Will Transcend’s portable SSD can be a powerful contender for the Mac and PC users?
Transcend has released the StoreJet 500 external SSD that promises ultra-fast transfer speeds through the Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 connector. Compared to its older brother the StoreJet 300 which is an internal hard disk, the StoreJet 500 is using a solid state drive, which is a new sight for portable drives. But will SSDs be effective for portable storage use?
Here is the specifications of the Transcend StoreJet 500
| Dimensions | 121.2mm x 75.2mm x 13.5 mm (4.77″ x 2.96″ x 0.53″) |
| Weight | 136 g (4.80 oz) |
| Operation Voltage | Thunderbolt 15V / USB 5V |
| Operating temperature | 5°C (41°F)~55°C (131°F) |
| Storage Media | SATA SSD |
| Connection Interface | Thunderbolt / USB 3.0 |
Desktop or notebook computer with USB port (USB3.0 port needed for USB3.0 performance) or Thunderbolt interface with one of the following Operating Systems:
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows 8
- Mac OS X 10.7 or later
As for the design of the StoreJet 500, it has the same design with the StoreJet 300, which is a plain grayish white color and nothing else, which makes it look more minimalistic and an elegant design to it. At only 4.77 inches in length and a slimmer 2.96 inches on its width, the StoreJet 500 is very easy to carry either on your pouch or pockets. Since it is using a Solid State Drive, it is now lighter compared to your conventional external drives, weighing at just around 136 grams, though having a lighter build could mean this can be easily toppled by slight bumps on everyday use. The portable SSD comes with 3 variants; 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. (The review unit was the 512 GB variant).
As for performance, the StoreJet 500 has a faster transfer speed as it is using a Solid State Drive, then add that with USB 3.0 support and Thunderbolt connectivity for Macbooks. We tested the USB 3.0 connection and the traditional USB 2.0 and the difference between the two in terms of speed was impressive. With at around 230 MB/s for the reading speed and around 170 MB/s for the writing, when compared to the old USB 2.0 connection, it only gave a result of 30 MB/s for both reading and writing. As for the case of the Thunderbolt connection, it runs at around 250 MB/s, which is a bit faster that the USB 3.0 with a smaller gap.
If deciding to get a StoreJet 500, it all depends on your priorities, if you need a faster portable storage for your everyday work then this portable SSD will be a big benefit for you, as it is both compatible to both the PC and Mac depending on the drive format you will be using. However owning an external SSD can leave a dent to your budget, as prices for these drives are more expensive than the much common hard disk drives, so you are in need of a high capacity storage drive and is not concerned with having a fast reading and writing speed, you may opt for a cheaper portable drive.
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