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    ThinkPad X220 SATA speed. 3Gbps or 6Gbps?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by jumpycalm, Apr 16, 2011.

  1. jumpycalm

    jumpycalm Notebook Enthusiast

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    The Intel QM67 chipset supports 6 Gb/s transfer rate for SATA port, however the www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook.pdf file indicates that it has only 3.0Gb/s transfer rate.

    The actual speed of SATA port on X220 is still a mystery.

    Anybody who actually tested the machine with a SATA III SSD please post your results here please!
     
    jumpycalm, Apr 16, 2011
    #1
  2. Colonel O'Neill

    Colonel O'Neill Notebook Deity

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    Supposedly, the entire generation supports 6 Gbps. Lenovo just doesn't offer anything other than 3 Gbps drives from the factory.
     
    Colonel O'Neill, Apr 16, 2011
    #2
  3. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    How would you prove SATA III support?
     
    Thors.Hammer, Apr 17, 2011
    #3
  4. gmoneyphatstyle

    gmoneyphatstyle Notebook Deity

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    Someone would have have to run speed benchmarks testing the newer SATA III SSDs on the thinkpads to see if they are infact capable of utilizing the SATA III speed.

    SATA II is 3 Gb/s.
    SATA III, 6Gb/s, SSDs include, intel 510, OCZ Vertex3, can't think of any otheres.

    This Keith Comb guy at TechNet claims to of spoken to Lenovo. But we can't really trust Crazy Lenovo so what we need to see are those SATAIII SSD Benchmarks.
    Lenovo ThinkPad W520 - mini review - Keith Combs' Blahg - Site Home - TechNet Blogs
     
    gmoneyphatstyle, Apr 17, 2011
    #4
  5. talin

    talin Notebook Prophet

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    talin, Apr 17, 2011
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  6. erik

    erik modifier

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    the official word from lenovo is that all huron river systems support SATA 6Gbps.   perhaps this should be a sticky at the top of the forum.

    the PSREF sheets only list the drive speed, not the interface speed.   this apparently has caused a great deal of confusion.
     
    erik, Apr 17, 2011
    #6
  7. jumpycalm

    jumpycalm Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have 3 ways to test and SATA III:
    1. Put the SATA III SSD into the UltraBay.
    2. Use a SATA cable to connect the X220 and SATA III SSD.
    3. If you open a OCZ SSD, you will find the circuit board is very thin, so you can ether make a 7mm case for the circuit board or you can put the Intel 510 circuit board into a Intel 320 case.
     
    jumpycalm, Apr 17, 2011
    #7
  8. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    By proof I mean how would you push enough data to go above the 3GB line and really check each interface in the system? There are three now.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Apr 17, 2011
    #8
  9. Karamazovmm

    Karamazovmm Overthinking? Always!

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    just use crystal disk mark
     
    Karamazovmm, Apr 17, 2011
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  10. aviv.barton

    aviv.barton Newbie

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    as i understand OCZ ssd drive vertex 3 is 9 mm with the casing and the thinkpad has only a 7mm opening . so how do i read that people install it ?

    also does anyone know if i will enjoy the high speed of 600 MB/s transfer rates ?
     
    aviv.barton, Jun 2, 2011
    #10
  11. thetoast

    thetoast Notebook Evangelist

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    It's not a 7mm opening. The 7mm drives use spacers in order to fit the bay.

     
    thetoast, Jun 2, 2011
    #11
  12. MidnightSun

    MidnightSun Emodicon

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    Yes, the X220 only takes 7mm 2.5" HDDs, not 9.5mm ones. See this thread for suggestions.

    Regarding SATA speeds, please see the sticky: http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/572043-sata-6-gbps-official-word.html
     
    MidnightSun, Jun 2, 2011
    #12