Overall System Performance using PCMark Vantage

Next up is PCMark Vantage, another system-wide performance suite. For those of you who aren’t familiar with PCMark Vantage, it ends up being the most real-world-like hard drive test I can come up with. It runs things like application launches, file searches, web browsing, contacts searching, video playback, photo editing and other completely mundane but real-world tasks. I’ve described the benchmark in great detail before but if you’d like to read up on what it does in particular, take a look at Futuremark’s whitepaper on the benchmark; it’s not perfect, but it’s good enough to be a member of a comprehensive storage benchmark suite. Any performance impacts here would most likely be reflected in the real world.

PCMark Vantage

PCMark Vantage doesn't look too good paired with the 510. On a 6Gbps controller the Intel SSD 510 performs in line with the 3Gbps Vertex 3, however the 6Gbps Vertex 3 is untouchable. And over a 3Gbps interface the 510 is no better than a C300.

The pure HDD tests (below) are, at best, SF-1200 level. The SF-2200 is untouchable here. Based on what we've seen thus far I'm guessing this has a lot to do with the random read performance of the 510 once more.

PCMark Vantage - Memories Suite

PCMark Vantage - TV & Movies Suite

PCMark Vantage - Gaming Suite

PCMark Vantage - Music Suite

PCMark Vantage - Communications Suite

PCMark Vantage - Productivity Suite

PCMark Vantage - HDD Suite

AS-SSD High Queue Depth Incompressible Sequential Performance SYSMark 2007
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  • someguy11 - Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - link

    Hey Anand
    I've been reading your SSD bibles for years, searching and keeping abreast of the latest SSD news so I'd know the best before taking the plunge.

    Well, I took the plunge after reading some reviews of the Samsung SSDs elsewhere. The price of a 60GB ($90) was too hard to pass up. In short I'm happy. Very happy.

    Why dont any Samsungs appear in these exhaustive SSD lists? Do you have plans to do so?
  • sequoia464 - Wednesday, March 2, 2011 - link

    I have to agree with some of the earlier comments on the size of the drives tested. Hopefully you can promptly add the Vertex 3 and this new Intel in the 120 GB flavors to your SSD BENCH when they are available. The larger capacity drives are just unafordable for quite a few of us, at least to me anyway.

    Too bad the manufacturers don't send you the smaller capacity drives as well initially, although I understand why they don't. All of the Vertex3 results that I have seen so far are on the 240 GB drive also.

    As comprehensive as the SSD bench currently is I'm sure that the 120 Gb versions will eventually be in there.

    Thanks for the review.
  • Rasta_Cook - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    It would be really nice if the corsair performance 3 could be benched and compared to intel 510, both use the same controller, however the corsair p3 has barely any reviews online even though it has been available for a while now.
  • yekn - Sunday, March 6, 2011 - link

    actually Corsair P3 has the same level high sequential number and poor random number, which lead me to believe P3 and 510 are using the same firmware with different Nand.
    looks like Intel not only uses 3rd party controller but also 3rd party firmware.
  • Ryomitomo - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    I would also like to find out how this SSD perform against the rest. This drive had been on the market for a while now. Thank you!
  • RealGsus - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    Hi guys,

    I really hope you can help me out. I'm putting together a new system and am looking for a new SSD. I've been awaiting the arrival of the new intel drive, but I'm a little disappointed with its performance.

    So I'm wondering which would be the best choice for a pretty much gaming-system.

    Crucial C300 128GB
    Intel G2 120GB
    Intel 510 120GB

    Guess it's narrowed down to these three, since the Vertex three is month away and also the C400 shouldn't be coming within the next weeks?

    Thanks in advance for any opinions on this :)

    Kind regards,
    Gsus
  • princekermit - Friday, March 4, 2011 - link

    I have the C300 128 and I am very pleased with it.
  • RealGsus - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    Hi guys,

    I really hope you can help me out. I'm putting together a new system and am looking for a new SSD. I've been awaiting the arrival of the new intel drive, but I'm a little disappointed with its performance.

    So I'm wondering which would be the best choice for a pretty much gaming-system.

    Crucial C300 128GB
    Intel G2 120GB
    Intel 510 120GB

    Guess it's narrowed down to these three, since the Vertex three is month away and also the C400 shouldn't be coming within the next weeks?

    Thanks in advance for any opinions on this :)

    Kind regards,
    Gsus
  • Sampleboy - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    Any chance we could get the benchmarks for the OCZ RevoDrive X2 thrown into the mix for comparison? It's about the same price point now as the Intel 510 so I'm debating between the two.
  • hyperasus - Thursday, March 3, 2011 - link

    I do not understand why Anand didn't include the latest Corsair drives in this review. Has Corsair done something to offend AnandTech?

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