The site Tweaktown published a complete test of the new USB 3.0 product from Buffalo, the HD-HXU3.
This is among the first external HD based on USB 3.0 to be available. Tests illustrate how the HD and the port can deliver the expected performance levels. Indeed, one can easily saturate the bandwidth and transfer speed defined by the HD installed inside (SATA): 150 MB/s in reading mode and 130 MB/s in writing mode. In addition, and unlike the USB 2.0 format, the new interface does not impact so much access timing and give the user a reactive HD even during reading and writing sessions of small files.
Unfortunately Intel decided to wait till 2011 to integrate the USB 3.0 to its chipset. So, if you want to have such option on your computer, you will have to use a PCI Express card and its associated line. If Apple switch to USB 3.0, one can already then predict that it will be the end of the Firewire 800. When compared to USB 3.0, it only has one advantage: one can connect several unit on the same line. But will this save it on the long term?
