The gaming market has skilled important progress over the past decade. In addition to boosting PC gross sales, the peripherals market related to the section has additionally expanded. Installed sizes for video games now frequently run into a whole lot of gigabytes, thanks largely to assist for elevated resolutions and extra detailed graphics. The knowledge additionally must be loaded into reminiscence as quick as doable so as to enhance the gaming expertise.
Unsurprisingly then, players need the quickest doable transportable SSDs to retailer their video games. The 20 Gbps switch charges promised by USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 has an prompt enchantment on this market section. Keeping this in thoughts, many distributors have launched USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 bus-powered transportable SSDs focusing on the gaming crowd. Last 12 months, we checked out Western Digital’s WD_BLACK P50. Seagate’s FireCuda Gaming SSD was obtainable out there across the identical time, nevertheless it did not make it to our testbed in time for that assessment.
We just lately obtained the Seagate providing into our newest testbed, and took the chance to refresh the numbers for the WD_BLACK P50 with our newest check suite as nicely. The assessment beneath seems on the efficiency and worth proposition of the Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD.
Introduction and Product Impressions
External bus-powered storage units able to 2GBps+ efficiency have grow to be fairly frequent out there immediately. Rapid developments in flash know-how (together with the appearance of 3D NAND and NVMe) in addition to sooner host interfaces (corresponding to Thunderbolt Three and USB 3.x) have been key enablers. While USB4 (USB’s most up-to-date avatar) mandates a minimal of 10Gbps knowledge switch price solely, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20 Gbps) has emerged as a parallel customary. It has been sluggish to achieve traction, partly because of the lack of widespread host assist in desktops and different computing platforms. While that has been altering slowly, transportable SSD distributors have been exhausting at work creating merchandise on this class. Professional content material creators and players are key customers prepared to pay a premium for these high-performance units.
On the silicon entrance, ASMedia occurs to be the primary (if not, the one) options provider on the system aspect. Similar to the WD_BLACK P50 reviewed final 12 months, the Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD can also be primarily based on the ASMedia ASM2364 bridge chip, and has a premium steel development. The FireCuda Gaming SSD’s distinctive promoting level is the obtainable of RGB lighting that may be managed utilizing Seagate’s Toolkit. One can dismiss RGB as a fad, however the reality is that RGB sells within the gaming market.
The FireCuda Gaming SSD is extra compact (104.four mm x 52.5 mm x 10 mm) in comparison with the WD_BLACK P50, whereas additionally weighing 15g lesser (100g). Only one USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C cable in provided with the SSD, however it’s longer (50cm) than the one provided with the WD_BLACK P50. Both SSDs sport a high-performance M.2 2280 NVMe SSD inside, and have a premium steel development.
A fast overview of the interior capabilities of the storage units is given by CrystalDiskInfo. This additionally serves to confirm S.M.A.R.T entry from the host port. Note that we’re together with outcomes from our DIY 20Gbps exterior SSD – the Silverstone MS12 geared up with a SK hynix Gold P31 1TB NVMe SSD.
| S.M.A.R.T Passthrough – CrystalDiskInfo | |
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The desk beneath presents a comparative view of the specs of the three 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 choices introduced on this assessment.
| Comparative Direct-Attached Storage Devices Configuration | ||
| Aspect | ||
| Downstream Port | 1x PCIe 3.zero x4 (M.2 NVMe) | 1x PCIe 3.zero x4… |
