Benchmark Results: PCMark Vantage Storage Test
PCMark Vantage comes as close as we get to approximating real-world performance using a synthetic benchmark. The Application Loading metric measures disk drive performance while loading Microsoft Word 2007, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Internet Explorer 7, and Outlook 2007.
OCZ’s RevoDrive X2 takes a first-place finish in this very desktop-class workload, but it’s margin isn’t as large as in some of the enterprise-oriented I/O measurements.
The Gaming test results are even more interesting. Using >99% streaming reads, the Intel X25-M actually wins this one, followed by the Vertex 2. OCZ’s multi-controller cards fall into third, fourth, and fifth place.
The video editing test is split more evenly between reads and writes. Here, the RevoDrive X2 retakes a first-place finish, followed closely by the IBIS and first-gen RevoDrive. The Intel X25-M and OCZ Vertex 2 trail quite a ways back.
Given the extreme sequential read and write performance of OCZ’s PCIe-based products, these results come as no surprise.
A Windows Defender scan in Windows Vista favors the similarly-configured RevoDrive X2 and IBIS. Given that this is mostly read-oriented, the exceptional SandForce performance is expected. It’s interesting that Intel’s drive trails by the margin that it does, though.
Divided fairly evenly between reads and writes, we see phenomenal throughput in this multi-tasked workload where video is played back, streamed to an Extender, and recorded, all at the same time. This puts the sort of load on OCZ’s high-end products needed to differentiate them from the first-gen RevoDrive, the single-controller Vertex 2, and Intel’s aged X25-M.
Intel shocks with a top-finish in this mostly read-oriented test, where music is added to Windows Media Player 11. We can only assume that the data involved in this metric is not handled well by SandForce’s DuraClass architecture.
Though the photo import test is also mostly read-based, The RevoDrive X2 shows much better performance. With that said, the IBIS and RevoDrive are hot on its heels. Intel doesn’t do badly, trouncing the Vertex 2.
Vista startup is naturally almost all reads. The three PCI Express-based SSDs finish one after the other, while Intel’s X25-M barely outpaces OCZ’s Vertex 2.
