The Plextor M8Pe (512GB) SSD Review
by Billy Tallis on December 14, 2016 9:00 AM ESTSequential Read Performance
The sequential read test requests 128kB blocks and tests queue depths ranging from 1 to 32. The queue depth is doubled every three minutes, for a total test duration of 18 minutes. The test spans the entire drive, and the drive is filled before the test begins. The primary score we report is an average of performances at queue depths 1, 2 and 4, as client usage typically consists mostly of low queue depth operations.
The heatsink makes a big difference for sequential read speeds: the M8PeY is essentially tied with the Samsung 960 Pro and EVO (both of which have the advantage of higher capacity). Without the heatsink, the M8PeGN delivers average performance for MLC-based PCIe SSDs.
The M8PeY with its large heatsink (and LEDs) draws significantly more power than any of the M.2 PCIe SSDs to deliver top-notch performance. Without the heatsink (but with thermal throttling) the M8PeGN is still one of the most power-hungry drives. Neither configuration offers great efficiency.
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The sequential read performance of the M8Pe saturates at QD4 when the heatsink is used, but without the heatsink it is thermally limited for almost all of the test.
Sequential Write Performance
The sequential write test writes 128kB blocks and tests queue depths ranging from 1 to 32. The queue depth is doubled every three minutes, for a total test duration of 18 minutes. The test spans the entire drive, and the drive is filled before the test begins. The primary score we report is an average of performances at queue depths 1, 2 and 4, as client usage typically consists mostly of low queue depth operations.
As with random writes and sequential reads, the heatsink makes a big difference for sustained sequential writes. Without the heatsink, the M8Pe's high power consumption leads to enough thermal throttling that it is the slowest MLC PCIe SSD in the bunch, but still substantially faster than SATA. With the heatsink, speeds are over 50% faster and the M8Pe is on par with the Intel SSD 750.
The power consumption situation is very similar to what we saw on the sequential read test. The thermally-limited M8PeGN draws a similar amount of power to the Samsung 960 Pro, while the M8PeY draws much more, and neither wins a prize for efficiency.
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Without a heatsink, thermal throttling starts very early on this test, but the M8PeGN gets in enough of a burst at the beginning to have a noticeably better average at QD 1 than later in the test. With the heatsink, the M8PeY shows mostly flat performance across the entire duration of the test.
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DigitalFreak - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
Bullwinkle was actually a bit retarded, so the username fits.Bullwinkle J Moose - Friday, December 16, 2016 - link
My dear Mr Freak,I test actual numbers with a consistent hardware/software combination
If I get new hardware and software and the results for a specific SSD change by 1.7%, I can correct for the the new hardware/software for ALL of the SSD's tested without running new tests
With Synthetic benchmarks we cannot guarantee the accuracy between tests but more importantly the consistency between tests whenever you change test machines with different hardware/software/driver combo's
I can correct my results for different hardware and get reliably consistent results
You Cannot!
So you call ME the Retard?
You just don't get what it is that you just don't get
Meteor2 - Friday, December 16, 2016 - link
Watch your mouth. Until then, people won't respect you.BrokenCrayons - Friday, December 16, 2016 - link
"With Synthetic benchmarks we cannot guarantee..."Just like you've done in the past, you're advocating a controversial position you know will generate responses so you can get attention. Even if it's negative attention, you're still seeking it out.
MrSpadge - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10909/the-plextor-m8...1. Sequential read, QD1: 1500 MB/s
2. Sequential write, QD1: 1100 MB/s
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10909/the-plextor-m8...
3. Mixed sequential transfers, 50:50 distribution, QD1: 450 MB/s
Bullwinkle J Moose - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
MrSpadgeCan you show how these Synthetic Benchmarks relate to actual timed file transfers for accuracy?
If not, you are zero for three as well
Try comparing ACTUAL TIMED TRANSFERS for the copy/paste test I outlined on ANY SSD you currently own and compare it to the results given for synthetic results at this site!
Are they consistently repeatable and reliable?
How far off are they?
ZERO FOR THREE!
NEXT!
BrokenCrayons - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
I see you're trying to boost your self-esteem by attempting to discredit someone that tried to help you.Bullwinkle J Moose - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
Simply repeating incorrect numbers from a synthetic benchmark is no help to anyoneIf you want to at least make the numbers sound believable, try
1483.8 MB/s read
1136.9 MB/s write
437.2 MB/s mixed
not 1500 / 1100 / 450
still wrong but more believable
ZERO FOR THREE!
MrSpadge - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
By insisting on "TIMED TRANSFERS", do you imply this would be a better than reporting the average throughput? Keep in mind that determining the throughput requires a time measurement. the result is just normalized to the amount of transfered data to make it universally useful (not everyone is interested in monolithic 100 GB files).And you talk a lot about accuracy and repeatability. Well, I suspect the benchmarks from AT are just that. However, what is not accurate and repeatable is if I do just what you said: take any random computer and run that copy test. Things influencing such a test, to a varying degree:
- software used for copying
- filling state of the SSD
- wear of the NAND
- interface version used (SATA2?)
- mainboard: controller hardware & firmware
- OS
- storage driver
- additional caching software
- background activity (e.g. how many tabs are open in the browser? how is the add blocker configured?)
This list is not complete, of course. So when is a test meaningful, real world and simple enough for you? When it matches your system in each of those points? Then you won't find a single satisfying review on the web, unless you create it yourself. But be aware that your results won't apply directly to others, so people will complain that you tested in a strange way.
Bullwinkle J Moose - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
Quote: By insisting on "TIMED TRANSFERS", do you imply this would be a better than reporting the average throughput?---------------------------------
If I time the transfer of 100GB in 66.66 seconds, I get 1500MB/sec average throughput so not
sure of your point there
1GB / 10GB / 100GB or whatever, as long as the same value is used between drives under test to get a valid comparison between drives on the same hardware + Software (No additional Caching)
The rest of your argument is valid, You may pass!
Synthetic testing may be fine for you but the numbers are meaningless for me
Go with whatever works for you