Best Current SSD (OCZ Vertex, Intel X-25M, SanDisk C25-G3, Etc)

B

Blk02

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
183
Which one would you choose? My vote is on the OCZ Vertex right now. I think the Intel SSD has finally been left behind.

WD6400AAKS 640GB (Conventional Disk Drive)
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0
  • Avg Read = 93
  • Avg Write = 92
  • 640GB = $74.99

WD VelociRaptor 300GB Raid 0 (Conventional Disk Drive)
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (PC Perspective)
  • Avg Read = 194.3
  • Avg Write = 195.1
  • $229.99 x 2 = $460.00

SanDisk C25-G3 SSD (Not Released or Tested)
  • Custom SanDisk Controller
  • Custom SanDisk SSD Algorithm called ExtremeFFSTM
  • Anticipated Sequential Performance of 200MB/s Read and 140MB/s Write
  • 120GB = $249.00

G.Skill Titan
  • Dual JMicron JMF602 Controllers in Raid 0
  • Stuttering Issue Apparently Solved by Internal Raid 0
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (BitTech)
  • Avg Read = 161.5
  • Avg Write = 134.5
  • 128GB = $309.99

Intel X-25M
  • Custom Intel Controller
  • Question over Degrading Performance as Drive Ages
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (PC Perspective)
  • Avg Read = 229.8
  • Avg Write = 77.6
  • 80GB = $358.00

OCZ Apex
  • Dual JMicron JMF602 Controllers in Raid 0
  • Stuttering Issue Apparently Solved by Internal Raid 0
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (PC Perspective)
  • Avg Read = 173.2
  • Avg Write = 124.5
  • 120GB = $369.00

OCZ Vertex
  • Indilinx Barefoot IDX110 ARM7 microcontroller
  • 64MB Cache
  • Stuttering Issue Solved by 64MB Cache
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (PC Perspective)
  • Avg Read = 223.1
  • Avg Write = 199.2
  • Note: Descrepency with Burst Read Speed at 185.8
  • "The burst rate seen by our HDTach benchmark is somewhat confusing as it is considerably lower than the other scores from SSDs we have tested. Even more interesting: the burst speed is exceed by both the sustained read and write speeds. The issue is likely in how the cache on the drive is utilized; either way it's the 223 MB/s read and 199 MB/s write speeds that really impress us." (PC Perspective).
  • 120GB = $489.99

OCZ Summit
  • New Controller from Samsung
  • HDTach 3.0.4.0 (PC Perspective)
  • Avg Read = 208.4 (dropped to 178 after usage)
  • Avg Write = 172.1 (dropped to 149 after usage)
  • 120GB = $499.00 (Est.)
 
I realize I started the thread "Forget SSD!!!" but after reading about the new SSD drives for a solid four hours I am convinced that several of the new SSD drives are worth spending $400 or $500 bucks on.
 
The only thing I will add is that if you do go with the Vertex, get the 120g drive. The larger cache allows it to perform better than the 30g/60g versions.
 
I bought a OCZSSD2-1C128G and had nothing but problems with it (ie stuttering while having multiple applications open).

After trying again and again to get OCZ to fix it I finally gave up.

I've been a huge fan of OCZ products for years but the complete lack of customer service/support for my SSD turned their name into mud.

Don't buy "any" OCZ products unless the merchant your buying them from has a excellent return policy that you trust.


Greg
 
I'm just waiting for my retailer to get stock of this ...

c25_3g20ssd_240gb_angluzne.jpg
 
SanDisk is solid

California-based SanDisk unveiled its third-generation family of SSDs, based on multi-level cell (MLC) NAND flash memory technology.

Designed as drop-in replacements for hard-disc drives (HDDs) in notebook PCs, the initial members in the SanDisk G3 family are SSD C25-G3 and SSD C18-G3 in the standard 2.5- and 1.8-inch form factors respectively, each available with a SATA-II interface. Available in capacities of 60-, 120- and 240-GB, the unit MSRPs are Rs.7,455.42 ($149), Rs.12,459.06 ($249) and Rs.24,968.16 ($499), respectively.

The G3 SSDs are more than five times faster than the fastest 7,200 RPM HDDs and more than twice as fast as SSDs shipping in 2008, clocking in at 40,000 vRPM1 and anticipated sequential performance of 200-MB/s read and 140-MB/s write, according to SanDisk.

The G3 SSDs provide a Longterm Data Endurance (LDE) of 160 terabytes written (TBW) for the 240-GB version, sufficient for over 100 years of typical user usage.

The SanDisk G3 SSDs will be available to this market in mid 2009. SanDisk's flash technology is produced at fabrication plants in Yokkaichi, Japan, where SanDisk and its partner, Toshiba, share the output. The SSD controller and firmware were designed by SanDisk.

Earlier this week, Samsung and SanDisk separately rolled out SSDs for use in opposite ends of the spectrum.
Click to expand...


eetindia
 
Only 200MB/s reads? 140MB/s writes? Hrmmm... that seems slow to me, guess I'm getting spoiled from my two 80GB Velociraptors nowadays with this:

velociraid.png


I had two Patriot 64GB Warp SSD drives recently for set up in a customer's machine, can't find the damned HDTune/HDTach screenshots now, but on this same machine they were pulling ~290MB/s sequential reads with ~170MB/s sequential writes in RAID 0 - single drives were about ~145MB/s sequential read and ~90MB/s sequential writes.

For the $150 I paid for the Velociraptors, I don't think I can do better. The two Patriots the customer bought and I installed cost him $275 or so... yeah, they win on access time but hell, 6.3ms is freakin' fast enough. :)

I just hate to think of all the people that are hopping on the SSD bandwagon at that $400+ price point and in a year they'll most likely be kicking themselves for it when drives that are twice as fast show up for half the cost... :(
 
Well that is a single disk... If you can find a RAID card that won't burst into flames it should do even better with 2 drives.

At this point I'm waiting on the 30g Vertex... $110 (AR) for 0.1 access time, seq read at or over 200, and seq write at or over 150... I think that will do me for a while.
 
Joe Average said:
I just hate to think of all the people that are hopping on the SSD bandwagon at that $400+ price point and in a year they'll most likely be kicking themselves for it when drives that are twice as fast show up for half the cost... :(
Click to expand...

It's cutting edge man. I fully realize every single dollar I spend on tech is a bad investment. If I was worried about that I'd have a Pentium 60 with Windows 95.

I think most SSD buyers are more enthusiasts at this point anyway and hopefully they're well aware waht they're buying is obsolete out of the gate. What is your argument on everyone who spends $400 on a video card tat is obsolete in 6 months? Same rules apply, yet people somehow don't think they do.

This thread is not a comparison of VRaptors vs. SSDs. I'm glad to be rid of my VR's, personally. Yet, I still have a pair in my second box. I'll move my 2 TITAN SSDs into that box when some new SSDs come out that will actually be worth the switch.
 
Greg Rosler said:
I bought a OCZSSD2-1C128G and had nothing but problems with it (ie stuttering while having multiple applications open).

After trying again and again to get OCZ to fix it I finally gave up.

I've been a huge fan of OCZ products for years but the complete lack of customer service/support for my SSD turned their name into mud.

Don't buy "any" OCZ products unless the merchant your buying them from has a excellent return policy that you trust.


Greg
Click to expand...


Complaining about the inefficiencies of bleeding edge technology is just rather silly. If you dont like being on the bleeding edge than buy a raptor and call it a day.
 
There is no "fixing" the stuttering on the early JM602 based SSD's. This is not limited to OCZ. This is every single JM602a (and most 602b) based MLC SSD's. There are some tweaks you can do to avoid the worst of it, but even those are not 100%.

Personally I have been 100% impressed with their customer support, I've never seen a company work with the community like they do. No other MLC SSD manufacturer has worked with the community (a very small community compared to the PC industry as a whole) to the extent that OCZ has.
 
Where are those write benches coming from on the Vertex? Last I saw not long ago they were not getting near that fast of a write on average. I think it was closer to 140s.
 
Check out the benches for the V10 (non shipping, possibly released later) firmware. They are pulling 230m - 240m writes.

Average (based on "reviewing" 3 or 4 reviews) of the shipping firmware seems to be about 230r/200w for the 120g drive. The 30g will be slower (smaller cache), and the 60g and 250g will be slower (small cache on 60g, plus both have higher density NAND chips). Those are (of course) seq speeds. random r/w will be lower. Though shipping firmware has good IOPS (almost equal to the X25m I believe).
 
Intel drive is the best
nothing can come close to it at 4k writes and it's competitive in all other areas
 
Except price/performance...

Also, the intel caps out around ~70-80m write's yes? That is very low compared to the second (and very soon 3rd) generation controllers coming out.
 
drgnfang said:
Except price/performance...

Also, the intel caps out around ~70-80m write's yes? That is very low compared to the second (and very soon 3rd) generation controllers coming out.
Click to expand...

Lets see how the vertex holds up on the 4k writes. I hope they live up to these numbers.. this is becoming very tempting :)
 
drgnfang said:
Except price/performance...

Also, the intel caps out around ~70-80m write's yes? That is very low compared to the second (and very soon 3rd) generation controllers coming out.
Click to expand...

Price isnt to far off.. 250$ for a 60g Vertex ($4.17 per gig) and 360$ for an 80gb Intel ($4.5 per gig). Intel cost more but we arent talking a huge amount here.
 
Uh, that's an MLC intel. The SLC X25E starts @ $450 (give or take) for 30g. That's $15 per gig.

I could be confused about which intel drive we are talking about though.
 
drgnfang said:
Uh, that's an MLC intel. The SLC X25E starts @ $450 (give or take) for 30g. That's $15 per gig.

I could be confused about which intel drive we are talking about though.
Click to expand...


You said 70-80mb/s writes... so I assumed you were talking about the MLC version. The SLC writes around 170mb/s and yes it cost much more. Again I would like to see some crystalmark scores of the Vertex. I am not putting the vertex down in any way. I really hope it becomes the drive it claims to be. I will toss my intel 80s in my laptops in a heart beat and switch to one or two Vertex drives :)
 
Here are some crystal mark benches of the Intel 80gb. Hopefully we can get some of the Vertex soon.

Single Intel 80gb X25

SingleIntelSSDX25M80.jpg
 
I recently bought the Intel X25-M and I love it. I'm not much on the *epenis own it to benchmark it craze*, so I have no screenshots to post. I will say that my laptop doesn't get fire hot anymore and programs open faster than I have ever seen on any desktop. That was worth the price to me.

The OCZ Vertex does look like a promising drive. They have alot of good information in their SSD Forum.
 
I also recently purchased an Intel X-25M; I mostly do MS Access database development, and other Office apps, occasional AVCHD editing/transfers. I was using a pair of 300gb Velociraptors (still using them as supplemental drives) in raid0/ plus 2 other drives for backup.
The Intel is fast, quiet, etc, but believe me, don't sell the VRaptors short...for what I do, they are very quick and can more than hold their own for normal desktop stuff....the Intel SSD lets me dabble on the bleeding edge....
 
drgnfang said:
Not sure how many people are using crystal mark... But here is ATTO, HD Tach, and PC mark
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51200 (non-shipping FM)

Here is ATTO on 3x30g http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52216
Crystal is also on this one... numbers look low to me...

Lots more benches with shipping firmware should be available in the next 3-5 days. I'm mostly seeing RAID setups at the moment. I should (hopefully) have my 30g early next week.
Click to expand...

I wish they would show some single drive setups. My Intels in Raid will hit 450 on crystalmark and 530's on HDTune. Looks like the Vertex is choking on those 4k writes and the 512k isnt that impressive. Maybe the larger drives will be better. The single Intel is killing it on 4k writes. Damn.. looks like im waiting for the vertex 2 and will have to look into a SATA3 controller.
 
Yeah it should be in most e-tailers at this point. ZZF, Amazon, mwave, etc...
 
This review makes it look really good. I didnt see any crystal mark scores to see how it deals with small writes but the rest looks great. Its becoming tempting again.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=299&Itemid=60

Here is my intel Raid 0 crystal mark scores. From what I can see the vertex has better writes as a single drive then these in Raid 0. I don't think $399 for 120gb is that bad of a price for a quick SSD. I just need someone to run some single drive crystalmark scores.

RAID0NOPAGEFILE.jpg
 
i have been looking into some systems but i was lost i just didnt no what to buy and i dont want to waste my money i found this information very helpful though some of the intials are a bit confusing but im sure i can figure it out

oh thanks for the demonstration its always good if you can look at pictures
82(2).gif
 
This morning I ordered a GSkill Titan 128GB SSD for a buddy's Macbook Pro.
Hope it performs as well as other people have claimed.
Bootcamp w/ Vista should load pretty damn quickly :)
 
Ran ATTO on mine but im using it as an OS drive so the score is a little skewed. Ran HDTune also. I think the Vertex is holding its own but the cyrstal mark scores im seeing are not as impressive with the smaller writes.

ATTOonOS.jpg


INTELRAID0.jpg
 
I'm waiting for the 30GB Vertex. Is there any reason for a single 120GB with larger cache over 4 30GBs? Scaling is so good with SSDs seems like its better to buy smaller ones. I'm actually only using them to store virtual machines but whatever.
 
If you have a hardware raid card with good cache I would go with the 4x30g, otherwise I would stick with 1 120g. Based on the benches showing up on the OCZ forums even 3x30g comes pretty close to trashing the ICH10R bandwidth.
 
is ocz vertex MLC?, is intel extreme SLC?, from what i have read before the SLC is better than MLC right?

i'm looking to buy some SSD for my main PC so what do you guys recommend?

thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top