around 30MBps.

 And most importantly, NO..NO all the flash drives do not have similar speeds. they range from 3MBps - 20MBps Write. And thats according to manufactures specs. The fastest I have seen is the Lexar lightning flash drive (Unfortunately I lost it!!). Which actually had around 13MBps writing speed. And I just bought a Patriot Xporter XT Flash drive, and it's doing pretty well too. With 9.5MBps - write and 24.5MBps - read. And I have had a kingston which had abt 3MBps read and 8MBps write (good old days..!!!).

So yeah. speeds differs from flash drive to flash drive. And that lexar and patriothave very good speeds (31/22 - manufacture specs)

 

xcorat.
 

****Please do not attempt to bypass the language filter, it is against Forum rules.****

The fastest drive I have seen (I own the 4GB version) is from Adata and is called the My Flash PD7.  They make a 4GB and 8GB.  It as far as I know has the fastest throughput.  In Google type "flash pd-7 200X benchmark" and go look at the results.  They kick butt.  If you buy this item, make sure it's the 200X model.

 

Joe

Dude, the one I mentioned is better than that. check this out,

Fastest flash drives

i found some info and here's a little chart. 

@xcorat:

Thanks for contradicting some of that.

@ALL

Actually, the fastest drives are SLC  (single-level cell) as opposed to MLC (multi-level cell). The SLC's are very hard to come by lately... I think that type of memory got more expensive, so virtually all Flash Drives are now MLC. One of the best drives in my mind was the Flash Voyager 4GB - GT. The "GT" distinguished it from the regular MLC models-or use to. Unfortunately, as I said, these are hard to find now, and the current "GT"s are MLC. Corsair has something in their forums about this, but don't have post handy. Flash Voyager are still pretty fast. There are others...the fastest MLC drives all seem to run near the same speed 20+MB/sec. SLC had upwards of 30+.

I am hoping some of the new SSD's will come in price towards the end of the year. Try booting your OS off one of those!

 

 

I didn't see the Corsair Flash Voyager GT mentioned. A friend has one and it's really fast, much faster than the non-GT Corsair drives. I think his is the 8GBGT not the 16GB so it may have the SLC technology inside. Currently Corsair just lists the 16GB in the GT model.

It's part number is CMFUSB2.0-16GBGT

 Too bad it wasn't shown in the test posted.

 

If it's difficult to find a new device to replace the usb storage .Here is an optional solution, you can purchase a high speed DVD-RW disk. It will take 7-8 minutes for burning a 4.5G disk in 16X speed. If there is only 1G data, you can copy to the DVD disk in 3-4 minutes, and when you need copy new files in the next time, you can erase and burn it again.

I just want to say that the site you linked to did not specify which specific model of A-Data MyFlash the person used. MyFlash is a series of usb drives, not a single model. It is possible that the model on that website was not A-Data PD7, because according to this site: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/adata_pd7_8gb_flash_drive/
the PD7 is the fastest.

Hyacinth:

If it's difficult to find a new device to replace the usb storage .Here is an optional solution, you can purchase a high speed DVD-RW disk. It will take 7-8 minutes for burning a 4.5G disk in 16X speed.

LOL  good luck getting a 16x speed DVD RW burner and media that will take it that fast.  +R or -R, sure (though -R is usually like 12x,) but not RW.

Tallon41

Hi everyone,
I hope to shed some light into the subject of which USB drive is the fastest in performance.

1-) Forget all about the things you see on the actual package. These manufacturers could lie their way into pretty much any situation.

2-) We need to find the results of benchmark tests for several randomly picked usb flash drives, then choose the fastest one in read/write.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/memory/display/4gb-usbflash-roundup_11.html#sect2

If you want high transfer speeds with USB connectivity then this is the best thumb drive I know of:  http://www.ritekusa.com/product_main.asp?divisiongroup_id=9&products_id=79&group_id=Consumer  All you need is a eSATA connection and you will have lightning transfer rates with backward compatibility to a USB port.