Samsung Intros 250 GB 1.8-inch Spinpoint HDDs with Native USB 2.0 Controller

[malware]

Strengthening its line up of portable 1.8-inch hard drives for external use, Samsung today announced its 250 Gigabyte (GB) 1.8-inch hard disk drive, the Spinpoint N3U which incorporates a native USB 2.0 controller on its printed circuit board. Most external hard drives require the addition of a bridge circuit board to convert the hard drive's current interface into a USB interface. Samsung's N3U drive, however, uses a native USB interface and as such does not require this bridge board. This optimized design results in a smaller foot print, less power consumption and optimized performance, which is ideal for portable external storage devices. The N3U 1.8-inch drive consumes about 40 percent less power than a normal 2.5-inch hard drive of an equivalent capacity. It has two 125 GB platters for a total of 250 GB data storage capacity. The Spinpoint N3U also comes in 120 GB, 160 GB, and 200 GB capacities, the disk rotation speed is 3600 rpm. The drives are equipped with an 8 MB of cache memory. Initial shipments to OEMs are scheduled from mid-July with a MSRP of $199.00.



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[Deleted member 24505]

Very nice,but i think usb is for peripharals and useless for large capacity usb storage.It is way too slow to use for large capacity.

 

[satelitko]

250GB with a 3400rpm isn't exactly high-speed enough for the USB to not be able to handle it imo

 

[Kitkat]

yeah i read it like wtf lol

 

[Mussels]

dont forget its 1.8", thats ipod size drive.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I use a 1.8" 20gb hdd in a caddy.

 

[DaveK]

It would go nice in an iPod but Apple ditched the 160GB for the 120GB so I don't see them using it. I'd like to see a hybrid of the Classic and Touch

 

[Mussels]

It would go nice in an iPod but Apple ditched the 160GB for the 120GB so I don't see them using it. I'd like to see a hybrid of the Classic and Touch

stick one in yourself, duh

 

[lemonadesoda]

Amazng capacity for 1.8".

Shame there isnt BOTH USB and SATA.

Oh, and that PCB and USB socket sticks out quite a bit.

 

[laszlo]

thank you samsung but where are the 3.5" drives with usb interface;i'll like to have only drives connected to mobo with usb

i don't ever understand why we have so many different connections (ATA SATA USB..) when the speed of usb is higher and future usb3 reach 4.8gb/s speed that no connected peripheral reach atm.

 

[h3llb3nd4]

this is quite awesome!
I really like 1,8" hdds.

 

[Mussels]

thank you samsung but where are the 3.5" drives with usb interface;i'll like to have only drives connected to mobo with usb

i don't ever understand why we have so many different connections (ATA SATA USB..) when the speed of usb is higher and future usb3 reach 4.8gb/s speed that no connected peripheral reach atm.

uhh, what? USB 2.0 is one of the slowest connections out. the only slower would be USB 1.1 or floppy drives.

I think you're another person who doesnt know the difference between MB/s and Mb/s

 

[Weer]

Why don't they make 1.8" passports?

 

[newtekie1]

Doesn't really appeal to me. You'd have to use the drive bare, and for a drive that size, I wouldn't want to do that for long periods of time.

I could certianly find some uses for it, mainly using it as a back up drive for customers machines when I do reformats onsite, but I would be too scared to break it carrying it around. Now if they sold a metal enclosure to put the drive in with the USB sticking out, I would jump on it.

Speed wouldn't be an issue, 3600RPM isn't really going to push the USB bus, IMO.

 

[laszlo]

uhh, what? USB 2.0 is one of the slowest connections out. the only slower would be USB 1.1 or floppy drives.

I think you're another person who doesnt know the difference between MB/s and Mb/s

as i know Usb2 has a max of 60MB/sec and usb 3 will have 10 times usb2 speed (with required cables) correct me if i'm wrong

 

[newtekie1]

as i know Usb2 has a max of 60MB/sec and usb 3 will have 10 times usb2 speed (with required cables) correct me if i'm wrong

Theoretically, yes USB2.0 can provided 60MB/s. However, in reality it is usually closer to 30MB/s. Where as SATA1 gives well over 100MB/s, and SATA2 gives over 250MB/s.

I don't belive the specs for USB3.0 have actually been made public yet, only rumors about it's performance, and I don't think 10x the performance is realistic for USB3.0.

 

[Mussels]

as i know Usb2 has a max of 60MB/sec and usb 3 will have 10 times usb2 speed (with required cables) correct me if i'm wrong

30MB/s each way.

USB 3.0 will be 300MB/s (each way) - basically matching sata II, right when sata III comes out.

 

[laszlo]

I don't belive the specs for USB3.0 have actually been made public yet, only rumors about it's performance, and I don't think 10x the performance is realistic for USB3.0.

i think they're public :http://www.usb.org/developers/docs/

 

[ArmoredCavalry]

i don't ever understand why we have so many different connections (ATA SATA USB..) when the speed of usb is higher and future usb3 reach 4.8gb/s speed that no connected peripheral reach atm.

How many people have USB 3.0 now?

For now, if the choice is between SATAII and USB 2.0, the decision should be pretty obvious (clue: it begins with 'S').'

But hey, if you want to hook all you drives up via USB, go for it.

 

[newtekie1]

How many people have USB 3.0 now?

For now, if the choice is between SATAII and USB 2.0, the decision should be pretty obvious (clue: it begins with 'S').'

But hey, if you want to hook all you drives up via USB, go for it.

Super USB?

 

[Deleted member 24505]

All i know is,if you plug in a usb 1tb hdd and copy 50gb of stuff from your pc to the external,you can go to bed and it might be finished copying the 50gb of stuff to it by the time you get up.

I would rather have esata with power and data from 1 plug than usb3.

 

[Mussels]

All i know is,if you plug in a usb 1tb hdd and copy 50gb of stuff from your pc to the external,you can go to bed and it might be finished copying the 50gb of stuff to it by the time you get up.

I would rather have esata with power and data from 1 plug than usb3.

you have inspired me to do math bad man, bad.


100MB/s = 6,000MB per minute, 360,000MB (351GB) per hour. (modern 1TB drive, SATA/E-sata/USB 3.0 when it exists)

50MB/s = 175GB per hour (average for a 2.5" drive? firewire 400?)

25MB/s = 88GB an hour (USB 2.0 equivalent)

 

[BazookaJoe]

I think this thing is a Step in the right direction - It may not be FAST per say, but sometimes storage is really the issue, and NOT speed - and this is basically a maga-mechanical flash drive... - for a HECK OF A HELL OF A LOT CHEAPER than you would pay for a flash drive of that size.

I think it'd be very useful - When used for the right reasons.

And we all KNOW it will evolve to USB3 In time. Have to remember ppl's - USB3 is ALREADY being integrated into next gen board controllers right now - we may start seeing first supporting mobo' in just a few months.

 

[newtekie1]

All i know is,if you plug in a usb 1tb hdd and copy 50gb of stuff from your pc to the external,you can go to bed and it might be finished copying the 50gb of stuff to it by the time you get up.

Maybe on USB1.1, but not on USB2.0.

 

[ArmoredCavalry]

you have inspired me to do math bad man, bad.


100MB/s = 6,000MB per minute, 360,000MB (351GB) per hour. (modern 1TB drive, SATA/E-sata/USB 3.0 when it exists)

50MB/s = 175GB per hour (average for a 2.5" drive? firewire 400?)

25MB/s = 88GB an hour (USB 2.0 equivalent)

Remember to factor in file type though. One 50 Gig file will copy at whole lot faster than a ton of small files adding up to 50 gigs.

I have a 16 gb flash drive, and whenever I need to copy a ton of files with it, I always zip/rar them, it goes so much faster.