The new SSD Thread (Benchmarks, Brands, News and Advice)

ahh, it's nando4 again, the bad boy who can see dead sata ports everywhere

still have to get the photos, right?

 

Yes.. photos of the 2730P 24-pin microsata cable might help 2510P and 2710P users wanting to investigate the possibility of adding native SATA storage to their PATA supplied systems. You also have an undocumented and unused 24-pin unused plug on your 2710P systemboard that looks remarkably like the SATA one on the 2730P, so maybe have some use for that extra 1.8" 128GB Samsung SSD you have.

If can help, please post to the 2510P thread instead (I wouldn't want to clog up this thread with HP specific info).

 

Wow...that really would be something eh? It sure does make sense.

Wouldn't drive manufacturers go crazy if Intel did this though? Filing anti-trust (?) lawsuits and whatnot?

 

That's the thing. Look how different the firmware in Vertex is making a difference. When Intel was talking about their SSDs, they said the biggest difference would be the algorithm. I think the more important thing to take from that is its really the configurable(more software than hardware) aspect of the SSD that makes a difference.

Remember I said earlier that JEDEC, the organization that currently makes up the specifications for future DRAM technology, recently went into SSD technology. They talk about integrating the parts of the SSD controller and eliminating the "foreign" chip. The CPU would do things like wear levelling and things like that, just like how software RAID is done on CPU.

I think currently the CPU is not powerful enough to make that job insignificant, and the another way is to have it on the chipset.

Then the only difference between drives between multiple vendors would be: Pricing/Capacity/Number of channels/Chips used

 

Aren't all of these factors determined solely by the chip manufacturer? And how many chip manufacturers are there? Samsung and...? (does Intel make their own nand?)

In other words, there would be nothing left to market for all the "SSD marketing companies" like OCZ, Super Talent, Kingston, etc, and they would end up getting pushed out of the market...personally I don't care, but it seems like they would cry foul play...as in Intel now has created a monopoly on the nand market by integrating their controller into the bulk of consumer computers.

In any case, your point makes absolute perfect sense. Particularly because Intel is so many miles ahead in flash controller design (even though there product is coming up a year old now) and could so easily integrate that into their forthcoming chipsets.

 

New review article of Corsair P256 (Re-badged Samsung 256GB)
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/949/

 

Intel, Samsung and Hynix. Or whatever the current NAND manufacturers are. The point is being software there will be a company in the future which will create their solution and if that exceeds or equals the best in the market the 3rd party guys like OCZ will be out of business anyway.

 

if intel goes that route, samsung and indilinx can sell their controllers for mainboard manufacturers.

and all the big ones can sell their memory chips still.

the only thing that dies are resellers like ocz and supertalent. but they always find new stuff to resell..

 

It's missing any real world performance tests and I don't like canned benchmarks, they don't tell me enough about SSD's.
I want to see more varied testing for SSD's from these sites.
Samsung is a good drive though for price/perf.

His scores do look a few percent lower than other Samsung drives I have seen tested, and in some parts even better so maybe they have a new firmware floating around in these. Although, Samsung is surely not like OCZ in making new firmwares every other week. I wonder if some of these MFR's selling these badged drives start making their own firmwares, they will likely be interchangeable on all the Samsung 256 drives.

Their have been plenty of hints on a new firmware Intel is floating out for the X-25's, so I'm sure that will be all the rage next week.

Samsung 256 was an easy choice for me for a SSD since it was only a $325 upgrade on the Dell I just ordered.

Edit: The site also doesn't mention his testbed and whether he disabled power savings.

 

This would make the transition to SSD very easy on everybody. and i don't see how eleminating all the no name rebrands is a bad thing... It would take out all of the confusion of consumers trying to figure out which is a worthwhile drive or not. no one will have to wonder if this is just another jmicron piece of crap or is it using a samsung controller or anything else... Bring it on then we can all have "intel performance ssd".

 

This news of Intel's "little something" for the X25-M next week really has me excited.

 

"You know your a geek" when firmware gets you excited.

 

Agree 100%.

Wouldn't this also mean that updates could be issued simply as chipset drivers via windows update?

 

That dude at legitreviews said the same thing that he is waiting. Perhaps a superior wear-leveling algorithm? Can such a thing be devised at this stage?

 

what am I, then? knowing that it means spending hundreds of dollars needlessly just because I want it?

 

There are 2 known firmware versions for Samsung 256GB that ships from Dell. VBM15D1Q and VBM1801Q
The latter one seems to have better random write .. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=658571&page=5
Sadly I have the first one.. Hopefully Dell/Samsung will releases the firmware update at some point like they did with 32/64GB SLC...

 

@poppap, that is good to know, that atleast some revisions are out there and do occasionally come out. But yeah we need an update location.

Makes you wonder why they felt it necessary to update a firmware and yet not make one available for upgrading, maybe it's not too critical and they are afraid people will kill their data.

 

davepermen=Geek²-$

 

I think that would be the case... It may cause more problem for them if users brick their drive. There are always risks involve in flashing firmware...

 

I'm thinking of the 120MB/s firmware rumor. I knew it quite a long time. We'll see

http://translate.google.com/transla...myreview&id=18190&sl=ko&tl=en&history_state0=

"Write performance from Intel, 120MB / s will do better firmware release soon after the performance improvement of peomeop like this to happen."

 

Yeah the X-25M will get a speed boost and the slow down from IOmeter, and such, will be a thing of the past.

 

i hope X-25M will release a new firmware, and increase the writting speed.

 

i hope they release a 160gb 1.8" version. and a 320gb 2.5" would be nice, too.. (or 240gb? that'll be quite nice, too)

 

The X18-M 160GB exists already...

http://www.techonweb.com/products/productdetail.aspx?id=A03HJD&src=FG

 

status: ships within two or three weeks. not yet.. not yet..

just dreaming: 2gb ram, back from hibernate in 8 seconds.. woah ..

 

Anyone can help me on this thread:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=371552

Thread Title:
SSD Hard-Drive on Inspiron 1520. Possible? Worth it?

Thread Body:
Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my Inspiron 1520 to make it faster, so I am thinking to get the below SSD internal hard-drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231221

So I just want to be sure that my Inspiron 1520 will accept such kind of internal Hard-Drives and will it really make a difference to my PC speed (boot time, loading, etc...)

Currently, my hard-drive is the normal/defult one 160GB (5400RPM). Also, I have the latest BIOS version.

Thanks in advance...

 

how much would a 160gb SSD cost? 250gb? Also, what is the life time of these?

Thank ye

 

Surely these firmware updates increasing the random writes for the X25 will sacrifice something as a compromise? Isn't that how it works? How much can you really tweak the firmware of an already fast as hell drive?

 

The Vertex firmware, prior to the drive's release where there was a discussion going on about what kind of SSD consumers wanted, had a relationship between seq. write speed and IO performance. The higher the former, the worse the latter and vice versa. Considering how much legroom the X25-M has with the latter, it might be what's sacrificed for the extra sequential write speed.

 

I hope you guys can advice me on possible 1.8 inch ZIF SSD drive for my Dell D420. There are quite a few different ones available on ebay starting from expensive Mtron Mobi ending with some OEM drives from China. If anyone could share his experience maybe it would help me save some $

 

Because firmware is just software like any software. A programmer/engineer given enough time will find new tricks and ways to optimize their code and optimize algorithms. They will also have time to fix what is broke, so yes bugs leak into firmware just like any software. It takes time to find but their is almost always ways to speed things up from a first release of any software.

The slow down the x-25m's have which is often fixed by a full drive capacity benchmark sweep is very likely a firmware bug, not a controller. A controller is a pretty dumb tool, firmware is the brain that tells it how to work under certain conditions. All the conditions can't be tested like in the real world so revisions at times have to fix issues.

Having said that, if they want to change performance where the hardware has no more to give and if they want sacrifice it to optimize for the strengths of certain environments or workloads then they an do that to.

 

I have a D430 and I have used the Mtron drives in the past. Check with RocketDisk. Drop them a line on compatibility for the Mobi and you should hear back immediately on a weekday. They are pretty efficient. Johnny from RD monitors this thread from time to time. Yes, I know they are expensive but they are SLC and fast and beat the Samsung PATA drives hands-down.

 

That depends. Vertex have done it with firmware 1275. Maybe X25-M has room. Maybe it doesn't.

 

Vertex firmware 1.10 has improved every single benchmark category in my IOmeter tests, so yes, it does appear to be possible.

 

So they're releasing new firmware for the X-25? hmm. Anand did mention that there should be some sort of "news" of sorts in the next few weeks...

Should be interesting... I am seriously considering buying this monster when I buy a new laptop in June.... if they can jack up performance even more and lower the cost to $300.... am in.

As far as storage is concerned... I think people are looking at SSDs from the wrong perspective. You are buying it for performance... NOT storage. You want storage? Buy an external TB drive for ~$150. You want out of this world performance? Buy an SSD. I am looking at it like you would a CPU.... from that perspective, $350 ain't too bad man. Granted, $300 is better. lolz.

But ya.... can't wait to find out what Intel has in store for us.

 

I don't think it's difficult to extrapolate that. Unless Intel was sending all drive owners new drives next week, then it would have to be a firmware.

I wouldn't carry around a seperate storage drive for a laptop, so it is looking at it the right way for laptops. I think SSD's are worthwhile for laptops because of the poor storage performance on laptops. Although I am glad people are funding the "SSD research program", I wouldn't get one for my desktop yet (I'd update CPU's, mobos, or vid cards first for now). My 2 raptors and 2TB of data is working out just fine until it makes sense for me to get a desktop SSD. But I still will "require" running the OS and ALL installed games and applications off the fast drive, otherwise it is completely worthless except for reboots where I shave 45 seconds off reboot weekly, woohoo. $300 for 250-500GB top mainstream SSD performance will then make it a justifiable purchase to me for desktop.

If size doesn't matter you can short stroke TB drives too and get great performance from them too.

As for a laptop it makes all the sense in the world to want decent storage if you actually will utilize it for more than email and web surfing. That's what makes SSD's like the Samsung 256 win win for price/GB and price/performance.

 

MadBoris: better update to an ssd on the desktop first. it's worth MUCH more than a cpu upgrade. believe me. Videocard is another matter.


In the end, the main way i suggest ssd's is when people want to buy a new system. then, an ssd is cheaper and helps much more in performance.

 

You don't think it's difficult to extrapolate? OH? NO?? Are you sure? Are you really really sure? Well then, tell me what IS difficult Boris!!

Wait. Unless intel is sending all drive owners new drivers?? NOOO man. They wouldn't???? Would they??? I think I should go check my mailbox!!!

It was a rhetorical question, tool.

Well, that's my point- if your going to be carrying around your laptop in the first place, you really don't need more than 60GB of music/movies/games. If you do, then well.....you're not exactly carrying it around. Besides, an external 2.5in drive like the WD Passport ain't that big.... put it in next to your charger and you won't notice that big of an increase in size/weight in your bag.... unless your carrying around your laptop in your pocket, and after reading what you said, I wouldn't be surprised if your trying to fit your 17in laptop into your back pocket.

If your laptop is sitting at a desk, then connecting an external drive by eSata ain't that bad, considering your probably plugging in a few things anyway.

No matter how many TB drives you "short stroke" you won't get the performance of a single SSD. A few of your statements lead me to believe you don't quite understand the sort of performance SSDs give...and no again tool, it's not just about reboots.

I look at an SSD as a CPU- for performance.
You look at them as an HD- for storage.... and that's my point... if your looking at it for storage, then well, you shouldn't be looking at an SSD in the first place. EVEN with 256gb, your still going to need another drive.

Each to his own.

 

I love tool, they're a great band =)

Calm down, its not a big deal

 

I think most of the SSD owners in this thread will agree with me when I say this: You don't realize how completely and utterly ridiculous you sound when you spout off stuff like this.

No amount of RAIDed Raptors can match 0.12ms reads and 10-30 MB/s 4K writes.

Until you own a good SSD and then go back to mechanical drives, you just sound silly.

 

I got a question for SSD owners.

Ever since you got your SSD, are you more careful or less careful with your laptop?

The reason why I am asking this question is because...

The other day I was fixing my friends Lenovo T400, doing a fresh install and optimizing it. I notice the hard drive fall detection activate A LOT when I was using it.

Then I notice that ever since I got my SSD, I'm very harsh in terms of putting my laptop down / packing it / move around the campus etc... I use to be very gentle when it was running a mechanical drive but now I find myself a bit more harsh.

Is it just me or everyone here feels the same way?

 

u need to turn off the hard drive activity detection

 

I don't speak ridiculous you misunderstand and hear ridiculous.

The point is I can't be satisfied with a 32GB SSD with an OS without all of my applications on and games on it.
If I don't have all my apps on it then I don't get the benefit of all the near instant starts of my applications.
Using a seperate mechanical physical drive to install applications on doesn't make sense to me when the minute by minute benefit of running apps of your SSD is where it is at.
I guess that makes me crazy because lack of storage is why alot of people waited with SSD's.

If that makes me a tool because I actually think the 256GB Samsung SSD that I ordered for my laptop is what I needed for not just performance, but storage as well, than so be it.
I never said solid state doesn't blow mechanical out of the water. Jeez

The point is I need to have all the applications that I stop and start on the drive routinely through out a day on the SSD otherwise it makes the machine just a fast booter, which I do once a week.
And yes I am aware of all the IO that takes place on the OS, it was supposed to be emphatic, obviously their is benefits of just having an OS and a few core apps. I waited till I could have it all.

 

Wow. ok then.

 

those controller into chipset integration, I think it ain't happening, except if we would have connectors only for ssd-s on our machines....
ssd is type of storage memory, so, storage memory must have an standard interface and standard communication protocol for that interface...
today it is sata interface with variable speeds...
it's like all standard hdd-s would only be motors with plates and moving heads, and all hdd electronics would be the same, integrated on motherboard...
and, you forgot that intel is not solo player on chipset market, what about nVidia and others like via, would they all have intel stuff on motherboards ?
I just think it ain't gonna happen...

yes, I really like the fact that I don't need to be extra gentle when moving machine from one place to another...
not to mention how I pay much less attention to how I wear my d620 in my backpack...

 

Sadly... Just as expected... I received this after inquiring about new firmware for Samsung 256GB SSD...

 

just replaced the HDD on my laptop with a 32gb transcend oem. Yeah, the jmicron crap but it is cheap and so far everything is working well. Now I am wondering if I RAID0 2 jmicron drives together in my laptop like a pseudo OCZ vertex drive, would it reduce stuttering?

 

10-4.
Strong words indeed, especially over the anonymous internet.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=4734923

Vertex 60GB on sale for $190.

 

Thanks for sharing this poppap; I'm sure this will lead to another great article showing some performance comparison stats.