SDHC Transfer Speeds

[Forrest Burger]

I own a 60D and currently use a simple usb card reader to transfer my files onto a media drive and log and transfer into FCP.

I'm considering either purchasing a new MacBook Pro or iMac i7 with SD card slot. Anyone know if there's an increase in transfer speed through the SD slot as opposed to usb?

Thanks,

Forrest

[Joel Peregrine]

Hi Forrest,

Originally Posted by Forrest Burger

I'm considering either purchasing a new MacBook Pro or iMac i7 with SD card slot. Anyone know if there's an increase in transfer speed through the SD slot as opposed to usb?

Not as far as I can tell with my testing. There are differences in the transfer rate of external usb readers and the built in reader but nothing that would make you choose one over the other from a performance standpoint. The limitation for transferring speed from an SDHC card isn't in the interface (usb, firewire etc.) its in the media. The tests I ran (below) get a little jumbled in the post. Interestingly though the Class 10 write speeds are much faster while their read speeds are the same or worse.

Class 6 Built-in reader
Ext. Xfer Size Extended Read Extended Write

2 MBytes 5.021 MB/Sec 3.399 MB/Sec
3 MBytes 14.091 MB/Sec 3.266 MB/Sec
4 MBytes 13.916 MB/Sec 4.486 MB/Sec
5 MBytes 9.197 MB/Sec 5.425 MB/Sec
6 MBytes 13.032 MB/Sec 5.756 MB/Sec
7 MBytes 10.684 MB/Sec 6.100 MB/Sec
8 MBytes 14.140 MB/Sec 6.308 MB/Sec
9 MBytes 11.588 MB/Sec 6.538 MB/Sec
10 MBytes 14.574 MB/Sec 6.702 MB/Sec

Class 6 All In One usb
Ext. Xfer Size Extended Read Extended Write

2 MBytes 12.538 MB/Sec 3.190 MB/Sec
3 MBytes 14.359 MB/Sec 3.057 MB/Sec
4 MBytes 14.270 MB/Sec 4.153 MB/Sec
5 MBytes 9.248 MB/Sec 4.922 MB/Sec
6 MBytes 13.254 MB/Sec 5.138 MB/Sec
7 MBytes 10.739 MB/Sec 4.866 MB/Sec
8 MBytes 14.238 MB/Sec 5.619 MB/Sec
9 MBytes 11.693 MB/Sec 5.784 MB/Sec
10 MBytes 14.751 MB/Sec 5.911 MB/Sec

Class 10 Built in reader
Ext. Xfer Size Extended Read Extended Write

2 MBytes 11.084 MB/Sec 12.155 MB/Sec
3 MBytes 16.555 MB/Sec 8.338 MB/Sec
4 MBytes 16.863 MB/Sec 10.752 MB/Sec
5 MBytes 9.019 MB/Sec 12.504 MB/Sec
6 MBytes 10.933 MB/Sec 12.627 MB/Sec
7 MBytes 12.950 MB/Sec 12.756 MB/Sec
8 MBytes 15.198 MB/Sec 12.711 MB/Sec
9 MBytes 11.383 MB/Sec 12.694 MB/Sec
10 MBytes 13.124 MB/Sec 12.914 MB/Sec

Class 10 All In One usb
2 MBytes 12.423 MB/Sec 7.994 MB/Sec
3 MBytes 16.792 MB/Sec 6.399 MB/Sec
4 MBytes 16.816 MB/Sec 7.180 MB/Sec
5 MBytes 8.932 MB/Sec 8.070 MB/Sec
6 MBytes 10.873 MB/Sec 8.110 MB/Sec
7 MBytes 12.950 MB/Sec 8.153 MB/Sec
8 MBytes 15.053 MB/Sec 8.516 MB/Sec
9 MBytes 11.361 MB/Sec 7.245 MB/Sec
10 MBytes 13.004 MB/Sec 8.285 MB/Sec

[Forrest Burger]

Thanks very much for the info Joel. It's much appreciated.

Forrest