4 KB Random Performance
Make no mistake about it, the RealSSD P320h is an absolute monster when it comes to random 4 KB reads. Topping out at over 500,000 IOPS, it easily beats the best from OZC and Intel. Micron did caution us that the P320h is optimized for large queue depths and likely wouldn't perform as well with fewer outstanding I/O requests (an admission applicable to any SSD, really). In our testing, we see that at queue depths of 16 and less, Intel's SSD 910 hangs right with the P320h, as its 32 channels simply go underutilized. At a queue depth of 32 and higher, though, Micron's P320h leaves its competition gasping for air. Presented with a workload truly able to push its unique architecture, the P320h rewards you greatly.
Random 4 KB writes, while still very impressive, don't impart as much shock value as read performance did. The RealSSD P320h can't keep up with OCZ's Z-Drive R4, though it easily dispatches Intel's SSD 910 at high queue depths. At low queue depths, the P320h doesn't perform as well. The Intel and OCZ offerings both establish a comfortable edge.
The P320h's average response time is excellent, beating the Z-Drive R4 by a hair.
Our maximum response time test shows the P320h flexing its muscles yet again. This is one of the clearest examples of the benefits afforded by bypassing the SATA/SAS interface entirely. Of course, arming the device with SLC NAND doesn't hurt, either. In fact, the P320h's maximum response time is only slightly higher than the SSD 910's average.
