14 DAY TRIAL // Even though end-users' hearts have already been broken by the news that chipset support for USB 3.0 won't come until next year, the SuperSpeed standard doesn't seem likely to slow down in its quest for popularity, especially with new controller chips coming out. As such, there is nothing stopping storage-unit makers from unleashing new USB 3.0 electronics. Samsung seems quite aware of this, which is why it unleashed a number of new drives that can reach transfer speeds of 5Gbps as part of the STORY Series.
The new units are known as the STORY Station USB 3.0 whose gray, brushed aluminum casings with a red logo are akin to their predecessors'. As for actual specifications, they have capacities between 1TB and 2TB, are backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 connectors and are pre-loaded with SafetyKey and SecretZone software, for password protection and data encryption, as well as Samsung AutoBackup.
“The Samsung STORY Station 3.0 has been built for advanced users who demand fast transfer speed and data security without sacrificing design,” H.S. Lee, vice president, storage marketing, Samsung Electronics, said. “The STORY Station creates a seamless user experience that allows users to move large chunks of high-quality multimedia content with minimal wait time.”
The STORY Station USB 3.0 drives use the 3.5-inch form factor and can achieve speeds up to ten times faster than what is possible on USB 2.0 ports, which makes them “the ideal storage solution for saving and retrieving crucial data in the blink of an eye.” The products achieve this while being compliant with the EuP (Energy Using Products) Directive for Standby Regulation (which makes them energy-efficient as well). The drives will be available globally before the ongoing month is out and will come with a three-year warranty. Prices, unfortunately, were not disclosed.