Buffalo intros the 56GB SHD-UH external SSD

Japanese peripheral manufacturer Buffalo has cooked up a storage option you might want to crack open your wallet for: a whopping 56GB SSD in a thin, external form factor that's just shy of credit card-size. Of course, it's not nearly the mind-blowing capacity of PQI's monster, but for an external SSD, they don't get much bigger. Sure, it's priced at ¥94,980 (around $783), which isn't exactly cheap, but if this trend continues these prices are bound to drop -- and just think of the possibilities of never having to hear a drive mechanism failing again. 8GB, 16GB, and 24GB models available late July, but the 56GB variation hasn't been given a release date yet.

[Via Akihabara News]

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 23rd 2007 7:38AM]

I know this one is expensive, but they will get cheaper in the future.

Really cool for rugged environments.

[Ondra Soukup @ Jul 23rd 2007 8:17AM]

"We're sorry but the missing 8GB flash chip to make somehow rounded 32GB or 64GB capacity has been eaten by your iPhone"

[bombastinator @ Jul 23rd 2007 8:58AM]

Why make a stupendously expensive ultra fast hard drive with a USB only interface? That's beyond idiotic. USB != fast guys. Get some firewire or build it inside an express card or something.

Rugged is nothing if the computer you have to attach it to is not rugged itself.

As it stands the thing is practically no better than the cheapest external drive except possibly in fields like power consumption.

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 23rd 2007 10:05AM]

Not all SSDs are incredibly fast transfer-rate wise. This seems to be aimed at a very select market. And while your system might fail from getting knocked around, at least your data (which will presumably be moved around a bit anyways) will be intact.

[bombastinator @ Jul 23rd 2007 12:17PM]

Very very select.

Still no excuse for lack of firewire on a drive that expensive. If it were fast and fit in ExpressCard slot I might even think of buying one though.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 23rd 2007 5:17PM]

I disagree.
Rugged is everything if you have to transport that data safely.

[Dave @ Jul 23rd 2007 10:41AM]

Go SSD!!!

[OddManOut @ Jul 23rd 2007 12:13PM]

Agreed "bombastinator". A SATAII or even eSATA interface would make much more sense. Virtually any 60GB 2.5" HDD can shovel data faster than USB II's top speed of 480mbps, so you'll see practically NO performance difference between this $750 drive and one you can buy or cobble up yourself for less than $100.

Of course, flash mem will usually survive a trip or two through the wash and surprisingly long falls/drops...that can hardly be said about platter based drives...