U1 10 SD card or IDE SSD?

[elf69]

as title really.

Which is better option?
I have a 128GB U1 class 10 micro SD card.

was thinking of making use of it.
Or spend £80 on a 128GB IDE SSD.

I know IDE is slow but it should in theory bit a little faster?

couple old machines want play with see if work.
I just want tinker and play so not a real need just coz I want to really.

I know ata133 is limiting.

Ibook G4 is one of the machine I want play with.
the top end 14" model. has 1.5GB ram and a 120GB new old stock IDE drive at moment.

 

[kohlson]

Some of this will depend on the interface used by the micro SD card. Most likely USB 2.0 (480Mbps) or Firewire (400 Mbps) - these are specification numbers, and in my experience FW400 is somewhat faster than USB2.

Other factors, such as I/O channels, will also determine throughput.

U1 cards have a minimum of 10 MBps (100 Mbps) and speeds are usually different for reading and writing.
ATA 133 is 133 MBps.

I believe the IDE SSD is your best choice.

 

[hallux]

Where are you finding an IDE SSD? IDE was all but dead by the time SSD's started coming out.

 

[elf69]

IDE SSD easy find!

google it there actually lots, but king spec seems be main maker.

thank you kohlson that's my thoughts too.

 

[Trusteft]

as title really.

Which is better option?
I have a 128GB U1 class 10 micro SD card.

was thinking of making use of it.
Or spend £80 on a 128GB IDE SSD.

I know IDE is slow but it should in theory bit a little faster?

couple old machines want play with see if work.
I just want tinker and play so not a real need just coz I want to really.

I know ata133 is limiting.

Ibook G4 is one of the machine I want play with.
the top end 14" model. has 1.5GB ram and a 120GB new old stock IDE drive at moment.

The problem with SD cards is they, in my experience, won't last as much as a proper SSD, if you use them often.
I am pretty sure I would go for the SSD.

 

[ZapNZs]

IMO, IDE SSD by a significant margin due to the presumed limitations placed by what the SD card reader is being routed through, and the probability that, even if the SD routing did not impose a lower limit, unless this is a really high-end (usually MLC-based) SD card, it will likely have very, very slow writes! If you still haven't purchased the SSD (based on your first post I wasn't sure if you were eyeing new-old stock or you already purchased it!) Transcend is another Maker of IDE SSDs if you are looking for a more known name. I'm not sure how big of a difference the SSD will make over a 7200 RPM HDD, but I am guessing enough to be noticeable between the higher speeds and practical elimination of latency?

 

[elf69]

not bought anything yet, just happen to have a 128GB micro SD card.

The IDE drive I have at present is a 5400rpm unit.
It was new old stock fitted about a year ago but the machine has seen maybe 4-5 hours use in the last year.

 

[ZapNZs]

Which microSD card is it?

 

[elf69]

this one:

https://www.sandisk.co.uk/about/med...ghest-capacity-microsdxc-memory-card-at-128gb

claimed 80MB/s transfer speeds

 

[ZapNZs]

this one:

https://www.sandisk.co.uk/about/med...ghest-capacity-microsdxc-memory-card-at-128gb

claimed 80MB/s transfer speeds

Even if the SD card reader did not present a bottleneck, writes would probably be dramatically slower with that card than with the existing HDD. From what I have observed, most of the microSD cards and USB flash drives are marketed using the "transfer speed" and "up to" terminology because this prevents the Maker from having to specify the write speeds, which, in many cases, are comically slow. When the "transfer speed" terminology is used, the quoted numerical figure seems to be generally based on sustained reads. With that card, or at least older generations, 80 MB/s reads are very doable - but, with writes, it may be closer to 5-20 MB/s. (This could have changed with more recent revisions.)

With the cards I know of that have write speeds in the 80-100 MB/s range, the Makers go out of their way to emphasize it (ex: transfer speeds up to 60 MBs [where they don't disclose that writes are about 15 MB/s] versus write speeds of 85 MB/s, both from the same Maker)