Results: 128 KB Sequential Performance
Fantastic sequential read and write performance is a trademark of modern SSDs. To measure it, we use incompressible data over a 16 GB LBA space, then test at queue depths from one to 16. We're reporting these numbers in binary (where 1 KB equals 1024) instead of decimal numbers (where 1 KB is 1000 bytes). When necessary, we're also limiting the scale of the chart to enhance readability.
128 KB Sequential Read
It's not necessary to spend much time talking about the sequential performance achieved by these three OCZ drives; they're fast. In fact, most of the time, they're quicker than almost everything else subject to the same SATA limitations.
128 KB Sequential Write
Again, there just isn't much reason to speak to the Vector 150's sequential speed. The interesting stuff comes later. Based on this testing, the Vector 150 is as fast as the Vector, and both are faster than any other SATA 6Gb/s drive.
For what its worth, the evolution of OCZ's line-up, from the Everest-based Vertex 4 to the Barefoot 3-powered Vector 150, is interesting. Whatever OCZ is doing is working. But like SanDisk's Extreme II, Samsung's EVO, and a few other offerings that employ various methods to emulate SLC using MLC flash, you don't get those performance levels all of the time. They are evident usually though, and their effects are profound.
Here's a break-down of the maximum observed 128 KB sequential read and write performance with Iometer:
The Vector and Vector 150 take second and third place, just below the awesome M.2 PCIe-based SanDisk A110. If sequential performance is all you care about, OCZ's drives are clearly spectacular. Or are they? Aggravatingly, the answer depends. More on this shortly. For now, we move to 4 KB random performance.
