[Discuss] compact flash drive versus USB flash drive?

[Murray Strome]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan W. Irwin" <irwin at beluga.phys.uvic.ca>
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007 8:02 am
Subject: [Discuss] compact flash drive versus USB flash drive?
To: discuss at vlug.org

> As you know from my previous post, I am interested in buying the 
> EES-5718
> (http://www.avalue.com.tw/products/EES-5718.cfm) micro PC as a 
> high-end
> X-terminal/thin client to remotely display 3D 
> applications.  This micro PC
> has one "CompactFlash Type I/II socket" designated for a solid 
> state disk
> (SSD), and 4 USB 2.0 ports.
> 
> Thus, it looks like I will have a choice of buying a compact 
> flash card or a
> USB flash drive to use as my SSD.
> 
> I notice that the prices of compact flash cards and USB flash 
> drives are
> roughly the same ($20-$30) per gigabyte.  Does it matter 
> which I buy or does
> one format have some known advantages/disadvantages compared to 
> the other?
> 
> Alan
> __________________________
> Alan W. Irwin

My guess would be that depending upon the way the computer is designed, the Compact Flash COULD be faster.  That is assuming that it is connected directly to the internal bus.  On most desktop PCs that contain a built-in card reader, it is connected through the USB bus, in which case I don't believe that there would be any significant difference in speed.  If you cannot find out definitively, I suggest that you go the Compact Flash route anyway for two reasons: 1) it MIGHT be faster, if it doesn't just go through a USB port anyway; and 2) it would not protrude much if any from the computer case making it less susceptible to mechanical damage.

When you see different speed ratings for camera memories (such as Compact Flash), these are the speeds achieved inside a camera, not necessarily those for transferring to a PC.

The last time I checked around, I think the lowest cost 4GB Compact Flash card available in town was either Costco or Walmart.  I think that Walmart may be dropping Compact Flash (or may have done so already).  Last time I looked, Costco still had them.  Camera makers seem to be moving away from it to either their own proprietary format or Secure Digital. I have been told that this is partly because of the way the contacts are designed.

Hope this helps.

Murray