Intel Releases SSD Toolbox 3.0 Software

The new Intel SSD Toolbox offers a new visual interface, with pie-charts and all. With the new interface, you see your drives as tabs across the top, with the Intel drives listed first. You are able to see vital information for your Intel SSD, including: Model Number, Capacity, Firmware version, Drive Health, and Estimated Drive Life Remaining (useful for those worried about drive life). The toolbox provides SMART attributes and IDENTIFY DEVICE information for Intel SSDs and non-Intel SSDs.

Going down the tabs on the side of the toolbox, you see tools for:

1. Optimizing the performance of an Intel SSD using Trim functionality
2. Updating the firmware on a supported Intel SSD (see below for more details)
3. Running either a quick or full diagnostic scans to test the read and write functionality of an Intel SSD
4. Checking and tuning your system settings for optimal Intel SSD performance, power efficiency, and endurance
5. Viewing your system information and hardware configuration, such as central processing unit (CPU), chipset, controller name, and driver versions
6. Running Secure Erase on a secondary Intel SSD

Intel SSD Toolbox 2.0

The Intel SSD Toolbox supports firmware updates on the following Intel SSDs: 

The Intel SSD Toolbox does not support firmware updates on the following Intel SSDs. To update the firmware on these SSDs, use the Intel® SATA Solid-State Drive Firmware Update Tool.

The SSD Toolbox 3.0 can be downloaded for free at Intel's website.