USB Memory Stick vs SD Card vs ExpressCard SSD

I have 2 Notebooks: 1 main, 1 back

I was thinking, instead of installing all my "Work Applications" on both machines why not install them on a mobile storage space:

• USB Memory stick
  I dont like this option because I dont like something sticking out of the notebook on a "long time" especially if the memory stick is long; last time I had a "long stick" sticking out, someone bumped on it and destroyed the stick.
• SD Card
  I like this option vs the USB memory stick. once inserted, it will not get pulled out. Limitation of capacity is the problem though but cheap.
• ExpressCard SSD
  This is the most expensive option of all and I have no experience with ExpressCard SSDs. I have reservation on this, not all future notebooks I might purchase would have ExpressCard slots. It just so happens both of my current ones do have it.

Of the 3 options, I am leaning towards SD Cards. 8GB capacity is available and cheap but on my experience, using more than 50% (SD Cards and USB Memory Sticks) would dramatically slow the access. My Work Applications are about 3GB though.

But are SD Cards reliable?

 

I didnt know it was possible to install apps on a removable storage.

 

SD cards aren't meant for that kind of usage. Nor are USB flash drives. They will both seriously degrade in performance and just won't be as fast as the ExpressCard solution in the first place. A 16GB ExpressCard SSD is only $65... I'd highly suggest you just bite the bullet. You'll be much happier with the results:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...m_re=expresscard_flash-_-20-208-292-_-Product

ExpressCard: 34MBps read, 21MBps write
SDHC Class 6: 6Mbps write, about the same read
USB drive: 5-20MBps read/write depending on the drive, will stick out from the machine

 

I've actually done some app installation on a Lexar 8GB express card. It doesn't work well at all and I'd advise against the entire concept after my testing. Apps are dog slow and the wear and tear on the NAND just isn't worthwhile in my view.

I have the Sony TZ if that makes any difference...where storage space is at a premium with that tiny 32GB early-generation SSD.

 

The lexar express cards were crap. The newer express ssd cards are a 100x better.

 

Have to agree about the Lexar ExpressCard SSD's; I have the 16GB version and it is extremely painful to use even as backup media.

However, it has found new and useful life as an eBoostr cache.

 

I don't understand why they haven't released high performance expresscard ssd's yet.

 

They have! Very high read/write speeds, have read they've been used as a Mac boot up disk with great results and someone was trying to use them as a boot up disk on a Windows platform.

The 'gotcha'? They run very hot and too many fail unexpectedly for no apparent reason (I say the heat?). Wish I could remember the brand for you.

 

Here's where things get confusing:
The expresscard bus allows direct access to both the pci-e and usb buses. The old, slow Lexar drives use the USB connection within the expresscard bus-essentially making them big thumb drives.

I have a Wintec 24GB SSD that operates through the TRUE expresscard(pci-e) bus. It is recognized by windows as a native SATA drive: It goes like this: Flash cips->Jmicron SATA controller->pci-e bus.

The Wintec 48GB models have a bad rep for overheating. I know that my 24gb gets scary hot when in use. If I ever get it to successfully boot I will be making a solid copper housing for it

I'm still in the process of figuring out how to get my computer to boot to expresscard, as it is not explicitly stated in the BIOS. However, there are current workarounds for a similar situation-booting to USB on really old computers that don't have USB support; so theoretically it can be done.
Here's a link if you want to read up on it:
http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=9036&hl=expresscard&st=20

 

I strongly recommend that u get an intel SSD as a primary drive and install all your programs on it... u can use ur old hard drive instead of the optical drive by using the optical drive to hard drive caddy... and if u need an optical drive , get an external one... otherwise u can use an external hard drive as data storage...

 

Ok, that's interesting. Maybe I'll buy one... was the jmicron shutter a big issue for games, or just the OS? I'd just be installing games on it.

 

While running Windows XP from my spinning HD, I installed COD4 onto my SSD in an attempt at greater performance, and I didn't notice much of an improvement. I'm hoping to run the whole OS on the drive and get better performance.

 

you should have no problems with intel SSD... especially the G2 version.

 

Too bad Intel doesn't make 40gb+ expresscard SSD.

 

how would that help him at all? he's wanting to use both programs on two different PCs. buying 1 300$ SSD won't help him achieve his goal in the slightest.

 

u can still swap the SSD's around both computers as long as 1 is desktop and 1 is laptop ... the laptop can boot with SSD and when he needs the data on SSD , he can put it in the desktop and get the data on it as long as it is not set as boot drive...

 

so you're saying that every time he wants to access his data, he should remove the panel on his laptop, remove the SSD, remove the panel on the desktop, insert the SSD, and power it on. do you have any idea how inefficient and counter productive that is?

 

Or use an eSATA connection if available.

 

if he had eSata (on both systems) I don't think this thread would've been made, as it (at least it should've been) is the obvious solution.

 

SD card is the way to go, but you should get a good fast card. http://www.jr.com/sandisk/pe/SAD_SDSDRH008GA/

 

if both laptops can accept an express card how about this idea.

- any 3.5 or 2.5 drive hdd (or sdd if you've got the money)

- an eSATA cable

- an eSATA expressCard. Use the eSATA expresscard of your choice... not sure if you can boot from an eSATA expressCard though

- and an enclosure for the 3.5 or 2.5 drive with eSATA connection. Don't go the USB or SanDisk route unless you like dog slow (sub 20MB/sec.)


it would all fit easily in an accessory bag. (enclosure, cable, express card)

Or if this is always being done at your desk and not off-site somewhere and you don't mind having a bulkier enclosure then you may like this newertech Voyager.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/U2ES2HDK/

I've got one that I use for backups and I use this same means to connect to my laptop via an eSATA express card to the Newertech Voyager. I can put any SATA drive (2.5 or 3.5) in the "toaster" and have a fast eSATA backup solution.

 

Sure, if you need lots of space. But check out the OP; he's only talking about using 3 GB. A full HDD is significant overkill at that point...

 

If you want to switch applications between laptops - that won't work.

Registry entries - it might if you install them on the external card on both laptops - but it might stop working on one the moment a setting is changed.

All you can use an external media for is data.