Samsung SSD PB22-J (256 GB MLC Flash)
Samsung was the first memory maker to send us a flash SSD sample way back in the fall of 2006. Its initial flash SSD prototype was a 32 GB drive that was based on an UltraATA interface (see article: Conventional Hard Drive Obsoletism--Samsung’s 32 GB Flash Drive Previewed). At less than 1 W peak power and 0.05 W idle power, it was one of the most power efficient drives we had ever seen, and it still is if you compare these numbers to other, modern flash SSDs. Its 50 MB/s read throughput and < 30 MB/s write throughput weren’t special, but it was still fast for its time.
256 GB Available Now
The latest Samsung flash SSD generation is really different. Its idle power requirement is in the same vicinity (< 0.1 W), while peak power can reach 1.5 W. However, the latest model, which is called the PB22-J (and will only be available to Samsung OEM customers, such as notebook builders), is more complex and more powerful. The SATA/300 interface alone requires more power and the drive comes with an integrated controller and 1 Gbit cache memory IC (128 MB) to maximize performance. The power consumption results are more than acceptable knowing what’s behind the new drives.
Performance
Samsung offers 64, 128, and 256 GB capacity models, which are all based on multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory and rated at a maximum throughput of 220 MB/s. The 256 GB drive is a 2.5” model, while the 128 GB version fits into a 1.8” form factor and the 64 GB variant is a 1.8” slim device. We measured a maximum of 209 MB/s on an ICH10R-based Core i7 system (X58 chipset) for the 256 GB drive. Intel’s X25 family remains faster at almost 230 MB/s maximum. However, write performance varies: while the 256 and 128 GB models are specified to reach 200 MB/s, the 64 GB version is limited to 120 MB/s. We measured 144-194 MB/s write throughput on our 256 GB sample.
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Nice artice, but 1 small note, on page one.. isn't Samsung’s new PB22-J available a little bigger than 256 MB? Seems small..
Can we have the drop down list of pages back?
I really don't want to go through every single page to get to the results and conclusions.
jpdykes there is a table of contents at the very top.. but i to like the drop down menu
Price?! I can't seem to find it in the article...
Also note that on the graphs the Intel x25-M is labeled as 64GB, where on pg 8 it says it comes as 80 or 160.. Also did the x25-M have the new firmware?
Good point - I missed that!
i like the new table of contents
nice edit
The 256Gb Samsung is available for general sale in the UK; I bought one last week.
I just wish new Table of Contents (TOC), or drop down was on every page, after I get past page 1, you either have to go back to page 1 to jump ahead/around or page though
no OCZ Vertex?
Considering that the Samsung PB22-J is a MLC-based drive like Intel's X25-M, Samsung beats the crap out of Intel with write speeds.
Also, Register Hardware reviewed the same drive six weeks ago!
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/ [...] mmd0e56g5/
@ 1st poster. It think they meant GB
page 2 hard drive specs, 80-500gb??? shouldn't that be 2tb?? and price $100 for 320gb?? try $50 for 320gb or $80 for 500gb
We used to get 3 and 4 new articles a day.Now it's been reduced to one.
I would think with all new teck in the market place we can find more than just hard drives to talk about.
As I mentioned before there are a new host of monitors out there.One that do 120htz and the response times have gotten better.It would seem the 24 inch monitors have been catching up to the smaller 22 inch counter parts in terms of speed.
This is the would be article you won't get for a long time I am afraid.
What I also find odd is that there are more ads on Toms than before but they get rid of our avatars?I have to wonder why?
Thank You for making the "Table of contents" actually accessible!!!
Place the table of contents in every page, not just the first. And put it at the bottom of the page, so you can use it after you read the page. Currently you read the page and have to scroll up to use it.
This article avoids detailed discussion of the controllers used in the SSDs, does not emphasize the importance of small random write tests, and implies that OCZ does not have a product, when in reality the OCZ Vertex using the Indilinx controller has the second best performance to Intel at half the price. The JMicron controller is garbage. Read the vastly superior articles on AnandTech "The SSD Update" and "The SSD Anthology" for more information.
Perhaps this is an irrelevant question, and you'll understand why in a moment, but would owning an SSD with a throughput of over 200 mb/s help in situations where the amount of available ram is exceeded? IE - in games where instead of writing to RAM, the program would have to write to the HD as virtual ram. Oftentimes I would notice a stuttering when a new area in a game was streamed from the HD when I didn't have available ram, would this effect be eliminated? (The reason I felt it was somewhat irrelevant would be because those of us who can afford to buy a $400-600 SSD drive can probably afford a few more gigs of ram - or would have the ram in the first place.)