512 GB thumb drive... any reason not to use it vs backup drive?

[blufeb95]

2bit MLC has been "professional grade" for years, if a consumer product doesn't specify it's likely TLC or QLC

 

[GMFan]

I’d recommend a WD Passport drive via USB 3.0 for backup/extra storage. You can get a 2TB drive fairly inexpensive.

https://www.westerndigital.com/products/portable-drives/wd-my-passport-usb-3-0-hdd#WDBYVG0010BBK-WESN

 

[Gimpy1]

Great idea. The USB 3.1'll be faster than you think; and the beauty of this is that you can physically remove the device when not in use. This mitigates your backups getting pooched by software SNAFU, electrical spikes or malicious parties. I'd get 2 which would mitigate one of them failing.

Just make sure you label it and store it in a safe place. I have one for data and another for win 10. Both were invaluable when my MB burned and I had to replace it.

 

[Rand]

external usb 3 hdd. Over 100MB/S doesnt crap out and slow down after a couple GB.
best for sitting there as backup.
SSD is ok but way overpriced for that use.
Flash drive is ok as backup of backup.

Now if this is a daily work backup.. time is money and I'd use SSD.

 

[Jetronic]

hoiw many writes would an SDcard survive? not thinking of using them for backups but it's handy to transfer files sometimes. and pretty much any device except an iphone accepts micro sd.

 

[PandaBear]

now many bits are stored per flash cell. it makes cheaper but less reliable.
slc days are over.

for backups use hdd.

Density also has to do with how strong the error correction is.

For example: when you have a certain ECC engine that can fix 1 bit of error per 5M bit, it may result in 500 PE cycle. The same flash memory if pair with an ECC engine that can fix 1 bit in 5000 bit, it may result in 500K PE cycle, and if you can come up with an engine that can fix 1 bit per 50 bit your PE cycle then increase to 50M PE cycle.

So, with that new powerful ECC engine (which these days can take up 60-80% of the whole controller space), you can now either sell a super drive that can last 50M PE cycle with older memory that only requires older controller, or you can sell a drive with newer memory that last 1K PE cycle (USB thumb drive) with QLC, or 3K PE cycle with TLC, or 10K PE cycle with MLC.

Then you repeat again when you have new memory and new controller.

 

[Andrew1972]

I’d use USB thumb drive in parallel to another backup or two. Likely a USB mechanical hard drive and a remote server.