OCZ Vertex 4 128 GB: Revisiting Write Performance With Firmware 1.5

Features
By published

In our recent look at the Vertex 4 SSD equipped with firmware 1.4, we found that the 128 GB drive's write performance depended heavily on available capacity. OCZ disagreed, but then quickly rolled out firmware 1.5. So, we're back to test the new build.

Firmware 1.5: HD Tune And hIOmon Disk I/O Ranger

We ran HD Tune after updating to the beta build of firmware version 1.5 and executing a secure erase. The results are similar to those obtained with firmware 1.4.1.3, so let’s see how things change on a formatted drive using our revised test procedure.

In the two bar charts below, we compare the DXTI for transfer/copy workloads in firmware 1.4.1.3 and 1.5 beta. The difference is remarkable. The beta version of 1.5 effectively mitigates the slowdown previously observed. The only odd behavior we noticed was a lock-up that occurred when folders one, two, and four were deleted at the same time. Our test platform became unresponsive for several seconds, which OCZ agrees is likely related to the garbage collection process working in the background.

Firmware 1.4.1.3

Firmware 1.5 Beta

Firmware 1.5

Now, we run the same test using OCZ's final release of firmware 1.5. Copying folders one and two happens faster than it did in the beta; however, subsequent transfers behave a lot more like firmware 1.4.1.3.