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Firmware 1.5: Iometer Test File Monitoring

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After secure erasing the Vertex 4, we created a test file using Iometer that filled the drive with 64 KB sequential blocks and monitored write activity at the physical device using Window’s Performance Monitor.

As the file is created, performance drops when capacity shrinks below 50%. Write speeds, specifically, decelerate from a maximum of maximum of 352.42 MiB/s to a minimum of 64.31 MiB/s.  

Next, we place 50% static data on the drive and use Iometer to recreate a test file that fills the remaining 59.5 GB. Once 50% of the still-available capacity is consumed, write speeds drop from a maximum of 356.12 MiB/s to a minimum of 73.31 MiB/s.

Finally, we place 74% static data on the drive and use Iometer to recreate a test file that fills the remaining capacity. Before we can get to 50% of what's left, write speeds quickly drop from a maximum of 363.22 MiB/s. Because this happened so close to when monitoring began, zero writes are recorded before the file transfer starts to peak and drop to around 73.31 MiB/s.

These results mirror our observations using HD Tune.

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DeusAres 07/18/2012 4:55 AM
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Good idea I suppose. Nothing that's going to particularly influence my decision. Probably gonna be sticking with either a Crucial or Corsair SSD. :)

mayankleoboy1 07/18/2012 6:02 AM
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on pages 6 and 7, the author of the article is shown as "Chris angelini"
the rest of the pages show "Richard Hart"

mayankleoboy1 07/18/2012 6:11 AM
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does the rearrangement of data occur only during a reboot cycle?
how much idle time is needed for the data rearrangement to take place?
And what is the authors recommendation on a Vertex4? should a user buy Vertex 4 over a Samsung/Sandforce?

lutel 07/18/2012 6:41 AM
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Does this SDD support full disk encryption with any of the Intel desktop mainboards (Ivy Bridge)? AFAIK Intel is not supporting FDE since Q67 and although Q77 is capable of FDE, there is no mobo with BIOS that can support it. Could Tomshardware investigate it?

TheSandman 07/18/2012 7:57 AM
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So keep the disk under half full and it wears out twice as fast?
Does the performance mode mean that the wear leveling is constrained to the first bit of every cell and therefore the drive wears out quicker compared to normal mode?

anonymous 07/18/2012 1:01 PM
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I went from firmware 1.3 to 1.5, the performance increase is huge, but the down side is that the drive is not 128GB anymore but only 120GB. Has anyone else seen this issue also? Did OCZ reserve more spare?

JohnnyLucky 07/18/2012 1:52 PM
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redgarl 07/18/2012 1:59 PM
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Anonymous :
I went from firmware 1.3 to 1.5, the performance increase is huge, but the down side is that the drive is not 128GB anymore but only 120GB. Has anyone else seen this issue also? Did OCZ reserve more spare?


It is actually occuring with update 1.4. Hmm, damn I need to do another clone disk before doing the update.

kissingman 07/18/2012 2:53 PM
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Bother! I just purchased one.The more worse is this one has updated to firmware 1.4.

blazorthon 07/18/2012 4:12 PM
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JohnnyLucky :
How many additional firmware updates are needed before OCZ gets it right?



Do you dislike manufacturers improving their products without demanding that you pay more money for the improvements?

anonymous 07/18/2012 6:06 PM
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ohnnyLucky :

How many additional firmware updates are needed before OCZ gets it right?

such a stupid comment. don't download any more updates from nvidia or amd then!

rebel1280 07/18/2012 7:20 PM
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fausto412 07/18/2012 8:04 PM
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i am confused, all the hand wringing over SSD performance...does it matter to the end user who just uses internet browsers, windows and loads a game or two?

theconsolegamer 07/18/2012 11:27 PM
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And still SSD's are better suited to boot drives.

blazorthon 07/19/2012 12:39 AM
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fausto412 :
i am confused, all the hand wringing over SSD performance...does it matter to the end user who just uses internet browsers, windows and loads a game or two?



The average user and even somewhat above average users probably won't be able to effectively use very high end SSDs any better than much lower end SSDs. Many people can use the performance advantage, but most people probably won't unless they really try to in an unrealistic situation, such as a storage benchmark. End users who do more than minor internet browsing and such can find the performance advantage of high end SSDs almost vital to their usage.

husker 07/19/2012 3:35 PM
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fausto412 :
i am confused, all the hand wringing over SSD performance...does it matter to the end user who just uses internet browsers, windows and loads a game or two?


Are you also confused about 4 bedroom houses, cars, and gourmet cooking? Because there are some people who live alone, prefer to walk, and eat salads.

Traum 07/19/2012 6:49 PM
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Quote :

So keep the disk under half full and it wears out twice as fast?
Does the performance mode mean that the wear leveling is constrained to the first bit of every cell and therefore the drive wears out quicker compared to normal mode?



I think you are mis-interpreting that a bit. I would look at it as an either or scenario -- either you keep the disk less than half full, or you suffer from the drive wearing out faster. Only 1 of the 2 will occur.

Having said that, it does raise some concerns for me when the drive is more than 1/2 full. Realistically speaking, I think the market would be better served if manufacturers simply go with 2 tiers of SSD drives -- one using MLC for slower but high capacity drives, and the other using SLC for faster but lower capacity drives. Using MLC chips and making them behave like SLC at the cost of significantly reduced life seems like a poor idea to me.

blazorthon 07/19/2012 7:38 PM
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Traum :
I think you are mis-interpreting that a bit. I would look at it as an either or scenario -- either you keep the disk less than half full, or you suffer from the drive wearing out faster. Only 1 of the 2 will occur.Having said that, it does raise some concerns for me when the drive is more than 1/2 full. Realistically speaking, I think the market would be better served if manufacturers simply go with 2 tiers of SSD drives -- one using MLC for slower but high capacity drives, and the other using SLC for faster but lower capacity drives. Using MLC chips and making them behave like SLC at the cost of significantly reduced life seems like a poor idea to me.



The lifetime is unlikely to change because of this. The NAND flash cells are almost always the longest lasting part of a drive by far. If anything, the drive would probably fail due to the power circuitry, firmware, controller, etc. etc. before flash cells start failing.

fausto412 07/19/2012 8:53 PM
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husker :
Are you also confused about 4 bedroom houses, cars, and gourmet cooking? Because there are some people who live alone, prefer to walk, and eat salads.



first let me call you ASSHOLE.
second, let me answer: SSD's are complicated and still evolving storage instruments, you can't find 2 web sites testing them the same as you do with video cards, results change with each firmware update and from brand to brand even when the same controller and nand is used. If the shit isn't confusing to you then pint a rose on your nose but I wasn't an early adopter and haven't followed the ins and outs over the last 4 years. Now that i am considering an SSD I would like to find out from people who have paid attention what the deal is.

No i don't get confused by 4 bedroom houses, cars, and gourmet cooking? that i've visited before, driven before or ate before.
Smart ass.


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