USB 3.1 review: 10 Gbps USB with the ASUS Z97-A

Memory (DDR4/DDR5) and Storage (SSD/NVMe) 367 Page 6 of 6 Published by

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SuperSpeed+ Performance Tests & conclusion

One more test before we dive into the conclusion. Let's grab AS SSD and look at the performance of the compression benchmark.
 

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Above USB 3.0

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Above USB 3.1 - Yeah that is almost double performance of the unit  .. 

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Only once you really start to queue things up and stress 4K random files with 64 threads, the perf caves in.

Conclusion

It will take a while before USB 3.1 will get embedded, most motherboards you will see released this year will all get a VIA or ASMedia USB 3.1 controller for bragging rights, meaning the infrastructure is getting prepped. However, how long it'll take before we'll see actual USB 3.1 ready storage devices, who knows.

Despite that fact that the performance is there alright, we did had to tweak a little. Initially the included ASMedia drivers gave us so-so performance. After removing them a Windows update made the drivers native. Combine that with the Turbo mode from the USB 3.1 Boost preference of the ASUS AI suite and yeah, your performance will jump to what you are seeing here today.

Currently this has been the fastest storage unit we have ever tested that was portable, really it is flabbergasting to see that much performance coming from something connected to a USB port. Very impressive. Along with USB 3.1 you will also see the Type-C connector being introduced, it's a very handy one and I do hope it'll replace the older standards. You know when you want to charge your phone you are allows messing about if you have the cable flipped etc, that will be a thing of the past with the new Type C connector, just plug it in a boom (well not BOOM I hope). Next to that the new connector can carry 100 Watts, and thus is a serious contender for charging even your laptop. All that from such a tiny cute connector, we like it.

We are at an era where USB starts to take off to a new level, 10 Gbps is fast, extremely fast. But your motherboard will rely on a 3rd party controller chip. In the future when AMD and Intel will introduce/support it native in their chipsets it will really take off, but knowing Intel, that will take a long time. SkyLake for example will not get USB 3.1 support native. This is a big deal as USB 3.0 only really started once Intel supported it in their chipsets.

Until then USB 3.1 will be a niche connector, another sticker on the box. But my man, it does have awsome potential.

Hilbert out

+++ ATH

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