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MiniStation SSD Velocity is a storage device from Buffalo (which we had already talked about here) that follows what has now become a current routine in the market, and that is to exploit the characteristics of speed, resistance and lightness of solid state memories to offer models more suitable for mobility than mechanical disks could offer.
In fact, what you immediately notice about the MiniStation SSD Velocity are precisely these three features: despite having dimensions similar to a 2.5 ”mechanical disc, it is thinner and much lighter: not to mention that there are no noise or vibration problems, for a unit that lends itself perfectly to use on the move.
Aesthetically it is a model whose look looks a lot to the business environment, in a gray (or black, depending on the type) suit that looks like an elegant designer garment, lightened by a red label which serves only to remember the but Buffalo original brand.
MiniStation SSD Velocity, cool in evening dress
Out of the box, somewhat anonymous, the disk offers the bare minimum: in addition to the memory unit there are USB 3.0 / USB-C and USB 3.0 / USB-A cables, which guarantee broad compatibility on all types of devices, from Macs to older PCs to the most current ones (including the new MacBook Pro).
During the test we did not have an Android terminal (like this one, for example) with USB-C but it is possible that the disk can be connected to a smartphone, and be seen as an external device.
The choice of the “native” USB 3.0 connector is probably due to cost reasons, but it certainly limits what are the possible performances obtainable with the internal Flash drive, even if slightly: these are obviously values relative to a few percentage points, but the choice of a USB-C connector (with a double cable) would have made something more, especially on newer computers. In particular, this writer appreciates the USB-C connector more than the apparently more fragile USB 3.0
Performance tested however, they are far superior to any mechanical USB 3.0 disk both as a simple external drive for passive storage, and when the disk is used as a source for complex projects (such as the storage of video assets in a montage with Premiere or FinalCut Pro X) or boot drive for a slightly older Mac.
To quote a few numbers, the disk offers values of 400 MB / sec for writing and 430 for reading (a mechanical disk , offers values of around 80MB / sec write and 100/120 write on USB 3.0) on a 2013 MacBook Pro 13.
Values that go up 15% in newer MacBook Pros , with the USB 3.0 / USB-C cable, perhaps a sign of a better controller on a more capable connector.
Basically this is an excellent unit for working with active files (in the sense of deposited documents that are often recalled by the App, such as when rendering 3D or a movie or perhaps processed RAW files), and obviously a bit of a waste for the simple archiving of documents or music: just for a test we have also installed a copy of OS X and booted an old 2011 iMac from the MiniStation SSD Velocity, and even if everything was throttled by the slow USB 2.0 connection, the power of the Flash drive showed a very high agility in the simpler, but common, operations of the Finder much more than the internal mechanical drive, even at 7200 rpm.
Speed test with a 2016 MacBook Pro 13 (with USB-C)
Considerations
After a few weeks of use MiniStation SSD Velocity proved to be an excellent product, whose power and versatility are offered in different situations, with the feeling that the disk performance limit is rarely put in trouble in everyday use.
Other advantages are the speed in browsing documents, snap in their opening, lightness of the disc when you keep it in your pocket, qualities that lend themselves well to the most demanding professional in terms of performance as well as to the businessman who needs a practical external unit. to carry around in the pocket, without sending the shirt out of shape or suffering from mechanical stress (SSD drives, having no moving parts, do not suffer from the classic breakage of magnetic platter disks, although obviously not indestructible).
The 240 GB size we tested, ideal for testing weight and speed, did not seem ideal for those who need a large archive where to put important documents, so we recommend more important cuts such as 480 GB or 960 GB.
MiniStation SSD Velocity is available at some specialized points of sale in the national territory, but it is also available at Amazon.it.
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Price : 139.90 Euro (240 GB), 229.90 Euro (480 GB) and 519.90 Euro (960 GB), both in silver che black
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