SSD vs USB 3 for faster access storage

[Doug Hobkirk]

SSD is still pricey. Flash storage is cheap. Is SSD much faster than USB 3.0?

 

[boosted1g]

Yes SSD is still faster then a usb 3.0 flash drive. I have yet to see a usb 3.0 drive that gets near the max speed, its more that it is above the usb 2.0 max speed

What are you wanting to access quickly though? Unless you are using files in the 100s of MB in size in your flash drive, then you wont notice the fraction of a second diference between loading a 20mb file on a 3.0 flash drive vs an ssd drive.
Not to mention the difference in cost.

 

[Doug Hobkirk]

Yes SSD is still faster then a usb 3.0 flash drive. I have yet to see a usb 3.0 drive that gets near the max speed, its more that it is above the usb 2.0 max speed

What are you wanting to access quickly though? Unless you are using files in the 100s of MB in size in your flash drive, then you wont notice the fraction of a second diference between loading a 20mb file on a 3.0 flash drive vs an ssd drive.
Not to mention the difference in cost.

My next question was going to be what are the best "components" (folders) to put on it -
** With a SSD, I'd install Windows and program files - I'd think it might be hard to get my 2008 PC to boot from a USB
** Excel data files? (I just realized I probably could not put the Excel program files on it - or could I actually get MS software to load somewhere other than "Program File"?)

But as I ponder the above, I realize that the only slow application is the Chrome browser (when I have a couple dozen tabs).

 

[boosted1g]

For a boot drive you need to use SSD.
Boot from a flash drive would be slow.

You will need to install the excel program to the hard drive form the OS.
You can not say have the ssd with windows and open the excel program already installed from the other drive. I does not work that way.
You can have the excel worksheet files on any drive or flash drive and it will open fine.

As far as chrome, an ssd drive will help it open fast, but the browser itself being slow once it is already opened is RAM memory being limited.

 

[Doug Hobkirk]

Thank you much, Mother
Your answers nailed it for me.