SSD on SATA II vs. USB 2.0

[DockMac]

What is the performance hit of using an SSD on SATA II vs. USB 2.0. Is it worth it to have an external SSD? Or is USB 2.0 too slow to provide noticeable benefit?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

S-ATA 3.0Gbps (S-ATA II) offers roughly 280MB/s. USB offers 37MB/s at maximum. Using an SSD in a Firewire 800 enclosure is loads faster than USB 2.0.
Or you could go the OptiBay route.

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[DockMac]

thanks.

how do you calculate the actual transfer rate from the advertised one? For instance, how do you get 280 MB/S from 3.0Gbs.

 

[oxfordguy]

Using an SSD an anything less than a SATA connection (or maybe eSATA) is a complete waste IMHO. There maybe faster external drives available when more thunderbolt models come on the market, but you're not going to do much better than a 7200rpm HDD in a Firewire 800 enclosure at the moment. The optibay route is a valid one, though.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

thanks.

how do you calculate the actual transfer rate from the advertised one? For instance, how do you get 280 MB/S from 3.0Gbs.

I don't calculate it, I read about it. It is spread all over the interweb.