Flash memory benchmarks [SD cards]

[eva2000]

I'll be testing secure digital cards this time on 3 different readers on both USB1.1 and USB2.0 pcs

3 Readers

1. USB2.0 6in1 reader from part 1 test
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1/usb2_specs.gif

CompactFlash Type I.
IBM Microdrive / CompactFlash Type II.
SmartMedia.
Memory Stick.
MultiMedia Card.
Secure Digital Card.
Performance

also there's a review of the USB2.0 6in1 reader here http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/usb2-6in1-card-reader-review.html as well

2. Edge Memory's SD/MMC USB 1.1 reader
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/edge-reader.jpg

3. Sandisk Cruzer USB1.1 SD card reader
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/sandisk/sandisk-cruzer.jpg

3 brands of secure digital cards
- 256MB Sandisk SD card Picture (http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/sandisk/sandisk-sdcard.jpg)
- 256MB Lexar SD card Picture (http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/lexar/lexar256mb.jpg)
- 256MB Simpletech SD card Picture (http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/simpletech/simpletech256mb.jpg)

Results in separate reply post

post #2 = USB 1.1 pc results
post #3 = USB 2.0 pc reulsts
post #4 = VFSmark benchmarks on Palm Tungsten T pda
post #5 = Winbench 99 comparison

tested with hdtach

[eva2000]

USB 1.1 results
===========
read max, read min, read average (kilobytes/sec)
write max, write min, write average (kilobytes/sec)

1. USB2.0 6in1 reader
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1-usb1-1/hardware-manager.jpg

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 199, 192, 194.8
write: 258, 239, 251
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1-usb1-1/sdcards/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 199, 192, 194.5
write: 259, 240, 251.1
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1-usb1-1/sdcards/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 157, 156, 156.4
write: 257, 253, 256
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1-usb1-1/sdcards/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg


2. Edge Memory SD/MMC USB1.1 reader
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/hardware-manager.jpg

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 727, 726, 726.3
write: 675, 570, 614.9
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 727, 726, 726.3
write: 677, 570, 615.9
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 695, 662, 690
write: 630, 590, 620.5
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg


3. Sandisk Cruzer USB1.1 reader
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/hardware-manager.jpg

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 1000, 886, 957.5
write: 990, 804, 873.8
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 1000, 887, 957.4
write: 990, 800, 871.5
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 985, 923, 973.4
write: 909, 814, 860.6
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg

=======
Comments:

- Interestingly enough is that the slowest sd card reader was the USB2.0 6in1 reader, the fastest was the Sandisk Cruzer.
- Turns out lexar and simpletech are both actually Panasonic branded sd cards hence the similar performance results and since lexar is around 25-33% cheaper than simpletech brand, it's definitely the one to get. Beware though that lexar rebrands both panasonic as well as sandisk sd cards. So lexar sd card can either have performance like simpletech card above or like the sandisk!

[eva2000]

USB 2.0 results

notes:
- interesting the two USB1.1 readers on a USB 1.1 port are faster than the USB2.0 on USB1.1 port
- also it seems that lexar and simpletech aren't exactly the same although both are rebranded panasonic sd cards - look at the write speed difference between the simpletech and lexar cards. The simpletech card is 14-16% faster in write speeds than lexar sd card.

---------------------

USB2.0 6in1 reader
summary:
fastest read average = lexar 0.04% faster than simpletech
fastest write average = simpletech 13.88% faster than lexar

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 5787, 5536, 5698.5
write: 4790, 2936, 3309.3
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1usb2/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 5786, 5544, 5701
write: 4131, 2519, 2905.9
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1usb2/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 1465, 1326, 1423.5
write: 994, 838, 905.6
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1usb2/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg


Edge SD/MMC USB1.1 reader
fastest read average = simpletech 0.196% faster than lexar
fastest write average = sandisk 1.34% faster than lexar and 7.08% faster than simpletech

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 667, 663, 664.8
write: 599, 519, 549.4
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/usb2/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 667, 663, 663.5
write: 619, 541, 580.5
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/usb2/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 640, 612, 633.8
write: 594, 560, 588.3
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/edgereader/usb2/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg


Sandisk Cruzer SD card USB1.1 reader
fastest read average = simpletech 0.889% faster than sandisk and 2.52% faster than lexar
fastest write average = lexar 1.698% faster than sandisk and 7.285% faster than lexar

256mb simpletech sd card
read: 891, 861, 874.1
write: 883, 685, 759.1
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/usb2/simpletech/hdtach-simpletech1-256mb.jpg

256mb lexar sd card
read: 889, 795, 852.6
write: 884, 777, 814.4
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/usb2/lexar/hdtach-lexar1-256mb.jpg

256mb sandisk sd card
read: 886, 823, 866.4
write: 841, 750, 800.8
http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/sandiskcruzer/usb2/sandisk/hdtach-sandisk256mb.jpg

[eva2000]

Palm Tungsten T
VFSmark benches

http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/VFSMark_20030512_130211.jpg


256mb sandisk card info



VFSMark Results

File Create: 51%
File Delete: 23%
File Write: 18%
File Read: 103%
File Seek: 184%
DB Export: 26%
DB Import: 195%
Record Access: 189%
Resource Access: 175%

VFSMark: 107



http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/Card_Inf_20030512_130132.jpg


256mb lexar card info



VFSMark Results

File Create: 281%
File Delete: 200%
File Write: 105%
File Read: 122%
File Seek: 245%
DB Export: 127%
DB Import: 280%
Record Access: 241%
Resource Access: 228%

VFSMark: 203


http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/Card_Inf_20030512_135548.jpg

256mb simpletech card info



VFSMark Results

File Create: 286%
File Delete: 204%
File Write: 110%
File Read: 122%
File Seek: 245%
DB Export: 135%
DB Import: 279%
Record Access: 241%
Resource Access: 227%

VFSMark: 205


http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/sd/Card_Inf_20030512_135242.jpg

[eva2000]

USB2.0 tests with USB2.0 6in1 reader with winbench99 disk transfer test (in kilobytes/s)

http://www.fileshosts.com/disks/flashdisks/reader/6in1usb2/winbench99-compared.jpg

256MB Simpletech SD card
Access Time (ms): 2.36
CPU Utilization (%): 12.8
Disk transfer beginning: 7190
Disk transfer end: 7340

256MB Lexar SD card
Access Time (ms): 2.32
CPU Utilization (%): 12.7
Disk transfer beginning: 7190
Disk transfer end: 7310

256MB Sandisk SD card
Access Time (ms): 32.9
CPU Utilization (%): 5.84
Disk transfer beginning: 1570
Disk transfer end: 1570