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

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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: AS SSD Compression Benchmark

In the charts below, we compare firmware 1.4.1.3, 1.5 beta, and 1.5 final using AS SSD's Compression Benchmark after folders one, two, and three are transferred, leaving 25% free space.

Performance is immediately restored with firmware 1.5 beta, and is markedly different from what we observed with firmware 1.4.1.3. When we ran AS SSD's Compression Benchmark on the final version of firmware 1.5, performance appeared more erratic. Our hypothesis is that read and write performance are impacted by internal clean-up operations running in the background when the benchmark was active. So, we rebooted and re-ran the test. The results looked a lot more like the results for firmware 1.5 beta.

Firmware 1.4.1.3

Firmware 1.5 Beta

Firmware 1.5

Richard Hart
34 Comments Comment from the forums
  • DeusAres
    Good idea I suppose. Nothing that's going to particularly influence my decision. Probably gonna be sticking with either a Crucial or Corsair SSD. :)
    Reply
  • mayankleoboy1
    on pages 6 and 7, the author of the article is shown as "Chris angelini"
    the rest of the pages show "Richard Hart"
    Reply
  • mayankleoboy1
    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?
    Reply
  • lutel
    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?
    Reply
  • TheSandman
    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?
    Reply
  • 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?
    Reply
  • JohnnyLucky
    How many additional firmware updates are needed before OCZ gets it right?
    Reply
  • redgarl
    AnonymousI 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.
    Reply
  • kissingman
    Bother! I just purchased one.The more worse is this one has updated to firmware 1.4.
    Reply
  • blazorthon
    JohnnyLuckyHow 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?
    Reply