USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 State of the Ecosystem Review: Where Does 20Gbps USB Stand in 2020?
by Ganesh T S on October 5, 2020 10:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
- SSDs
- Western Digital
- SanDisk
- ASMedia
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
Device Features and Characteristics
A quick overview of the internal capabilities of the storage devices is given by CrystalDiskInfo. The drive information doesn't change based on the host. This also serves to verify that S.M.A.R.T access (and despite not being mentioned explicitly, TRIM support also) is available irrespective of the port that the drives connect to.
Drive Information |
CrystalDiskInfo confirms the internal SSDs being used in the WD_BLACK P50 and the SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD v2 to be the SN750E and SN730E respectively. Prior to looking at the usage characteristics of the various drives, it is helpful to compare their specifications and also take a look at the internals.
Direct-Attached Storage Characteristics | ||
Aspect | ||
Upstream Port | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C |
Bridge / Controller | ASMedia ASM2364 SanDisk 20-82-007011 |
ASMedia ASM2364 SanDisk 20-82-007011 |
Flash | SanDisk BiCS 4 96L 3D TLC | SanDisk BiCS 3 64L 3D TLC |
Power | Bus Powered | Bus Powered |
Physical Dimensions | 57.34 mm x 110.26 mm x 10.22 mm | 62 mm x 118 mm x 14 mm |
IP Rating | IP55 | N/A |
Weight | 85 grams (without cable) | 115 grams (without cable) |
Cable | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C to Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C to Type-A (30cm each) |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C to Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C to Type-A (30cm each) |
S.M.A.R.T Passthrough | Yes | Yes |
UASP Support | Yes | Yes |
TRIM Passthrough | Yes | Yes |
Encryption Support | Hardware (SanDisk SecureAccess App) | N/A |
The key difference is that our review samples have a SN750-class NVMe SSD equipped with 64L 3D TLC in the WD_BLACK P50, and 96L 3D TLC in the SanDisk Extreme PRO v2. The former doesn't have hardware encryption enabled (and even software encryption with the WD Security app is not available). The latter uses the SanDisk SecureAccess App to activate the hardware encryption.
The teardown galleries above shows the significant amount of thermal design in both drives. The presence of the ASMedia ASM2364 bridge chip in both drives is also confirmed. The SanDisk Extreme PRO has a significant chunk of aluminum directly in touch with the thermal pad / covering for the heat-generating components of the internal boards. A clasp is also seen on the Type-C port to help achieve the IP55 rating. In contrast, the WD_BLACK P50 appears over-engineered with a large number of thermal pads, a separate aluminum heat-sink, and a thermal pad on top of that heat sink. Since the underside of the P50 is plastic, a metal flap is also placed between it and the internal SSD assembly. Overall, the thermal design appears fairly effective, and its evaluation report is provided in a subsequent section.
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rishaby - Wednesday, November 25, 2020 - link
Hi,I've got a question. Let's say I purchase a gen 2x2 External SSD like Firecuda with R/W speed around 2000mb/s, will it be compatible with M1 Mac Mini? It has a thunderbolt port/USB 4.
https://scrn.li/ZUg87oBQPvBq7w
So it should work, right?