USB 3.1 vs 3.0 for external backup drive. Is it worth it?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
T

Timstertimster

Distinguished
Apr 3, 2013
93
0
18,640
I think I read that USB 3.1 has non-trivial speed enhancement for transfer. But shopping proves difficult because almost all external drives I see are 3.0 drives.

Is it worth waiting to get a 3.1 drive?

I'm looking to replace my three old 1TB USB 2.0 backup drives because they're unwieldy and after several years I think it's prudent to replace them before they fail.

90% of the use is backing up system images and media files. I use these drives to restore disk images and loose data files. So transfer speed is important to me but maybe not important enough to wait for 3.1 to be more prevalent.

I'm looking to get one 4TB drive and toss my old ones.
 
Solution
A
The naming conventions associated with "USB 3.1" are a study in confusion and many would say outright misrepresentation. It’s an absolute disgrace for consumers, since because of this new USB naming convention most consumers will have no idea that there can be no difference whatsoever re speed between a device advertised as USB 3.0 and another device advertised as USB 3.1.

Understand that USB 3.0 data transfer speed is 5 Gbps. The new designations for USB devices (as promulgated by the USB Implementers Forum) are... USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB 3.1

Note that a "USB 3.1 Gen 1" device's speed is 5 Gbps - IT IS THE IDENTICAL SPEED FOR WHAT WE HERETOFORE TERMED USB 3.0

Supposedly manufacturers are encouraged to use the...
Sort by date Sort by votes
A

ArtPog

Admirable
Sep 17, 2014
2,951
3
8,965
The naming conventions associated with "USB 3.1" are a study in confusion and many would say outright misrepresentation. It’s an absolute disgrace for consumers, since because of this new USB naming convention most consumers will have no idea that there can be no difference whatsoever re speed between a device advertised as USB 3.0 and another device advertised as USB 3.1.

Understand that USB 3.0 data transfer speed is 5 Gbps. The new designations for USB devices (as promulgated by the USB Implementers Forum) are... USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB 3.1

Note that a "USB 3.1 Gen 1" device's speed is 5 Gbps - IT IS THE IDENTICAL SPEED FOR WHAT WE HERETOFORE TERMED USB 3.0

Supposedly manufacturers are encouraged to use the designation "SuperSpeed USB" for these 5 Gbps devices. USB 3.1 Gen 2 data transfer speed is 10 Gbps. Supposedly manufacturers are encouraged to use the designation "SuperSpeed USB 10 Gbps" for these devices.

The bottom line in all this is that when you see a USB device (flash drive, USB external drive, etc.) advertised as "USB 3.1" IT'S A VIRTUAL CERTAINTY THAT DEVICE IS WHAT WE FORMERLY CALLED A USB 3.0 DRIVE. ONLY when it's specifically designated as a "USB 3.1 Gen 2" device can you be assured it's what we would ordinarily call a USB 3.1 device.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom