The rapid development of computer technology affects not only the basic components of systems. The possibilities are increasing, including various interfaces. As for the most common way of connecting peripheral devices - USB - here, in general, we can state a multiple increase in performance in recent years. Universal Serial Bus bandwidth increases and functionality expands. The connectors used to connect a variety of USB devices are also subject to changes. Today, many people hear about USB, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the solution - the topic of this article.
Modern computer connectors
Glancing around the chassis of just about any laptop, you will find a range of different ports located on the sides. Among them there is definitely USB, almost always HDMI and some others. Modern models are often equipped with the latest USB Type-C port. What this connector is, many do not know, but it would be worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the capabilities of the port. Presumably, the connector will replace many other solutions in the future and become a truly universal standard. This is facilitated by the technical characteristics of the new way of pairing the computer and peripherals. The USB Type-C port offers users faster data transfer speeds, improved functionality, and a new level of usability. In short, the future of the standard looks very promising.
Many applications of one cable
The creators of USB Type-C used a very simple idea in developing the standard. The user must have a single type of cable, and his computer equipment is equipped with one type of port. Anything can be connected by using a unified interface. For example, using a USB Type-C cable, you can connect essentially different devices, represented by hard drives, monitors, audio interfaces, smartphones, tablet PCs. Among other things, it becomes possible to use the connector in question even for charging a laptop.
USB-A
Today, almost all peripheral devices are connected to a PC via the familiar USB-A connector. This port has firmly entered the computer world, has a familiar rectangular shape, and its use has become almost the standard for interfacing with PCs and laptops flash drives, external keyboards, mice, hard drives, printers and many other devices. Such a monopoly is likely to be broken soon - the USB Type-C cable is already taking its rightful place among the solutions used to connect a variety of devices.
Change of concept
Various cables are used to connect devices to the long-established USB-A port. The main difference between them is the connector located on the opposite side of the cable that connects to the computer. This is almost always a different type of connector. For example, micro-USB is used for smartphones, mini-USB is often used for other gadgets. You need a USB-B cable to connect your printer, and a micro-USB-B cable to connect storage devices. This variety causes some inconvenience and complexity, because a user who owns several devices always needs to have a whole set of cables at hand. Designed to be the same for all devices, that is, the universal USB Type-C cable simplifies this situation many times over.
New format
With the development of the standard, it became possible to establish a single connector design for all devices, as well as the same connector at both ends of the cable. How to understand, picking up a USB Type-C cable, what exactly is it? The solution is a slim, oval-shaped connector that is significantly smaller than previous cable and connector formats of this type. In addition, USB 3 Type-C has gained an important characteristic represented by symmetry and reversibility. In general, it is very similar to Apple's Lightning solution - very convenient, because you do not need to spend time manipulating the cable to find the right way to connect.
Future
Probably, today it can be argued that after a certain time, the USB Type-C connector will turn into the only universal port for all peripheral devices. Thus, there will be a replacement for USB-A, B, micro-USB and mini, which complicate the life of ordinary users today. All cables should be the same and be usable for any device. Of course, quick unification will not happen, too many workable devices with connectors other than USB Type-C are used today and will be in operation for several more years.
It should not be forgotten, however, that the expansion of new solutions has already begun. For example, a USB Type-C flash drive is no longer a rarity on the shelves of computer stores. In addition, the fact that flagship devices are released from the most famous brands equipped with the port in question suggests that the described situation, i.e., the ousting of outdated connectors from the market, will sooner or later come. For compatibility with old solutions, for now, you will have to use a USB Type-C adapter.
Compatibility
After reading the above, you can think about what to do with already purchased devices equipped with connector types other than USB Type-C. I must say that this issue should not cause much concern. A wide variety of adapters have already been developed, produced and sold, allowing you to connect any device with a USB connector, regardless of its type. Adapters such as mini-USB - Type-C, micro-USB - Type-C and others are already widespread and perfectly perform their functions. The principle of support, which has been applied in computer technology for many years, is not going to be violated. If there is a USB Type-C port in a new laptop or computer, an adapter for other types of connector is a completely applicable and effective solution.
Learn more about the benefits of the connector
Of course, a simple design revision to which the connector and port have undergone will not be a weighty reason for encouraging the user to upgrade all the peripherals he has, but performance is far from the only advantage of the new solution. The new format supports the most modern USB 3.1 protocol, which provides an increase in the speed of data exchange and greater versatility in comparison with previous versions that are used on devices equipped with USB-A.
Speed
More than two decades have passed since the presentation of the first version of the connector. At the time, the maximum data transfer rate was 12 Mb / s. Today it can be argued, considering USBType-C, that it is the fastest interface for connecting peripheral devices from the existing solutions. The USB 3.1 standard is capable of providing a data transfer rate of 10 Gb / s.
Performance
The additional advantages of the standard under consideration, of course, should include the performance represented by the ability to provide power transmission up to 100 watts. This figure is enough to power almost any laptop, not to mention smartphones, tablets and other gadgets. In addition to energy, the new format supports the transmission of a huge amount of data per unit of time. For example, already today, a video signal in 4K resolution is successfully transmitted via USB Type-C.
Versatility
The versatile nature of the latest standard opens up a wide range of practical applications. Many useful functions can be provided with a single cable. For example, you can connect a USB-C equipped laptop to an externally powered monitor and charge the laptop's battery while watching video content. In the event that storage devices, such as an external drive, are connected to the display, you can access the information stored on the media from the laptop.
Disadvantages of USB Type-C
This connector is a brilliant new format, no doubt claiming to be a ubiquitous solution in the very near future. At the same time, the initial stages of distribution and development, at which the standard is still at the moment, do not provide a complete absence of dangers, as well as some confusion when using the connector.
Cheap accessories
The main problem that a user who decides to join modern trends may face is cheap, low-quality accessories and cables. Due to the large amount of power transmitted through the USB Type-C connectors, using inadequate cables can damage the device to be paired. This factor must be taken into account by users without fail. When buying cables and adapters, you should choose products from reliable trusted brands.
Confusion in standards
Another unpleasant moment that users of USB Type-C may face today is caused by the fact that the standard in question relates more to the type of connector used than to the specifications of the interface itself. Therefore, it is quite possible that a device connected to a new connector will not work as fast as the owner of the device expected. The first generation uses USB 3.0 technology, providing a maximum speed of 5 Gb / s. The second generation USB-C supports the 3.1 standard, through which the data transfer speed reaches 10 Gb / s. Problems with each of the ports arise due to the fact that they look the same, but in the production of ready-made solutions, brands use different components even in the lines of similar models. In other words, before buying a device with a USB Type-C connector, you must check that the actual specifications of the port correspond to the required parameters.
Posted on February 18 2015
MSI introduces the world's first USB 3.1 motherboard. What's really new in USB 3.1? As a rule, new technology always brings some kind of improvement. How about the new interface's data transfer rate is faster than the SATA III SSD? USB 3.1 demolishes stunning data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb / s, which is 2 times faster than USB 3.0. What's more, like previous generations of USB, USB 3.1 is fully compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 devices. MSI's new USB 3.1 motherboards feature the ASMedia ASM1352R USB 3.1 controller, which connects to the Z97 / X99 PCH via PCI-Express 2.0 x2 and provides two USB 3.1 ports. Copy data from an external hard drive or USB stick faster than ever.Really fast? The test results are amazing.
Several publications worldwide are already testing USB 3.1 on MSI X99A GAMING 9 ACK. And here are some interesting results they got. Let's talk about speed first. Real test results showed a value of 733.5 MB / s. Another publication, PC Perspective, provided the following performance report on the new USB 3.1 interface: " If we take the USB 3.0 interface as an example, which theoretically should demonstrate a speed of about 5Gb / s and subtract the overheads for packet formation, flow control, etc., then we get a real speed of about ~ 450MB / s. USB 3.0 + changing the encoding scheme from 8/10 bits (80% efficiency) to 128/132 bits (97% efficiency) doubles the data transfer rate. This means that after taking into account the overheads, the final speed should be ~ 1.1GB / s. And that's not even double the speed. In fact, the new speed is 2.44x the speed of USB 3.0."USB 3.1 is not only twice as fast, it also uses less CPU power.
Now you know everything there is to know about the new USB 3.1 interface. Can you imagine copying data at speeds up to 20 times faster than USB 2.0? We can! Want to know even more about USB 3.1? You can view the MSI USB 3.1 benchmark results in several independent publications at the following links:  |
“It will be interesting to know which devices will be equipped with USB 3.1. First of all, it should be desktop PCs .. " |
"The doubling of the data transfer rate and the change in the type of USB 3.1 connector have given new energy to a standard that is already 19 years old." |
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“The new USB standard looks promising ...” “... it’s just a matter of time before the performance is better than USB 3.0” |
Earlier, when the tick-tock strategy adopted by Intel did not fail, and AMD tried not to give up its positions in the desktop processor market, spring traditionally turned out to be a period of renewal not only for all wildlife, but also for desktop platforms. It is not surprising that under these conditions, demonstration of new products at the spring trade shows has become a habit among motherboard manufacturers. But this year the old tradition threatened to break down: no new sets of system logic are expected in the near future, and it would seem that motherboard manufacturers should have nothing to please their fans this spring. However, last week's CeBIT exhibition showed that the developers still found a way out, and this way out was the new USB 3.1 interface.
Although no new processor sockets or chipsets are expected in the near term, many motherboard manufacturers have decided to expand their product line with new models that support USB 3.1 ports. The implementation of such ports does not require serious engineering costs, but it makes it possible to increase the attractiveness of motherboards by expanding functionality and adding compatibility with new generation external devices. By now, motherboards with new ports have already appeared in the assortment of ASUS, ASRock and MSI, and, obviously, other motherboard manufacturers will join the USB 3.1 club in the very near future.
And if so, then it's time to see what the new interface can give from a practical point of view. So far, there are no USB 3.1 devices on sale, but ASUS has provided us with a set of equipment that includes not only a pair of motherboards with USB 3.1 support, but also an external USB 3.1 drive. Using this entire set of devices, we were able to conduct detailed testing of the new interface.
⇡ USB 3.1 standard: what's new
Introduced back in 2009, the USB 3.0 standard (also known as SuperSpeed USB) increased the data transfer speed tenfold compared to USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed USB) and received a theoretical bandwidth of 5 Gbps. Then it seemed that such an impressive increase in speed should be enough for a very long time. But the increase in the volume of transmitted data did not even think to slow down, so the further development of the interface did not stop there, and now it is being replaced by a new version - USB 3.1 (which received the marketing name SuperSpeed + USB). It is capable of providing another, now two-fold, increase in bandwidth - up to 10 Gbps. From a practical point of view, this means that instead of modern USB 3.0 devices, the real data transfer rate from which is at best 400-450 MB / s, their successors with the USB 3.1 interface, which will be able to send and receive data, will now be able to spread. at least twice as fast.
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Theoretical bandwidth |
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Coding |
8/10-bit |
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Theoretical baud rate |
1.2 MB / s |
48 MB / s |
625 MB / s |
1250 MB / s |
The 2x bandwidth expansion isn't the only benefit of the new USB 3.1 standard. In addition to this, USB 3.1 also uses more efficient data encryption, borrowed from the PCI Express 3.0 protocol. Whereas USB 3.0 was supposed to be 8/10-bit encoding (two checksum bits are added to every eight bits of payload), USB 3.1 switches to a more advanced 128/132 bit encoding scheme with error correction. In other words, while the previous version of the protocol wasted 20% of its bandwidth on overhead, now the overhead is reduced to less than 4%. Moreover, the new algorithm for calculating checksums allows you to correct one-bit distortions in a 128-bit packet without the need to retransmit it. As a result, USB 3.1 is capable of delivering usable bandwidth in practice, even more than double the speed of USB 3.0. By simple arithmetic calculation, it is easy to get that the transfer rate of useful data via USB 3.1 can reach values of more than 1.2 GB / s. However, this is just a theory, and from this you need to subtract driver overhead, add-ons in packaging, firmware inefficiencies, and so on. So, in the end, we can well expect a practical maximum speed somewhere in the region of 1 GB / s, which will translate into a decrease in the transfer time of large amounts of data compared to USB 3.0 by about 2.4-2.5 times.
The new standard also includes other improvements beyond speed. For example, the electrical implementation of ports using special connectors and a special connection scheme assumes their ability to deliver up to 100 watts of power. This means that in some cases USB 3.1 ports will be acceptable to use not only for powering portable storage devices and for charging smartphones and tablets, but even for recharging energy, for example, full-fledged laptops. In addition, the USB cables, made in accordance with the new standard, received support for a special "alternate mode" that allows you to transfer audio and video using the DisplayPort protocol.
A significant advantage of the USB 3.1 standard is its backward compatibility. This means that USB 3.1 ports are capable of operating in USB 1.x, 2.0, and 3.0 modes. That is, both old devices can be connected to new ports, and new devices can work in old systems without any restrictions.
However, there is still one caveat that may somewhat limit the compatibility of devices and USB 3.1 ports. The fact is that the new version of the standard introduces another type of connector - the so-called USB type C. This means that an additional, independent version of the ports appears, which has no mechanical compatibility with any other connectors.
Even so, USB Type C connectors have several advantages over other implementations. The most important thing is that they can be freely flipped 180 degrees: they have no top and bottom and their sides are equal. Thus, the likelihood of plugging the plug into the port correctly is doubled - it can always be done the first time. In addition, the new connector has a relatively modest size - it is slightly similar in size to the micro-USB type B, usually used in smartphones, which means that the introduction of USB type C ports may become a widespread trend and over time they will become the unspoken standard for USB ports. with which any device will be equipped.
⇡ USB 3.1 by ASUS
ASUS was one of the first to introduce USB 3.1 on its motherboards. This is not surprising, since the greatest success in developing the necessary controllers was achieved by ASMedia, which has a close partnership with ASUS. As a result, today ASUS can offer two different options for implementing USB 3.1 ports - directly on the board or via a PCIe daughter card. The complete list of motherboard models in which support for new ports has appeared is as follows:
- Rampage V Extreme / U3.1;
- X99-Deluxe / U3.1;
- X99-Pro / USB3.1;
- X99-A / USB3.1;
- X99-E WS / USB3.1;
- Z97-Deluxe / USB3.1;
- Z97-Pro (Wi-Fi ac) /USB3.1;
- Z97-A / USB3.1;
- Z97-E / USB3.1;
- Z97-K / USB3.1;
- Sabertooth Z97 Mark 1 / USB3.1;
- B85M-G Plus / USB3.1;
- B85-Plus / USB3.1.
Those boards, which are labeled USB3.1 in their name, are equipped with two USB 3.1 ports routed to the rear panel. Models with the U3.1 suffix are equipped with an additional PCIe x2 card with two such ports.
Please note that the above list only includes boards for Intel processors, and there are almost no ROG boards in it. However, this does not mean that adherents of such solutions have no chance of getting newfangled USB ports into their system. Along the way, ASUS is ready to offer a separate PCIe x2 expansion card with two USB 3.1 ports, which can be purchased independently of the motherboard.
We got two motherboards for testing: ASUS X99-A / USB3.1 and ASUS Z97-A / USB3.1.
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Although they have fundamental differences among themselves, since they support processors of different classes (LGA2011-3 and LGA1150), the principles of USB 3.1 implementation on these boards turned out to be exactly the same. The updated versions of motherboards almost completely repeat the design of their predecessors - ASUS X99-A and ASUS Z97-A, and the changes lie only in the appearance of an additional ASMedia ASM1142 chip on them, which is a two-port USB 3.1 controller connected either to one PCIe 3.0 line, or to two PCIe 2.0 lanes. The second option is implemented on both boards, that is, the USB 3.1 controller in the ASUS implementation uses PCI Express chipset lines, shared with one of the PCI Express 2.0 slots on the board through a multiplexer. And this means that the chosen option is far from the fastest: a bus with a real bandwidth of less than 1 GB / s comes to a controller that implements two USB 3.1 ports with a maximum bandwidth of 1.25 GB / s, and not directly, but through intermediate nodes. However, at the moment this should be enough: the high-speed capabilities of USB 3.1 are clearly redundant by modern standards.
The USB 3.1 ports themselves are routed to the rear panel on ASUS motherboards in the form of traditional type A connectors. A modified color scheme is used to visually highlight them: while USB 3.0 ports have a blue core, USB 3.1 has turquoise.
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Thus, it is easy to see that on ASUS X99-A / USB3.1 USB 3.1 ports have taken the place of a pair of USB 3.0 ports, which on the previous version of this board were implemented by an additional ASMedia controller, and on Z97-A / USB3.1 USB 3.1 connectors replaced a couple of USB 2.0 chipset ports. In terms of other characteristics, there are no differences between X99-A and Z97-A and their successors X99-A / USB3.1 and Z97-A / USB3.1.
As you can see, ASUS has so far refrained from adding a new USB type C connector to its motherboards. And this applies not only to the pair of motherboards under consideration, but also to the entire line of USB 3.1 products. The engineers decided that compatibility is more important for users at this stage. Devices using the USB 3.1 interface are just starting their life, and the USB 3.1 type A ports that are installed on boards work without any restrictions with all old USB 1.x / 2.0 / 3.0 equipment via standard cables.
Considering the lack of external devices with a new interface on the market, ASUS provided us not only motherboards, but also an engineering sample of its own external USB 3.1 container. However, this is not an example of a promising product, but only an experimental sample that will never be mass-produced.
The device is assembled in an external case for 2.5-inch Lian Li EX-M2 drives. At the same time, inside the container is not an ordinary SSD, but a board that combines two mSATA drives into a RAID array. It is based on the ASMedia ASM1352R controller, just designed to connect one or more SATA drives to the USB 3.1 interface. Since this chip is a completely standard and generally available solution, we can expect that units like our experimental ASUS test device will be able to offer other manufacturers traditionally dealing with computer peripherals after a while.
In the variant provided by ASUS, two mSATA-drives Samsung SSD 840 EVO with a capacity of 250 GB each were combined into a RAID-array of level 0. Thanks to this, the resulting 500 GB array has the ability to deliver in sequential operations speeds that significantly exceed the bandwidth of the SATA 6 Gb / s interface. In particular, according to ASUS engineers, the maximum peak results of the device when connected via the USB 3.1 interface can reach 860 MB / s.
ASUS external storage requires two USB cables to be connected at once. The old-fashioned micro-B USB connector powers it, while the modern Type-C connector serves for data transfer. In addition, a technological jumper and three diagnostic LEDs are located next to the connectors. Note that the simultaneous use of two USB connectors to connect the container to a PC is redundant in this case, and serial products will probably be able to get by with one connector, for example, type C, on which it is allowed to hang an electrical load with a power of up to 15 W.
⇡ ASUS USB 3.1 Boost Technology
Speaking about the USB 3.1 standard and the increase in the speed of this interface, we must also mention that ASUS engineers did additional work and activated some of the default optimizations disabled in the standard data transfer protocol - Turbo and UASP modes. They were available on ASUS motherboards and for USB 3.0, but now they have been adapted to the new standard, which should allow for higher data transfer speeds over the USB interface. Of course, the maximum theoretical bandwidth is not exceeded in this case, however, enabling USB 3.1 Boost technology uses the interface's capabilities more efficiently and additionally brings real speeds closer to the theoretical maximum.
In the standard data transfer mode BOT (Bulk-only transport), which has remained unchanged since the first versions of USB and is used by default, information and commands are transmitted through the interface sequentially, and no parallel processing is supported, all commands are processed one at a time ... Obviously, with this scheme, the performance of the interface is directly related to the size of transactions. In particular, the transition to larger packets reduces the traffic accounted for by commands and service information, and increases the speed during sequential data transmission, that is, when exchanging large files. However, there is a downside to increasing the size of transactions: the performance when transferring small chunks of information, the size of which is less than the size of the transaction, slows down. Therefore, ASUS engineers in their Turbo mode, the essence of which is to optimize the transaction sizes of the BOT protocol, applied a combined approach. The new version of this mode, which was introduced specifically for USB 3.1, does not just increase the size of transactions. In order to eliminate possible performance drops, caching has now been added, which should minimize the cases of transferring small portions of data.
Moreover, in addition to the updated Turbo mode, ASUS engineers have added the inclusion of a new UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) protocol, which appeared in the USB 3.0 standard. It assumes the use of SCSI command sets over USB transport. The fundamental difference between UASP lies in its multithreading and the ability to process several commands at the same time, which reduces latency and raises the transfer speed by increasing the payload of the interface. UASP provides for the allocation of four independent channels that separate the exchange of data, commands and status along different pipelines. In fact, UASP adds multitasking and the ability to swap commands in a queue (analogous to NCQ) for USB, however, this protocol requires special support from both the host and the client. Unfortunately, not all USB 3.0 devices and controllers supported UASP, however, with the introduction of the USB 3.1 standard, the situation is likely to change for the better, and all users, without exception, will be able to feel the effectiveness of this parallel protocol.
On ASUS motherboards, the UASP and Turbo modes are activated via the specialized ASUS USB 3.1 Boost utility included in AI Suite III.
This utility checks the compatibility of ports and connected devices and makes the necessary adjustments to the USB driver settings.
USB 3.1 Testing | Getting to know the characteristics
Every year we travel to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. And every year we see a ton of new technologies, architectures, experimental designs that are unlikely to reach stores, as well as products that will start selling in six months.
Our presence at the exhibition lasts all week. Upon completion, a bunch of new specifications and announcements are poured on you. However, only special foods are really remembered. Great interest in USB 3.1, about which quite a lot has been written on various thematic resources, suggests that sooner or later this standard will enter the market.
ASMedia ASM1352R Development Board (USB 3.1 to SATA Bridge)
Perhaps you didn't expect him to appear so soon. At the show standard USB 3.1 Demonstrated using an ASM1142 PCIe controller with two ports USB 3.1, connected to two PCIe 2.0 bus lines, and a separate Asmedia ASM1352R board for developers, which is a bridge with USB 3.1 to SATA 6 Gb / s. We managed to get our hands on this kit, which is intended only for preliminary performance testing of the new standard.
USB 3.1 Testing: Hardware
ASM1142 controller is integrated into MSI X99A Gaming 9 ACK motherboard. As far as we know, this will be the first platform with the most recent ASMedia controller and two Type A ports on the rear I / O panel.
MSI X99A Gaming 9 ACK Coming to Market in Q1 2015
According to MSI, the controller is connected to the PCH using two PCI Express Gen 2 lanes, providing a peak bandwidth of up to 1 Gbps. Of course, there are other devices and controllers on the board that can compete for the available PCH resources. The X99 natively provides 10 SATA 6Gb / s ports, six USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet ports. They are connected to the central processor via four DMI 2.0 lines. If you try, it's not so hard to overload them with data. However, the first version USB 3.1 is focused on storage systems, and when you are flipping a lot of information from or to an external drive, it is unlikely that other subsystems will be affected.
The development board has a Micro-B connector. Note the lack of reversible Type-C ports in this configuration. Although Type-C is commonly associated with USB 3.1, it is not necessary to realize the speed advantages of this standard, just as the presence of Type-C does not mean the data transfer rate of the level USB 3.1.
The development board is very simple, it consists of an ASM1352R controller from ASMedia, two SATA connectors, an input power connector and a few jumpers. We plugged in a pair of 480GB Intel SSD 730 drives that had been pre-formatted and combined into a RAID 0 array.
Experiment
Today we will analyze performance from several aspects. First, we will test an ASMedia board with two Intel SSD 730 drives in a RAID 0. Second, we will compare the data transfer rates of the ASMedia controller and Intel's own USB 3.0 interface, as well as the VIA Labs controller, also installed on the X99A Gaming 9 motherboard. ACK.
Patriot Supersonic Magnum rated at 260 MB / s read and 160 MB / s write
Third, we will test the speed of the fastest USB 3.0-based flash drive available on the market to see how the new standard benefits from the current generation. The final test will compare the percentage of CPU usage during file transfers to see how high bandwidth affects USB 3.1 on the computation intensity compared to USB 3.0.
| Test bench configuration | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-5930K (Haswell-E) Six Cores, 3.5 GHz (35 * 100 MHz), LGA 2011-v3, 15 MB Shared L3 Cache, Hyper-Threading On, Turbo Boost On, Power Saving Off |
| Motherboard | MSI X99A Gaming 9 ACK (LGA 2011-v3) Intel X99 Express, BIOS 2.2 |
| RAM | Crucial 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2400, BLS4K4G4D240FSA @ DDR3-1866 @ 1.2V Corsair 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR3-2133 Engineering Sample @ DDR3-1866 @ 1.2V |
| Storage device | Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SATA 6Gb / s |
| Video card | Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 3GB |
| Power Supply | Corsair AX860i 80 PLUS Platinum 860W |
| Cooler CPU | Noctua NH-D15 |
| USB 3.1 platform | ASMedia Development Board, ASM1352R bridge from USB 3.1 to SATA 6 Gb / s, 2 x 480 GB Intel SSD 730 |
| USB 3.0 Flash Drive | Patriot Supersonic Magnum 256GB (USB 3.0) |
| System software and drivers | |
| Operating system | Windows 8.1 Professional x64 |
| DirectX | DirectX 11 |
| Video driver | Nvidia GeForce version 340.52 |
| Test utilities settings | |
| CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3b | Sequential Read / Write, Random Read / Write 4KB blocks (QD = 1) |
| copy to Windows | copying 36.7GB in 91 files and 27 folders |
USB 3.1 Testing | Test results
USB 3.1 vs USB 3.0
CrystalDiskMark
We start testing with a synthetic benchmark, the results of which were shown to everyone at CES.
Sequential read speed USB 3.1 exceeds 700 MB / s, while the pair of Samsung 840 Pro drives connected to the experimental board and which we mentioned earlier reached the 800 MB / s mark. On the Intel X99 chipset, disks reach 423 MB / s, and being connected via a VIA USB controller to PCI Express, SSDs could not jump the 300 MB / s bar.
The write speed is not much slower (although we will see the sequential write speed drop much more by simply copying files). ASMedia controller USB 3.1 once again exceeds the 700 MB / s mark. Intel PCH logic sped up and reached 426 MB / s. The maximum write speed through the VIA VL805 is 257 MB / s.
The random I / O performance is much less impressive. But that's to be expected from USB (or any other interface for that matter). On the USB 3.1 read speed is approaching 7400 IOPS in 4 KB blocks at a one instruction queue depth, while the speed through the Intel controller exceeds 5400 operations per second. This is the only discipline in which the VIA VL805 outperforms Intel PCH with almost 6800 IOPS.
Copying real files
Synthetic benchmarks demonstrate well certain aspects of performance and excellent peak speeds using a controlled data flow. But they rarely match up with actual results. This is why we are running a simple file copy test that includes 91 files in 27 folders with a total capacity of 36.7 GB. Obviously, these operations are sequential in nature.
Reading data from a USB connected RAID array and writing to a 40 GB RAM disk on our PC is much faster than writing back to an external array. ASMedia controller USB 3.1 completed reading work in 60 seconds. Integrated Intel USB 3.0 logic completed execution in 100 seconds. The VIA VL805 controller (one PCIe lane for four USB 3.0 ports) turned out to be much slower, its result was 145 seconds.
Moving data back onto the two SSDs took longer. Across USB 3.1 on two PCIe lanes, the task takes 76 seconds to complete. The Intel USB 3.0 controller did it in 113 seconds, while the VIA did it in 173 seconds.
Sometimes enthusiasts are "led" by even a relatively small difference in speed, but when it comes to more than two-fold superiority compared to another third-party controller, there is simply nothing to hang on to.
USB 3.1 Testing | Fastest USB 3.0 Flash Drive & CPU Usage
At least for the time being compatible with USB 3.1 client devices do not exist. Without them, it will be difficult to market the new standard. That's why we took the Patriot 256GB Supersonic Magnum USB 3.0 Fast Flash Drive and plugged it into three different controllers.
The same 36.7GB of large media files were loaded onto the Supersonic Magnum and then burned to a 40GB RAM disk. When connected to an ASMedia controller USB 3.1 the operation was completed in 148 seconds. The Intel PCH USB 3.0 controller was slightly slower at 150 seconds. VIA VL805 completed file transfer after 158 seconds.
In this case, the difference in speed is only formal. However, it's nice to see that a third-party controller transferring data over PCI Express was able to outperform Intel's integrated USB 3.0 controller. Let it only be for a couple of seconds.
The 8-channel Patriot Supersonic Magnum flash drive is rated for 260MB / s read and 160MB / s write. Slightly faster ASMedia controller speed USB 3.1 demonstrates a slight advantage in the previous chart.
CPU utilization
So, we've found that even the fastest USB 3.0 flash drives don't get much benefit from the controller. USB 3.1... What other aspects of performance are covered by the new standard? Coming back to the engineering sample, the ASMedia board (which requires compatible USB 3.1 client devices), we want to see how much load the increased bandwidth gives to the processor.
Interestingly, the Intel USB 3.0 controller writes data to the RAID 0 array at about 220 MB / s, fully utilizing one logical core of our Core i7-5930K, or 11% of the total processor load. Meanwhile, the ASM1142 operates at ~ 500 MB / s and utilizes only a fraction of the performance of a single logical core, resulting in a total processor load of only 5%.
Thus, even if there is no device currently on the market that supports USB 3.1 There is another reason for their appearance and widespread distribution. In the end, the only thing better than a fast interface is even higher speed and efficiency.
USB 3.1 Testing | Perspectives
Today ASMedia is the only company with a finished product USB 3.1... Of course, other manufacturers will follow. However, Intel is not going to integrate the new technology into its chipsets anytime soon. The new standard does not figure in either Broadwell or the subsequent Skylake architecture. Integration USB 3.1 only expected at Cannonlake. However, the mass diffusion of technology has to start somewhere, and, most likely, computer enthusiasts will do it in 2015.
Obviously, the process will be slow. According to our sources, ASMedia will have competitors in terms of controllers only in the second quarter of 2015. Popular brands, including flash drives, are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of the same year. During this time, motherboard manufacturers should push the development of the ecosystem. Is it worth it to immediately rush to the new standard?
It all depends on the reason for buying a new platform, and on the period for which you purchase it. Haswell-E is a relatively young architecture, and if you are looking for a replacement for the old Nehalem or Sandy Bridge-E platform then it would be wise to lay the foundation for support USB 3.1... On the other hand, you have nothing to lose if you decide to wait. The cost of X99A Gaming 9 ACK, like X99S Gaming 9 ACK, will clearly exceed $ 400, but soon there will be a lot of more affordable solutions based on X99 and Z97 chipsets. Their entry into the market will bring closer the appearance of compatible USB 3.1 devices.
To unleash productivity to its fullest USB 3.1, only a couple of SSDs in a RAID 0 array are required. Even so, the transfer rate is close to that of the first generation Thunderbolt. USB 3.1 paired with a Type-C connector opens the door to even more impressive possibilities. However, today we can only dream of flash drives that outperform SATA 6Gb / s SSDs.
Anyone interested in how a modern USB 3.1 controller with a USB type-C connector works - please go to the bridegroom. High speeds and tons of graphs await you. We sent the product for review right after the review of USB type-C cables, now there is something to test through.
Unpacking and examining
The package took 22 days (May holidays). It was packed in a yellow paper bag. The inside of the cardboard box is slightly creased. The box contains the expansion card itself, a couple of screws, a driver on a disk and a brochure.
The device is based on the Asmedia ASM1142 chip. This chip is often used in motherboards and other devices. It implements two USB 3.1 ports. The USB Type-C port is separately serviced by the ASM1542 switch, which is needed for specific functionality, such as determining the type of device on the other end of the wire.
Installation
The device is installed in a PCI-e x4 slot. In my case, on the "PCI Express x16 2.0" motherboard, the port actually has only x4 PCI-e lanes, so it was this port that was used for tests. The controller does not work if it is not powered through the SATA connector.
After turning on the computer, a USB Controller appears among the devices, which requires drivers. Installation from disk was successful and devices and appear in the system. The operating system reports that the device is running at PCI-e x2 speed. The specification for the ASM1142 controller says that it can work in PCI-e x2 (2.0) mode or PCI-e x1 (3.0) mode, which is identical in terms of the resulting bandwidth. Before testing, I would like to remind you of the speed characteristics of various interfaces.
- USB 2.0 - 0.48 Gbit \ s
- USB 3.0 - 5 Gbit \ s
- USB 3.1 (gen1) - 5 Gbit \ s
- USB 3.1 (gen2) - 10 Gbit \ s
- PCI-e x4 (2.0) - 16 Gbit \ s
- PCI-e x2 (2.0) - 8 Gbit \ s
Tests
It took me a long time to prepare for testing. Conducted tests, tried to get a stable result. As a result, the test bench was formed as follows:- SSD Intel S3500 240GB (2 pieces)
- SSD Kingston SNV425-S2 128GB
- USB 3.0 pocket Zalman ZM-VE400
- USB 3.1 pocket Agestar 31UB2A12 (2 pieces)
- USB type-C> micro USB 3.0 cable
- USB type-C> micro USB 2.0 cable
- USB type-A> micro USB 3.0 cable (supplied by Zalman)
- AS SSD benchmark v1.9
- computer MSI B75-G43 \ Core i5 3330 (3.0Ghz) \ 16GB \ Windows 7 x64
- Intel B75 chipset USB 3.0 eXtensible host controller (8086 \ 1E31)
- QICENT PU31-1P1C-BK USB 3.1 controller
Test 1
- comparison of USB 3.1 and USB type-CThe speed of operation via USB type-A and USB type-C of the controller under study was checked. The table shows the AS SSD application data taken when two different SSDs were connected to the pocket. From the main results, only the sequential read and write values (as the most different) were taken. And the rest of the values (ISO, Program, Game) were taken from the additional AS SSD test suite. The drives were connected via the Zalman ZM-VE400 pocket.
As a result, it can be seen that even an old Kingston SSD using a pocket, whose controller is limited to a read speed of 250 MB / s, shows a small, but an increase in speed. The tests were carried out several times, the results floated, but the difference of 5-10 MB / s remained.
Test 2
- comparison of Intel USB hub and QICENT USB hubThis time, we tested the operating speed of two different SSDs through a Qicent controller and an integrated controller from Intel. Various cables were used, even with USB 2.0. The drives were connected via the Zalman ZM-VE400 pocket.
Tests have shown that the expansion board from Qicent is faster than the integrated controller from Intel even in USB 3.0 mode. But in USB 2.0 mode, the situation changes.
Test 3
- Zalman Pocket NutritionI tried to get information on how much one device receives from different ports and through different cables. The test has some error, since I took the voltage values not with a calibrated tester, but from the display of the USB pocket (during idle time). On the other hand, it is a good way to evaluate the voltage received by one device in different situations.
Test 4
- maximum data transfer rate.You can increase the transfer speed by using a pocket with a USB 3.1 controller. To do this, I had to purchase two Agestar pockets (31UB2A12 Black). I installed two Intel S3500 240GB SSDs in them. Now the difference between USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 controllers should be much more visible.
But I went even further. I tried to test the bandwidth of the controller by running two tests at the same time. In each AS SSD window, I selected one of the SSDs and pressed the button at the same time. In the table I compare the difference in speed of one Intel SSD from the SATA 3.0 interface, from the Intel USB hub and from the Qicent USB hub. The designation "2xAGE 3.1 - 3.0 Intel" hides the summation of the results of two programs (reading, writing, etc.). 
I don't know what the reason is, but two copies of the program could not always pass all tests until I disabled the "caching" item in the settings of both SSDs. So in the test "2xAGE 3.1 - 3.1 Qicent" it is because of the disabling of caching that a significant drop in performance can be seen. But otherwise I wouldn't have gotten any numbers at all. As a result, the total read speed of 660 MB / s looks good.
conclusions
The device is working. The device outperforms its counterpart in almost all tests. The USB type-C port has proven to be reliable and efficient. Cables are easy to plug in and pull out, and the speed is even faster than the neighboring USB type-A 3.1. If you need two USB type-A sockets - the manufacturer has a controllerdignity
- the speed of the USB 3.1 controller is slightly higher, even if you have USB 3.0 devices
- the speed of work through the USB type-C connector is slightly higher, even if you do not have a C-to-C cable
- the supply voltage through the USB type-C connector is slightly higher than the others. (within one test)
- it was not possible to get to the maximum bandwidth of the controller due to problems with the program and the lack of ultra-fast SSDs. But the total speed of 661 MB / s when reading and 545 MB / s when writing is quite impressive.
limitations
- did not find the driver on the product page of the official Qicent website
For a snack.
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