[...] the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.0 Flash Drive, the Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate USB 3.0 (not the G2 or G3, however), the Kingston DataTraveler Workspace USB 3.0, the Super Talent Express RC8 USB 3.0 and the Super Talent Express RAIDDrive... all of them use SandForce controllers and SATA 600 to USB 3.0 bridges [...]
A small correction is due: the original Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate USB 3.0 (not the G2 or G3, however) really used a SATA to USB bridge but the controller it used wasn't a SandForce, but actually, a
Jmicron JMF612, instead. The original Kingston DT Ultimate, released Sep 2010 was also the 2nd USB 3.0 ever released, having being preceeded (Mar 2010, AFAIK, although it was first announced Nov 2009) only by the above mentioned much higher performance Super Talent Express RAIDDrive (which did use a SandForce controller). Both are out of production for quite some time already. Additionally, the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.0 Flash Drive uses a
20-82-00270-1 SanDisk controller, so, actually, not a SandForce either.
Now, back to the main subject of this thread:
this roundup features the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.0 Flash Drive, among common, garden-variety, USB 3.0 pendrives, and highlights how different an animal the SATA to USB bridge plus SSD controller driven pendrives are. Notice in particular the 4k random-write speeds.
And, BTW, the SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.0 Flash Drive seem to be set as "Removable Media" nowadays, so that even for pendrives using SSD controllers, that's just a seeting in the firmware, as always. See the reviews on
this amazon page from which I've selected the quote below:
My name is Allen from SanDisk support. For a limited period in 2013, SanDisk USB Flash drives were produced with Fixed Disk configuration. At the end of 2013 SanDisk reverted to producing USB Flash Drives with Removable Disk configuration". For detailed information, please contact SanDisk support at 1-866-SANDISK or submit a support request at www.sandisk.com/support.