Crucial X8 1TB Portable SSD $86.08 -- Up to 1050MB/s transfer speed, USB 3.2

These can be shucked to get the M.2 SSD inside:

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ Gets somewhat warm during moderate use.

Warmth is ok, as it looks like they applied thermal paste to transfer heat to the metal enclosure.

M key 2280 inside?

BB $77.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/cr ... lsrc=aw.ds

philinux wrote: ↑ BB $77.
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/cr ... lsrc=aw.ds

Sold and shipped by OneDealOutlet Canada - they charge $9.99 for shipping.

I was debating about buying Crucial MX500 1TB for $84 but this deal just seems too good... my wallet hates you op

QLC without DRAM if anyone is wondering.

Picked one up for xbox storage. Slow internet and sick of deleting games. I know I can't play direct off this but beats downloading it again.

Had this for 3 years to store my photo and music and video library on a 256GB iMac. Hasn't missed a beat.

Won't be the best drive if you're constantly transferring large files on and off (it slows down noticeably) but for external storage it is fantastic.

yermomsmom wrote: ↑ QLC without DRAM if anyone is wondering.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/16186/cr ... -onthego/6

This suggests it has 128GB SLC cache (different than DRAM) and performance is 150MB/s after that.

Man i bought this during boxing week for $108, didn't know SSD prices would drop like a rock.

chreds wrote: ↑ https://www.anandtech.com/show/16186/cr ... -onthego/6

This suggests it has 128GB SLC cache (different than DRAM) and performance is 150MB/s after that.

"SLC cache" is different alright, it's not real SLC and not real cache at all. Basically any drive that uses TLC or QLC will use some sort of SLC-mode caching strategy, even if it has DRAM. However a drive with no DRAM [real cache] and QLC is a double whammy of crap.

For just an external drive maybe not a big deal but still QLC is junkety junk, I would stay away anyhow.

jaybeeg wrote: ↑ It doesn't come with any backup software and the included cable is a bit short. Gets somewhat warm during moderate use.

you can get software on their website.
https://www.crucial.com/support/ssd/ssd ... art-2-copy

ES_Revenge wrote: ↑ "SLC cache" is different alright, it's not real SLC and not real cache at all. Basically any drive that uses TLC or QLC will use some sort of SLC-mode caching strategy, even if it has DRAM. However a drive with no DRAM [real cache] and QLC is a double whammy of crap.

Why do you think using QLC as SLC isn't real?

My dream is a controller mode of a plain xLC drive to turn it into an SLC drive. So, for example, an MX500 1TB would just hold 333GB (if it started out as TLC) or 250GB (if it started out as QLC). Should cost nothing to the vendors. If you are right, this would not work.

fruitpunch.ben wrote: ↑ Had this for 3 years to store my photo and music and video library on a 256GB iMac. Hasn't missed a beat.

Won't be the best drive if you're constantly transferring large files on and off (it slows down noticeably) but for external storage it is fantastic.

I bought a fast 256G drive like this a couple of years ago. I don't find much use for it. I have installed Fedora Linux on it and boot it for a few things. An installed Fedora is more useful than a live USB stick Fedora: packages and files persist across boots.

But your use is more compelling. If you bought a computer with a too-small and non-upgradable disk (all M1 and M2 Macs, I think) then this is a way to expand the disk capacity without slowing the machine down too much.

Interesting! Looks like I just missed it, Amazon saying OOS

Hugh wrote: ↑ Why do you think using QLC as SLC isn't real?

It's a real thing as in yes it's a mode, but the physical NAND is QLC. The amount of data made in "SLC mode", if it were actual SLC, would probably cost more than the whole drive.

Hugh wrote: ↑My dream is a controller mode of a plain xLC drive to turn it into an SLC drive. So, for example, an MX500 1TB would just hold 333GB (if it started out as TLC) or 250GB (if it started out as QLC). Should cost nothing to the vendors. If you are right, this would not work.

The controllers can do it since they operate some of the NAND in SLC mode. However this is not exposed to the user and the user has no control over it. So you can keep dreaming unless there are manufacturers that allow this or some third party firmware out there, or you can write your own.

In any event the NAND itself is still not real SLC no matter which way you slice it. There are of course pSLC drives out there, mostly used for enterprise, that operate as SLC drives using MLC or TLC flash but this is getting OT and is not related to what is being said about consumer-level drives with no DRAM cache and what SLC caching is/isn't... Also I don't think any of the pSLC drives out there uses garbagy QLC either.

IMO QLC has so many disadvantages that its one advantage (low cost) does not save it because the cost is still not low enough compared to 3D TLC, to warrant buying it. Others are free to buy this trash as they please though. I recommend against it not just because it's junk but also because buying it means manufacturers will keep pushing it, which really only nets them more profit and users crappier product and reliability.

Let's not soon forget when Crucial did this nonsense either:
https://www.tomshardware.com/features/c ... -downgrade

And that's all I'm gonna say on this topic.

For those who want something rated just slightly slower but with more data, the X6 2TB is also on sale for $137.77 currently, which is an insane deal IMO:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08FSN ... UTF8&psc=1

I bought it when it was last on sale in December for $164.99 which I thought was a great price then. I've been using it with my M1 Mac Mini as a permanent external drive which stores my Apple Photos library as well as other media. I use it to stream on Jellyfin as well and have had 0 issues, read and write speeds are also very impressive.

How would this be for use as a back up drive? I would still be using it once a month, but more for the purpose of a back up.

EDIT: Also looks like it is now OOS

ES_Revenge wrote: ↑ IMO QLC has so many disadvantages that its one advantage (low cost) does not save it because the cost is still not low enough compared to 3D TLC, to warrant buying it. Others are free to buy this trash as they please though. I recommend against it not just because it's junk but also because buying it means manufacturers will keep pushing it, which really only nets them more profit and users crappier product and reliability.

So the silicon power m2 3D TLC is a better choice with a usb enclosure?

https://www.amazon.ca/Silicon-Power-Gen ... 290&sr=8-3