Back-to-back CrystalDiskMark 3.0 tests show the relevant numbers.
Data Transfer Speeds in Megabytes per Second (MB/s)
Longer bars are better
The Buffalo drive is well ahead of the laptop's original hard drive. I also put the Buffalo up against the 128GB version of Crucial's RealSSD C300. As you can see, it's rather quicker than the MicroStation, especially when it comes to the important random writes.
The Crucial drive is £34 more expensive than the Buffalo, but has the advantage of 6Gb/s Sata compatibility. That's no use here, of course - the laptop doesn't support it - but it gives a measure of futureproofing.
In everyday use, the Crucial doesn't feel any faster. It's Windows boot time was, within error bars, the same as the Buffalo. But what's another 30-odd quid when you're spending 280 to get that little bit extra to boost file copies and the like.
Verdict
Buffalo's MicroStation SSD isn't a bad little drive and, as long as you don't need an enclosure for your old hard drive, the integrated USB port is a very neat trick. While it might not perform so well in comparison with a beefy 7200rpm desktop drive, the SSD is a big improvement on your average 5400rpm laptop drive, and if capacity isn't your key consideration this is an upgrade I'd whole-heartedly endorse. Shame t's not quite cheap enough to put clear water between it and faster drives of comparable capacity. ®
Buffalo MicroStation SSD
COMMENTS
500 gig and £100
is when SSD drives become *really* interesting
Buffalo not confident in their software package?
From Buffalo's page for these drives (linked in the article):
"To further enhance the performance of the drive, the MicroStationTM Internal SSD also includes the Buffalo Tools suite of complimentary software, TurboPC and TurboCopy, which increase file transfer and copy times."
I'd rather hope they'd _reduce_ those times!
Ewww, jmicron
Not touching another jmicron controller based SSD, had a couple from different manufacturers, and they were horribly unreliable. Sandforce is a much better bet.
20 quid if you want somewhere useful to stick the old drive.
Which gold plated 2.5" sata drive enclosures do you buy? I would never spend more than £7 for one from say ebuyer.com and usually buy direct from china via eBay for < £2.50 inc delivery!
RealSSD . . .
RealSSD is an optimistic moniker. Performance tests seem to bear out that this drive is not worthy of its name when compared against SF controllers and drives with over-provisioning. For serious or enterprise use the MicroStation is likely a Buffalo pie.
