USB 2 vs USB 3 cables

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FieldMouse

94 posts

Master Geek

#318272 2-Jan-2025 09:59

Happy New Year everyone

I was looking at a Unitek External Hard Drive enclosure advertised on Trade Me by PB Tech.

I assume to be effective, it would have to run on USB 3, but the specs make no mention of whether is is USB 2 or USB 3 and just said that it included a 1.2M USB-A to USB-B cable.

I asked a question on Trade Me and said was it using USB 3
The answer I got said: Please note it is a USB-A to USB-B 1.2m cable

Is that a dumb answer or is it me that's dumb?

Dynamic

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#3326946 2-Jan-2025 10:06

Without knowing your TradeMe question, I can't comment on the answer given.

If you are using a traditional mechanical hard drive, USB2 vs USB3 won't be really noticeable as the mechanical hard drive will be the slowest part of the equation. If you are using an SSD in the enclosure, USB2 vs USB3 will be noticeable, particularly for reading which is faster than writing.

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Jase2985

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#3326947 2-Jan-2025 10:06

Go on the pbtech website and find the one you are looking at on Trademe. Most have the type of USB in the title

Dynamic

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#3326948 2-Jan-2025 10:07

What model number is the enclosure?

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Oblivian

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#3326949 2-Jan-2025 10:09

Depends on if the caddy can too. May be negligible real-time use.

Usb 2 vs 3 = blue (3) vs black (2) centres. And more pins to make it full duplex/power.

Jase2985

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#3326950 2-Jan-2025 10:10

Dynamic:

Without knowing your TradeMe question, I can't comment on the answer given.

If you are using a traditional mechanical hard drive, USB2 vs USB3 won't be really noticeable as the mechanical hard drive will be the slowest part of the equation. If you are using an SSD in the enclosure, USB2 vs USB3 will be noticeable, particularly for reading which is faster than writing.

Isn't USB2 480Mbps, which is only 60MB/s but is half duplex so 30MB/s and a mechanical HDD is usually 150-250MB/s?

USB 3.0 is full duplex and 5Gbps+ depending on which .x it is

FieldMouse

94 posts

Master Geek

#3326955 2-Jan-2025 10:22

Dynamic. In my post I said
I asked a question on Trade Me and said was it using USB 3

FieldMouse

94 posts

Master Geek

#3326957 2-Jan-2025 10:34

Dynamic.

Part number S1308A – a 2 Bay enclosure

Jase2985

Unitek’s own website just says

Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 92 mm
Supported Capacity: Max. 40TB
Supported HDD Type: 2.5” or 3.5” SATA HDD/SSD
Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Linux
Cable Length: 120cm
Material/ Colour: Aluminium Alloy / Space Grey

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FieldMouse

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Master Geek

#3326958 2-Jan-2025 10:41

I just looked at the pictures on the Unitek website and the port is labelled 5Gbps

Is that USB 3?

Oblivian

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#3326964 2-Jan-2025 10:52

3 Gen 1 only.

https://www.kingston.com/en/usb-flash-drives/usb-30

FieldMouse

94 posts

Master Geek

#3326982 2-Jan-2025 12:01

Oblivian

Thank you. Is that sufficient for general usage i.e. accessing mechanical external hard drives?

K8Toledo

1014 posts

Uber Geek

#3326999 2-Jan-2025 13:45

FieldMouse:

Oblivian

Thank you. Is that sufficient for general usage i.e. accessing mechanical external hard drives?

Yes but seems expensive, bulky and I don't see many reviews for it.

Do you own 3.5" desktop drives, or just 2.5" (laptop size) drives. If 2.5" only, a 2.5" enclosure may be more suitable, and won't require an external power source.

richms

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#3327004 2-Jan-2025 14:09

FieldMouse:

Oblivian

Thank you. Is that sufficient for general usage i.e. accessing mechanical external hard drives?

Yes if the case can deliver it.

No mention of UASP on the page, which IME is essential to get good speeds on USB drive enclosures, and it doesn't say if it does any internal BS raid or striping or whatever or just presents the 2 drives as drives. Many of these external cases try to be helpful and make it show as a single drive with no ability to configure it, so putting existing drives with data in that were connected to a PC will not work as the case wants to make them show as one drive.

I have been burned too many times with flash looking but ultimately crap external drive chassis that look like this but from orico to bother trying to externalize any internal drive again.

Richard rich.ms

K8Toledo

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#3327007 2-Jan-2025 14:16

FieldMouse:

Oblivian

Thank you. Is that sufficient for general usage i.e. accessing mechanical external hard drives?

Are you wanting an external drive bay just to clone the Z800 drive? If so, you can clone the old drive to a new drive using your desktop (provided new drive isn't NVMe).