The SSD Update: Vertex Gets Faster, New Indilinx Drives and Intel/MacBook Problems Resolved
by Anand Lal Shimpi on March 30, 2009 12:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
FC-Test: Just to Make Sure
I ran one more set of tests to further vet the updated firmware. Using Xbitlab’s FC-Test I ran a few file creation and file copy benchmarks on the Vertex. The benchmark will simply create a directory full of files and then, at your request, time how long it takes to copy those files. The number and size of the files depend on the pattern you ask FC-Test to use. You can also create your own patterns based on existing files and directories on your system. To keep things simple I ran three tests: 1) Copying ISOs, 2) Copying MP3s and 3) Creating the FarCry 2 installation directory. The first two come with the benchmark, the last one I made using my FarCry 2 installation directory - it’s the closest I could come to simulate a game-installation benchmark.
The performance improvements speak for themselves:
All in all the 1275 firmware looks to be promising. While it won’t make the Vertex into something it’s not, it will make the drive an even bigger value if we can be sure that there are no added problems associated with the new firmware.
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monoton - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
Hello Anand,I've read your articles about SSD with great interest and enjoyed the in-depth reviewing very very much.
Now with this update all I asked myself when seeing the headline was: Does it stutter (again)? You do mention random write performance but the maximum latency for random 4kb writes isn't stated at all. You were dwelling on that part so extensively in the other article that I thought it might have been a good idea to have it updated here. Please, pretty please, with sugar on top ;) let us know about it. Why else should we pay the extra cash to get the Intel...
One other thing also: You had a comment in that other article about the method of simulating the "used" drives - did you also fill up the spare blocks this time? Because the comment says, that it would bias the test results towards the Intel drive.
All in all no biggies, and I hope you continue to do these amazing reviews for a long time!
Best,
monoton
monoton - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
Btw. the comment I'm referring to is the top one on pg. 19 of the comments.mschira - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
Did you test any SSD directly plugged into the PCI-e slot likethe Fusion-io?Cheers
M.
LinkerX - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
Anandtech has become the go to site since Toms Hardware turned in to junk. Keep up the great work.JonnyDough - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
"Your words and support are what inspire me to, even today almost 12 years since I started AnandTech, continue to work on things like The SSD Anthology or The RV770 Story. Thank you."(quote button doesn't work so I just used quotes)
You mean you don't get paid for your articles? Tell the crustacean man to get on it.
Akkuma - Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - link
I recently told my roommate I read AnandTech and have been doing so for years (about 6 or so now). He told me about how he went to high school with him (he is from Raleigh, NC) and was driving Porsches back then, handing out freebies from all the stuff he got to friends, bought his parents a home, etc..I don't hold it against the guy, but he is making some extremely serious bank from the site when he is one of the original computer hardware review sites.
strikeback03 - Thursday, April 2, 2009 - link
Least he earned the money. We had people in my HS driving (brand new) Porsches that their parents had bought them.Bladen - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
Keep up the good work.I have always seen this site as the most professional of it's kind.
RyuDeshi - Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - link
I agree. I can never read through an entire THG article.. yet I managed to real almost every last word of multiple SSD articles Anand has posted. Keep up the excellent work!semo - Monday, March 30, 2009 - link
"OCZ and Indilinx want to slot their drive in between the JMicron garbage and the Intel drive"gold. those scumbags must have set back ssd adoption by years in certain sectors. i still hear the AMD processors are too hot nonsense every once in a while.