# USB3 external drive for audio?

**URL:** <https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480>\
**Category:** WaveLab\
**Created:** [December 23, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480 "2010-12-23T18:51:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aljames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@aljames](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/aljames)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480/1 "2010-12-23T18:51:57Z")

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Does anyone have experience of using a USB3 drive for audio and is it faster than using an internal drive?

Al

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**Author:** ![MIJFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b77776/32.png) [@MIJFrog](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/MIJFrog)\
**Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480/2 "2011-01-02T16:46:52Z")

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Hi ALJAMES,  
The usb 3.0 is a new standard but will still support usb 2.0. Some new motherboards are coming with a couple 3.0 slots and you will notice they are a different color. The external drive that you use has more to do with the speed you can expect. Try to find one that runs at 7200rpm and has an e-sata as well as a usb port that way when you uprade computers you will be on top of the compatability curve.  
The e-sata runs directly into your “hard-drive configuration” at 3.0 just as an internal drive does

By the way, AMD and Intel motherboards made by some manufacturers are allready coming with added sata 6.0 connections for the new wave of SSD’s thatare hitting the market. Its hard to keep up!

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**Author:** ![aljames](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba8739/32.png) [@aljames](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/aljames)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480/3 "2011-01-04T01:33:10Z")

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Hey thanks. That’s really great advice and I’ll definately look at getting a PC with usb3 on the motherboard. Looks like fast speeda from what im seeing on engadget. I think ssd drives could be a while before they are worth the small bang for buck.

Cheers  
Al

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**Author:** ![vinark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/58f4c7/32.png) [@vinark](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/vinark)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/usb3-external-drive-for-audio/596480/4 "2011-01-12T15:18:42Z")

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> [@aljames](#):
>
> Does anyone have experience of using a USB3 drive for audio and is it faster than using an internal drive?
> 
> Al

No never faster (with the same drive), but usb3 does add a small cpu load, sata doesn´t.  
So internal is preferable if possible.