Data Transfer on the Run: High-Speed USB Flash Drives

Transcend Jet Flash 110 2 GB

The number "110" in the name of the JetFlash 110 implies that it aims for a 110-fold performance improvement. But such a representation rests on the 150 kB/sec base data transfer rate for single-speed CD-ROM devices. A 110x device would have to deliver speeds of at least 16.5 MB/sec.

In fact, the JetFlash 110 does even better than that! The performance data for this unit reaches levels never before attained for Flash drives: we observed up to 27 MB/sec for reading, and as much as 24 MB/sec for writing. With these kinds of numbers, the JetFlash 110 is practically as fast as an external USB 2.0 hard drive. Transcend uses SLC-Flash-Chips (Single-Level Cell) to achieve these numbers, because their simple construction enables much higher performance compared to cheaper but slower MLC (Multi-Level Cell) Flash technology.

Even the protection for the USB connector on this device is impressive. This Flash drive uses a slide on its housing to extend the USB connector for use, which then returns to its home position when it's not needed, thereby ensuring that the connector is safely tucked away.