Transcend recently introduced the ESD310C, a portable SSD in a thumb drive form-factor, targeting the 10 Gbps-class PSSD market. It offers read speeds of up to 1050 MBps and write speeds of up to 950 MBps, utilizing USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology. The ESD310C stands out by featuring both Type-A and Type-C interfaces, making it compatible with a wide range of devices.
It comes in four capacities: 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB.
Compared to Kingston’s DataTraveler Max, which initially released a Type-C version and later introduced a Type-A variant, the ESD310C distinguishes itself by adopting a traditional thumb drive design and focusing on affordability to appeal to a broader consumer base. The review examines the 1 TB version of the ESD310C, evaluating its performance and value proposition compared to other players in the segment.
Specifications
| Model | Transcend ESD310C 1TB |
| Downstream Port | Native Flash |
| Upstream Port | USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A (Male) + Type-C |
| Bridge Chip | Silicon Motion SM2320 |
| Use Case | 1GBps-class, compact USB thumb drive with both Type-A and Type-C interfaces |
| Physical Dimensions & Weight | 71.3 mm x 20 mm x 7.8 mm & 11 grams |
| Hardware Encryption | Not Available |
The ESD310C utilizes a native UFD controller from Silicon Motion (SM2320) and Kioxia’s BiCS5 112L 3D TLC NAND, similar to the internals of Kingston’s DataTraveler Max Type-A. It sets itself apart by offering dual-interface support, reduced width for easy port access, a compact and lightweight design, and protective caps on both ends.
The review compares the ESD310C with other 1 TB PSSDs in both thumb drive and palm form-factors. It presents a comparative view of the specifications, including downstream and upstream ports, bridge chips, power, use case, physical dimensions, weight, cables, S.M.A.R.T passthrough, UASP support, TRIM passthrough, hardware encryption, evaluated storage, and price. The OWC Envoy Pro Elektron 1TB is one of the devices included in the comparison.
The evaluation methodology involves testing the devices using a Quartz Canyon NUC, equipped with an Intel Xeon E-2286M CPU, ADATA Industrial memory modules, and an ADATA Industrial NVMe SSD. Various synthetic workloads, real-world access traces, custom robocopy workloads, and a sequential write stress test are employed to assess the performance of the devices.
