Storage Performance: USB 3.0 | SSD SATA3 (6G)

Performance Storage Subsystem - USB 3.0 and SSD SATA3 (6G)

With the modern SATA and USB 3.0 controllers we started adding SSD performance numbers measured on such interfaces (when applicable). Putting these in nicely styled charts would be better, but with technology so new we just do not have anything out there yet to compare to, so here are some raw peak performance numbers. We use an A-DATA N002 Solid State Drive which has both a both SATA2 and USB 3.0 port.

Above, you can see a N002 series A-DATA Solid State Drive running over the USB 3.0 controller on this motherboard. The implementation works well. Obviously the N002 write performance is limited at roughly 200 MB/sec.

SATA 6 Gbps Performance

Below we show SATA3 6 Gbps AHCI performance with a SATA3 SSD. 

Above, the SATA3 based SSD connected to the SATA3 (6Gbps) Intel controller. AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS, especially with SSDs that helps a little on peak performance. The internal Intel SATA3 6 Gbps controller is the fastest of any motherboard really.

Above, the SATA3 based SSD connected to the 3rd party SATA3 (6Gbps) ASMEDIA controller. AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS, see how that write performance is cut-off? We always see that behaviour with 3rd party controllers embedded on the motherboard. Admittedly, read performance has improved over time and really, that's not bad at all. Overall though, our recommendation is to connect ODD and HDDs to the ASMedia controllers and your blazing fast SSDs towards the Intel controller.