The Full Intel SSD 525 Review: 30GB, 60GB, 120GB, 180GB & 240GB Tested
by Anand Lal Shimpi on February 3, 2013 2:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
- SSDs
- Intel
- SandForce
- Intel SSD 520
- Intel SSD 525
Final Words
There aren't really any new conclusions to be made here now that we've gone through almost all of the capacities of Intel's SSD 525. While I'd still like to see Intel bring its own 6Gbps controller technology down to the client space, the SF-2281 based Intel SSD 525 should be a good solution for any mSATA client machine facing a typical workload. I do appreciate Intel taking the mSATA space seriously, as it hasn't seen a ton of attention from tier 1 vendors or companies with good validation track records.
The 525 offers users looking for an mSATA SSD a wide variety of capacities and a level of performance that's almost equal to the best from the 2.5" SATA SSD space. The icing on the cake is you get quite possibly the best validated SF-2281 SSD on the market, even more so than Intel's SSD 520 thanks to the 525's newer firmware. Once again I'd still prefer a controller of Intel's own design (or perhaps even the upcoming 3rd generation SandForce/LSI controller), but one (or both?) of those things will take several more quarters to come to fruition. Until then, the 525 is a good option.
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Shadowmaster625 - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
So intel is serious about ultrabooks? Their actions seem to prove otherwise.That SSD controller should be integrated into all their i-series cpus. Windows is slow and unwieldy in large part due to intel not providing an efficient nonvolatile storage platform. If every windows installation had guaranteed access to even a small amount of fast nonvolatile memory, then maybe we would see less cpu cycles wasted moving data around from HDD to RAM to another part of RAM and then back to HDD then back to RAM 50 million times.
FunBunny2 - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Here's what Linus said back in 2007:... but Flash-based storage has such a different performance profile from rotating media, that I suspect that it will end up having a large impact on filesystem design. Right now, most filesystems tend to be designed with the latencies of rotating media in mind.
melgross - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
I don't understand why mSATA drives seem to cost more than regular drives. Most drives come in an aluminum case, which isn't cheap to make, plus the assembly that's then required. I would think that these, being just chips on a circuit board, without even the soldered on sockets a regular drive has, would be a good 10% less, not more.mcnabney - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Manufacturing cost frequently has little to do with MSRP.An obvious example of cheaper to produce media selling for more would be compact disks and DVDs versus their predecessors using magnetic tape. The digital media had a significant upcharge despite production costs being significantly lower.
DanNeely - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Probably lower sales volumes. Even if the total sales volumes (and marginal development cost per unit) are similar, relatively few consumers are buying mSata vs 2.5" models. This results in less competition between retailers to push margins down and higher expenses for the same (because of the longer time periods between when they buy and sell the devices that their purchase costs have to be covered by borrowing).melgross - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Manufacturers will be the main customers for these drives. But price also determines sales volume. Price them too high and volume drops. There couldn't have been too much extra R&D on these, as they are basically the same as drives inside a case. The small circuit boards cost little to design and manufacturer, and Intel is paying the same thing for the chips.RU482 - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
good to see that newegg is off to some early profiteering with the 120GB version on sale at $169.99philipma1957 - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Simple make a mobo that runs them at sata III speeds. I have yet to find one.A small form itx with a 480gb crucial m500 running at full sata III would be a reason to buy a mSata.
I really quite a bit frustrated as this block to my build in the coolermaster elite 120 cases. the case allows
an i7 3770k
a full sized psu
a full sized bluray
a full sized hd7970
the better itx mobos have a msata slot that boots but they are sata II.
it is a real shame as this case allows for high over clock speeds with easy mods.
you can have an almost perfect one card machine with the msata ssd.
you can fit a 2.5 inch sata ssd so you can have a very powerful machine but a power wire a sata wire and the drive case itself do make the case more crowded.
Jaseemxx91 - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Can anybody tell me if this will fit inside my Ux31e Ultrabook?Anand have said that it has a different port than that of an Mac book Air here
www.anandtech.com/show/5854/asus-zenbook-ssd-and-apples-macbook-air-ssd-are-not-compatible
My Zenbook ssd is dead, and i dont know which one to get, that is compatible in my system.
Could somebody help me with this?
I would really love an Answer from Anand himself, as he has already seen and inspected the Connector himself. But as i am not So Lucky guy, i dont really think Anand would even read this :/
Btw, Congrats on this extremelY informative Site of yours. Keep up the Great Work. :)
Death666Angel - Monday, February 4, 2013 - link
Asus uses a proprietary connector as well, so any off the market mSATA drive will not work. Look for specific UX31 drives. Email ASUS, they should be able to provide you with information and maybe even a replacement (for free or for money). If you want to reach Anand directly, try Twitter. :)