Thunderbolt or USB 3?

[ViperDesign]

So I am considering moving away from my HP MediaSmart Server to one of those when my new iMac gets here.

I know thunderbolt is more expensive but will I see a big speed difference between my gignetwork which gives me around 50 to 70 MB/sec? Or even USB3 for that matter.

Thanks

[Menge]

Thunderbolt is 10Gb/s
SATA III (current fastest consumer disk interface) is 6Gb/s
USB 3 is 5Gb/s
Gigabit Ethernet is 1Gb/s

Whichever interface you choose, your bottleneck will always be the network. If you're transferring files over the network.

[53x12]

Originally Posted by Menge

Thunderbolt is 10Gb/s
SATA III (current fastest consumer disk interface) is 6Gb/s
USB 3 is 5Gb/s
Gigabit Ethernet is 1Gb/s

Whichever interface you choose, your bottleneck will always be the network. If you're transferring files over the network.

To add to that, external USB 3 drives are significantly cheaper than TB. Balance of speed vs size vs cost. What is the saying, you can only have 2 of the 3?

[blueroom]

USB 3 has a lot of CPU overhead compared to Thunderbolt.

[ViperDesign]

Originally Posted by 53x12

To add to that, external USB 3 drives are significantly cheaper than TB. Balance of speed vs size vs cost. What is the saying, you can only have 2 of the 3?

So USB 3 should be faster than a gig network, but in reality is it?

I like my HP MediaSmart Server, just didn't know if there was something better and faster than what I have.

[Menge]

Originally Posted by ViperDesign

So USB 3 should be faster than a gig network, but in reality is it?

According to benchmarks by members of this own forum, a proper USB 3.0 enclosure that uses SATA III internally with an SSD in it will do ~400MB/s.

Keep in mind, though, that a lot of USB 3.0 enclosures use SATA II - which will limit you to 300MB/s tops, even though USB 3.0 can do more.

I have a 1TB Seagate GoFlex (5200rpm HD) which easily does 65MB/s on USB 3.0 (just for comparison).

[ViperDesign]

good information. Yeah it would have to be a drive in the 4 to 6TB range to supplant my Media Server.

Thunderbolt seems like the future proof, but USB3 is the cost savings choice

[CrAkD]

Originally Posted by ViperDesign

good information. Yeah it would have to be a drive in the 4 to 6TB range to supplant my Media Server.

Thunderbolt seems like the future proof, but USB3 is the cost savings choice

if its going to be a spinning drive theres no reason not to get USB3. Way cheaper and the mechanical drive wont saturate even USB3 nevermind Thunderbolt.

[Apple Corps]

I went usb 3.0 enclosure primarily due to so few TB choices and high cost. When choices go up and cost goes down I'll switch to TB.

[ViperDesign]

So I think I am going with the Seagate 4TB USB3 that Costco sells in their stores. I figure that if If and when I want thunderbolt I can just purchase the adaptor they sell.

The 4TB at costco sells for 174 (3TB is for 119 right now).