Conclusion
We talked a lot about performance today, but only touched on the Q300 Pro's pricing. After comparing Samsung's 850 EVO and SanDisk's Extreme Pro, it's difficult to imagine anyone spending more money to buy Toshiba's contender. When the Q300 Pro arrived you could actually acquire a 480GB Extreme Pro and get an extra 240GB drive to go with it, and still be under what the 512GB Q300 Pro is selling for. The Q300 Pro 512GB price has dropped a considerable margin. The drive sells for the same price as the Samsung 850 Pro 512GB but is still $30 more than the Extreme Pro, the best performing SSD in the premium SSD class.
For most enthusiasts, this would make an excellent boot drive if Toshiba could solve its pricing problems. We've mentioned before that this company's client SSDs are some of the best you've never heard of. Previous models used model names like THNSNF and codes that only appealed to OEMs. The Q Series Pro, HG6 and new Q300 Pro at least get a little more consumer-friendly. Now they're recognizable. Those changes, along with better performance, may breathe new life into Toshiba SSDs.
We're excited to see what the company comes up with for its upcoming toolbox utility. At least you already have access to NTI's Echo software for drive cloning. But a comprehensive management tool will be a nice addition, particularly for enthusiasts who want to keep an eye on their drives' vital statistics.
SSDs have moved well beyond the novelty stage, at least as far as SATA-attached drives are concerned. This is largely a value-driven market, and pricing plays as much of a role as performance. These devices are often considered so reliable that we rarely even second-guess longevity, especially from a manufacturer with access to all of the NAND's hidden secrets. The Q300 Pro just doesn't impress us enough from that value angle. It's a solid performer, but you can buy faster storage for less money elsewhere.
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Chris Ramseyer is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Storage. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.