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

Question. If I load up a 80gb SSD with 75 GB of stuff will I suffer a performance hit like a HDD? Also, I've read that SSD's dont defrag like HDDs, you have to use a different tool. IOMETER was reccomended.

 

I've heard that you would have a performance hit if you fill up the SSD but atm I can't see why. I guess I'll have to trust someone with an SSD to shed light on the topic. You don't defrag SSDs period. IOmeter is a benchmark software.

 

Ah yes but...

"In order to reset the state of the drive to a known state that will quickly adapt to new workloads for best performance, the SSD’s unused content needs to be defragmented. There are two methods which can accomplish this task.

One method is to use IOMeter to sequentially write content to the entire drive. This can be done by configuring IOMeter to perform a 1 second long sequential read test on the SSD drive with a blank NTFS partition installed on it. In this case, IOMeter will “Prepare” the drive for the read test by first filling all of the available space sequentially with an IOBW.tst file, before running the 1 second long read test. This is the most “user-like” method to accomplish the defragmentation process, as it fills all SSD LBAs with “valid user data” and causes the drive to quickly adapt for a typical client user workload."

From Intel at
h**p://***.behardware.com/articles/731-6/ssd-product-review-intel-ocz-samsung-silicon-power-supertalent.html

 

Anyone tried those new Super Talent PX drives?

http://www.supertalent.com/products/ssd_detail.php?type=MasterDrive PX
http://techreport.com/discussions.x/15523

They are SLC, and SuperTalent claims 170 MB/s read and 130 MB/s write speed - which is quite faster than what is available for purchasing today when it comes to SLC drives (Intel X25-E and Micron RealSSD are not yet available for immediate purchase).

I could buy 64 GB SuperTalent PX for $690 - looks cheap for such performance SLC drive, but I am not really believing those PR figures unless I see it in action.

And, so far, nobody reviewed that drive...

I am wondering what kind of controller it uses, and how much IOPS it can get under random write conditions...

 

because intel gets its write performance by being able to write all random chunks requiring writes to the same set of sequential blocks. if you have high % usage of drive, there will be smaller free blocks for files to be written sequentially in, and performance will tend towards the hundreds of IOPS down from the thousands.

 

except Intel and Mtron,

all other MLC SSDs use JMicron
and all other SLC drives use the other one, Samsung I think.

 

Hmm, and MTRON and MemoRight have their own controllers implemented in FPGA... but, yes, most SLC drives indeed do use Samsung logic.

I don't think the Super Talent PX has JMicron & no DRAM cachs inside, as it is SLC and so far there has been no sightings of poor SLC drives... But still I'd like to have a second-opinion on claimed 170 MB/s read / 130 MB/s write speeds before slashing $690 on it

And then, there is Micron RealSSD to be in mass production in the next few months - their P200 SLC can do 250 MB/s read and 250 MB/s write (!!!) while their C200 MLC can do 250 MB/s read and 100 MB/s write - as they claim. Micron is the company that produces NAND flash with Intel (that memory is in X25-M) - but who can wait

 

The drop isn't that drastic. I'm pretty sure that NONE of the SSD drive tests can accurately predict real usage performance over period of time. The drive performance might stabilize after a while even near full capacity. The drive is supposed to have 5-6GB of space for what you are talking about and it has algorithms to adjust to usage.

Ok, I did make long rants about flaws of SSD and stuff, but that's because of the price. I think all SSDs would be so much better at half the price .

Anyway, if you don't run extensive benchmarks and just use as a regular hard drive(honestly I didn't do hard drive benchmarking before this SSD), you will likely not notice those problems.

It takes an hour of usage+restart of the computer to adjust to your usage patterns from my experience. It's rather cool to see it in action I think...

Some interesting behaviors. I'm actually running VLC media player streaming music and have one IE window open plus utorrent for the recent pic. The older one had one window plus MSN Messenger I think. Strangely, the drop at 20% appears in all situations. I think it has to do with particular files at that point. It does prove Intel's Adaptive Memory Controller works though.

22.7GB/74.5GB filled
HDTunePro 3.10 Trial Nov 4, 2008:


Unknown filled
HDTune Pro 3.10 Trial October 23, 2008

 

I'm thinking of upgrading (is it?) to SSD in a couple of months mainly because I hate to carry my notebook like carrying a baby - always thinking if I make the wrong move the HD might not like it.

The Intel SSD seems a good choice until I read this. If the drive gets all weird just because you copy large amounts of data into it... I mean, that's the first thing I'll do when I get one: copy all my backup data into it. Is there a way to get around this? Or one must copy all data in several days: Monday 15Gb... Tuesday another 15Gb... is this ridiculous or what?

Anyway, the holidays are coming and it seems there are going to be a few suprises, for example G.Skill has a drive for a very reasonable price anyone knows if it's good?

Keep up the good work! I know I'll be reading this thread before I'll buy a SSD.

PS: here's a nice tip that might be useful for those who have SSDs, Intel's Turbo Memory and more than 2Gb RAM
- format Turbo Memory's Readyboost partition (Disk Management) and use it has Windows' temp folder (System properties > Environment Variables); it's also good for HD owners if you do a lot of multitasking.

 

The G.Skill is MLC drive. MLC FAIL. You can tell by the second letter being an M on the product code. FM is MLC, FS is SLC. Now where is that Mtron SLC drive with 260MB/s read and 240MB/s write?!

 

In my case, any SDD (SLC or MLC) with more than 80Gb that matches, in real life, the WD Black Scorpio (that's what I'm using right now) is good enough for me. But from what I've been reading, the SSD market it's not that plain.
You find fairly decent MLCs at low prices - but not that reliable;
Good SLCs with reasonable prices - but with the 64Gb limit;
And then you have the ultra-fast, last-forever, 100% reliable, and nobody-knows-why-they-make-this-things-so-expensive SSDs.
I though the x25-m would be the way to go, but I work with +8Gb temps (Photoshop)... I'll have wait and see if Intel comes up with a fix for the 20Gb-a-day issue.

 

no matter what, get an SLC

also, intels MLC 80GB costs as much as a 64GB SLC

 

I'm thinking of upgrading (is it?) to SSD in a couple of months mainly because I hate to carry my notebook like carrying a baby - always thinking if I make the wrong move the HD might not like it.


I don't even know what to say to this. Are you suggesting you'd toss it around if there were an SSD in there? Because I mean, all that other hardware is shatter proof, right?

 

well i routinely run with the laptop in a backpack, if the drive is off then theres far less chance of damage as heads are parked (remember the drives are shipped around the world through a variety of careful and not so careful transport, so they can take a bit of a beating)

only need to be that careful if you use the drive in impact places while it is on - eg running a carpc or similar.

 

I never suggest or even mention tossing but feel free to toss what you want. All I said was there are situations were I find I'd be better off using a baby stroller for my notebook.
English is not my native language but I'll try to illustrate the best I can - this is the most simple example I could think off and feel free to let me now about your experience with SSDs:
You're sitting in your desk using your notebook and you close the lid (it's configure to "do nothing" when lid is closed... just in case someone asks) then you stand up, grab your notebook with one hand and start walking. You can actually walk normally, swinging your arms, with your notebook in just one hand, in the vertical position (ie: 90 degrees to the floor; actually you can do a 360º if you feel really happy with your work) just like if you were carrying a paper notebook. Then you walk a few more meters, give the notebook to a friend, open the lid and ask "so, what do you think about this?".

 

Nicely said Solon! I agree. SSD's are simply more useable. And also, faster.

 

First day of Intel SSD on Newegg!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167005

And lowest price on net too!

 

$621.00

not for me

 

I'm sure Intel will give it to you for $595 if you buy 1000 lol.

 

I'll take it but only if they give me FREE SHIPPING

 

Yes, I think the same thing, leaftye. Yay for NewEgg! Bring the prices down for us!

 

I hope after Intel releases their SLC models that the prices of their MLC ones will fall further. For that matter, I can't wait to see the performance of their SLC ones. If their MLC one is as good as it is compared to current SLC drives, what can we expect from Intel's own attempt at SLC?

 

They did drop a little. I want one of these so bad!

 

Ordered.

Glad Newegg got it, because SOOOO many places won't ship APO/FPO. Even Amazon.com, which so many people in the military get their stuff from, won't do APO/FPO for computer related items.

I miss walking into a Best Buy/CompUSA/Fry's to buy computer parts. Japanese stores are okay, but even Akihabara is different and harder to navigate(not to mention different tastes in computer parts and a massive hike in prices)

 

Long time reading, first time post.
May someone give me an advice, at the same price, which one should I buy between 80GB MLC Intel and 128GB MLC Samsung? I’m about to pay for one this week.

Thank you in advance.

 

New MTron prices. http://rocketdisk.com/products_new.php?osCsid=54a335928bdfd47d39c6546d3a163c9c

looks like they're slc, too. any infos about them anywhere? I'm too tempted to order just all of them right now *haha*. (Rocketdisk knows I'm not joking really.. )

 

Read this review if you want more details: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3403

The Intel SSD totally clobbers the Samsung SSD in performance. Based on that review and others, along with word of mouth, I'd go for the Intel one, hands down, if I had the money and were buying one today.

 

Thank you very much, laserbullet , that is pretty clear answer and the link is very informative. I thing I'll choose Intel, even though it has lower capacity.

 

I just ordered two 64gb mtron mobi 3500 for 778$, that's 128gb for 778$, quite nice. and all slc afai found infos.

I'll test then if i can successfully raid0 them, should be around 200mb readwrite then.

but not for mobile stuff really. mtron should double their storage sizes for mobile environments.. (i can live with 32gb, but others of course can't)

 

First of all, AnandTech tested Samsung SLC in that test, not MLC.

There are no known benchmarks of Samsung MLC drive.

Second, it would be very far-fetched to say that Intel SSD "totally clobbered" Samsung SLC - Intel managed to be better on synthetic benchmark tests, but Samsung was quite faster in:

- Multitasking performance
- Windows boot times
- Also, it was better in many application loading scenarios

And that was precisely why I bought two Samsung SLC drives, because they do seem to perform quite better than Intel X25-M in what matters to me (multitasking and windows/application loading) and they are SLC with much higher write endurance than any MLC could do - Intel or not.

Here: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/intel/showdoc.aspx?i=3403&p=15

 

Dave you are right, we know you're not really joking!

Your research is correct. The new Mtron MOBI 3500 Series is comprised of SLC Flash. In fact, Mtron don't manufacture any MLC at all.

The prices of the new Mtron 3500 Series are incredible. For an SLC SSD, with performance like the Mtron, this is the best SSD in its class. To answer your question, the 2.5" 64GB is in the works. I will keep you all informed as we get closer to release.

And has anybody seen just how affordable the new Mtron 1.8" SSDs are?? Check it out at RocketDisk.com

As a 1.8" SSD, there is no comparable product around for performance, & at these prices.............

 

WOW, I was not aware of the Mtron 3500. What makes this different from the 3000 series? I cannot find that info anywhere. Thanks. Dave

 

The Mtron 3500 Series is brand new. The simple answer is that there are 3 main differences.

1. The 3500 Series is a SATA II interface, where the 3000 Series is SATA I

2. The 3500 Series is faster - 100MB/s Read & 100 MB/s Write

3. The 3500 Series is a LOT cheaper!

 

Thanks. Another game changer from Mtron, very nice!

 

Too bad the 3500 doesn't come in a 64GB 2.5" size

edit: missed the above post where Jonny said the 64GB is coming soon!

 

Pardon the lack of clarity in my post. Since he asked about MLC drives I didn't bother to factor in SLC at all since I assumed it wasn't an option. Yes, the Samsung SLC definitely does not get clobbered by the Intel MLC drive, but the Samsung MLC ones do, if you read customer reviews on Newegg some mention that Samsung MLC (or the rebranded Samsung SSDs, such as OCZ) drives suffer all the same problems mentioned in the section on poorly designed MLC SSDs and their drawbacks.

 

is it your site ?

 

Hi there. It isn't my website, but I work for RocketDisk, & RocketDisk.com is our Company website.

 

I think the rebranded samsung drives (ocz, adata, others) are all SLC. I'm not aware that the samsung MLC has been rebranded(could be wrong??). I think the OCZ core MLC is its own beast, and it one of the worst to suffer stuttering issues.

 

OCZ, G. Skill, and a few others are manufactured from the same factory as the Samsungs. These drives are all SLC. So far I haven't heard of any issues with the Samsung MLC drive. Dell and Lenovo have sold quite a few of them and I have yet to see a complaint on this forum or others. BTW Newegg doesn't sell the Samsung MLC 128GB drive. As far as I know, only Dell and Lenovo have them.

 

i think it's funny how the prices are higher at dvnation, but with a red text below "low price guarantee"

i'm interested that mtron launched the new mobi versions without anyone reporting. it's really a nice price/performance ratio. i'll report when i get them.

including benches of my 1.8", promise

 

All eyes are on you now

 

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/SSD-OCZ-Solid,6555.html
New value SSD from OCZ.

 

ZipZoomFly has the new OCZ value series drive listed, but not in stock right now. OCZ OCZSSD2-1SLD60G is priced at $168.

 

hm.. so quick after all eyes where on obama, they are on me now.. all the world looks at me, asks when will he show the benches...

or so

it'll be in .. 11 hours, then the 1.8" mtron-in-2710p tests will be up. but it looks that i won't get the 64gb disks that week, so it'll be some time till the new system is up.


can't wait

i hope they are awesome, because one 64gb disk should be enough as a bootdisk in a pc for about anyone. still, i got 2 of them, hehe

 

Do you have any info what happened to MTRON 3525-064 (3500 64 GB 2.5") - it is still being shown on MTRON's Website, and some online retailers in Germany were even offering it for sale, but since two weeks ago they indicated that the delivery time is completely unknown.

On some other sites I've heard that MTRON actually cancelled 3500 2.5" 64 GB line.

 

I hope not. It'll be (espencially at the price) one awesome drive.

They canceled the 64gb 1.8" months ago, that was sad enough (for me).

 

Hey Davepermen,

You are very right. This is definitely very appealing. 64GB SLC for such a bargain.

 

yep. and thanks to the good experience with the first tiny mtron i have, and slc in general, i couldn't resist...

 

yes indeed