TX How Fast SD card can it really use?

[DaveSebring]

Does anyone have a link to spec's or know what the read write speed rating is of the SD card mechanism in the Palm TX?


I would like to know if it really is any benifit to purchase "fast" SD cards such as the Sandisk Ultra II. Can the Palm SD slot really utilize the speed?

Or is it limited so that anything above certain ratings is a waste?

[Zano2004]

Does anyone have a link to spec's or know what the read write speed rating is of the SD card mechanism in the Palm TX?


I would like to know if it really is any benifit to purchase "fast" SD cards such as the Sandisk Ultra II. Can the Palm SD slot really utilize the speed?

Or is it limited so that anything above certain ratings is a waste?A while back , I did benchmarks on three Sandisk SD cards. A regular 512 Mbyte. Ultra II 512 Mbyte and a 1Bbyte Extreme III. The Ultra II shows a noticable fast read and write difference with the regular as did the Extreme III. But the Extreeme III, which is rated faster then the Ultra DID NOT show any difference in read write spead when the SD card was plugged into my Palm device. The Extreme III was much faster when plugged into a USB II reader/writer. This was true on T3 and T5 devices. I haven't done the same testing on my TX, but I'm sure an Ultra II will be faster than a standard Sandisk SD Card.

[STBXXL]

There's a handy little tool called VFSMark (http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/vfsmark.shtml). It works on the TX and I have tested a normal 1 GB SD card from SanDisk I bought the other day. Here're the results:

File Create: 547%
File Delete: 596%
File Write: 64%
File Read: 509%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 201%
DB Import: 237%
Record Access: 1096%
Resource Access: 1163%
VFSMark: 927

So the only slow performance is at File Write. However, I copy lots of podcasts (via WiFi with up to 40 MB) on my SD card and it doesn't feel slow at all. I typically can store up to 18 MB per minute (via WiFi).

I have also noticed, that for the same SD card the TX gets a slightly higher VFSMark than my wife's T5.

Cheers.

[STBXXL]

There's a handy little tool called VFSMark (http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/vfsmark.shtml). It works on the TX and I have tested a normal 1 GB SD card from SanDisk I bought the other day. Here're the results:

File Create: 547%
File Delete: 596%
File Write: 64%
File Read: 509%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 201%
DB Import: 237%
Record Access: 1096%
Resource Access: 1163%
VFSMark: 927

So the only slow performance is at File Write. However, I copy lots of podcasts (via WiFi with up to 40 MB) on my SD card and it doesn't feel slow at all. I typically can store up to 18 MB per minute (via WiFi).

I have also noticed, that for the same SD card the TX gets a slightly higher VFSMark than my wife's T5.

Cheers.

I just remembered, that I also have a SanDisk 1 GB Ultra-II SD card for my digital camera. Here're the results with VFSMark:

File Create: 207%
File Delete: 519%
File Write: 122%
File Read: 515%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 147%
DB Import: 248%
Record Access: 1064%
Resource Access: 1097%
VFSMark: 827

So it's twice as fast for writing files, however the overall speed is less than the ordinary 1 GB card from SanDisk. Pretty interesting, isn't it?

Cheers.

[DaveSebring]

Thanks for all the info....

But what I am REALLY looking for is this:

Will the SD mechanism in the Palm TX actually be able to OPERATE to x32, x50, x50 speeds?

Or is everything over a certain speed rating on the SD card just a waste of Money?

Or in other words What is the MAX read write transfer rating of the SD MECHANISM/DRIVER in the Palm TX ??

[larrys]

I recently picked up a Kingston Ultimate 2GB card for my new T|X. It was supposed to be fast :) For comparison, results are:

File Create: 450%
File Delete: 2000%
File Write: 520%
File Read: 539%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 572%
DB Import: 269%
Record Access: 1248%
Resource Access: 1324%
VFSMark: 1206

[DaveSebring]

I recently picked up a Kingston Ultimate 2GB card for my new T|X. It was supposed to be fast :) For comparison, results are:

File Create: 450%
File Delete: 2000%
File Write: 520%
File Read: 539%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 572%
DB Import: 269%
Record Access: 1248%
Resource Access: 1324%
VFSMark: 1206


Wow, looks like the SD hardware can use the extra speed rated cards.

I guess it is worth it!

[Drunkard]

512 MB Palm Branded MultiMediaCard on a Tungsten|E

I ran the VFSMark test several times and noticed that the results were severely worse on subsequent tests but returned to their best performance after a soft-reset. Curious, to say the least.

These are the best results for the card:

VFSMark Results

File Create: 198%
File Delete: 178%
File Write: 45%
File Read: 268%
File Seek: 268%
DB Export: 130%
DB Import: 299%
Record Access: 344%
Resource Access: 345%

VFSMark: 230

Meh, the card works good enough and it was only $15 after a $75 rebate!

[Jonavin]

Interesting benchmarks. Mines were very odd but repeatable.

Card: "KingMax 1GB SD Platinum"

VFSMark Results

File Create: 66%
File Delete: 37%
File Write: 14%
File Read: 527%
File Seek: 3933%
DB Export: 40%
DB Import: 156%
Record Access: 1167%
Resource Access: 1163%

VFSMark: 789

Very good reads but terrible for writes.

[Drunkard]

Has anyone else done two tests in a row and noticed the second test having much worse results?

[Jonavin]

Has anyone else done two tests in a row and noticed the second test having much worse results?

My very first test was about 827 and then it got slightly worst after but still in the same ball park. The strange part is that in my first test I had CJKOS enabled, and my last tests was with it disabled and resetted (more dbcache available).

The card I was testing was also very full, so I'm not sure if it had anything to do with it (could be fragmentation?).

I hope more people post their test results, so we can get an idea of which cards works best with the TX.

[larrys]

Has anyone else done two tests in a row and noticed the second test having much worse results?


I have run the tests several times and they do vary. Yes, the subsequent test provided a lower result, but I ran the test again today and it was back up there.

The overall VFS score for my Kingston Ultimate 2GB varies from ~1100 to ~1200.

This variation does cast a little doubt on the accuracy of the scores, no?

[Jonavin]

I'm rather suspect of my write speed scores (14???!!!??). It doesn't seem that slow when I'm copying files to the card or doing my backups..

[mozambique]

I have run multiple back to back tests with a Tsanscend 1 gig 80x, a Lexar 1 gig 34x, a Kingston 512 Elite Pro, an Edge 256, and a Cannon 16. I noticed a slight variation and after a warm reset followed by a soft reset noticed no marked improvement.

For the record the scores were as follows.

VFSMark Results Transcend 1 GiG 80x

File Create: 182%
File Delete: 172%
File Write: 37%
File Read: 410%
File Seek: 380%
DB Export: 137%
DB Import: 462%
Record Access: 495%
Resource Access: 474%

VFSMark: 305

VFSMark Results Lexar 1 GiG 34x

File Create: 736%
File Delete: 591%
File Write: 62%
File Read: 410%
File Seek: 347%
DB Export: 175%
DB Import: 412%
Record Access: 489%
Resource Access: 468%

VFSMark: 410

VFSMark Results Kingston 512 Elite Pro

File Create: 387%
File Delete: 237%
File Write: 142%
File Read: 383%
File Seek: 287%
DB Export: 302%
DB Import: 312%
Record Access: 393%
Resource Access: 355%

VFSMark: 310

VFSMark Results Edge 256 Normal

File Create: 211%
File Delete: 194%
File Write: 47%
File Read: 365%
File Seek: 337%
DB Export: 130%
DB Import: 391%
Record Access: 489%
Resource Access: 457%

VFSMark: 291

VFSMark Results Cannon 16

File Create: 543%
File Delete: 412%
File Write: 121%
File Read: 407%
File Seek: 357%
DB Export: 385%
DB Import: 433%
Record Access: 464%
Resource Access: 431%

VFSMark: 394

Hopes this helps you make a more informed decision. Kingston seems to make a good card

[Zano2004]

The date of VFSMark that I downloaded and used is at least 3 years old. I did it again the other day and the results were just as screwball as they were months ago when I tried to compare an Ultra II to and an Extreme III (both by Sandisk). VSFMark had the Ultra faster than the Extreme, but when I put them in a hardware reader (non Palm device), the Extreme was much faster, which is what Sandisk publishes......

[Jonavin]

I think VFSMark needs an update. The numbers seems to be pretty useless as all the results we've seen so far shows.

[mozambique]

I checked the website of the author of VFSMark, and he seems to be making things for PPC now. I am not sure if there is any real hope of an update.

[Jonavin]

Anybody know of another benchmarking tool.

[gmrobert]

I looked into the speed issue a little bit when deciding between a DUO or DUO Pro Memory Stick for my sons PSP.

The forums I asked questions on basically said that standard speed is more than fast enough for most uses (video and music playback), that it is only on hi-res cameras that you will notice a difference because of the large size of files they write in short bursts.

Also they said the read times should be the same it is only the write times that change.

Not sure how much of the memory stick info will apply to SD but I found the info interesting.

Greg

[jough]

The Transcend 2Gb 150x card that I bought is WAY faster when transferring files TO the card on the PC side. That alone is reason enough to warrant getting the faster card for me.

However, read speeds on the T|X are actually SLOWER than with a "normal" speed 2Gb card. This is especially noticeable in TCPMP when trying to fast forward or rewind.

[DaveSebring]

The Transcend 2Gb 150x card that I bought is WAY faster when transferring files TO the card on the PC side. That alone is reason enough to warrant getting the faster card for me.

However, read speeds on the T|X are actually SLOWER than with a "normal" speed 2Gb card. This is especially noticeable in TCPMP when trying to fast forward or rewind.

Yes I see that too.

I am starting to think the SD card MFGR's are rigging the cards to WRITE faster than they READ to gear them towards the Digital Camera Mkt... or maybe that is just the nature of SD?