The Intel Optane SSD 900P 280GB Review
by Billy Tallis on October 27, 2017 9:30 AM ESTBAPCo SYSmark 2014 SE
BAPCo's SYSmark 2014 SE is an application-based benchmark that uses real-world applications to replay usage patterns of business users in the areas of office productivity, media creation and data/financial analysis. In addition, it also addresses the responsiveness aspect which deals with user experience as related to application and file launches, multi-tasking etc. Scores are calibrated against a reference system that is defined to score 1000 in each of the scenarios. A score of, say, 2000, would imply that the system under test is twice as fast as the reference system.
SYSmark scores are based on total application response time as seen by the user, including not only storage latency but time spent by the processor. This means there's a limit to how much a storage improvement could possibly increase scores, because the SSD is only in use for a small fraction of the total test duration. This is a significant difference from our ATSB tests where only the storage portion of the workload is replicated and disk idle times are cut short to a maximum of 25ms.
| AnandTech SYSmark SSD Testbed | |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-7400 |
| Motherboard | ASUS B250-PLUS |
| Chipset | Intel B250 |
| Memory | 2x 8GB Kingston DDR4-2400 CL17 |
| Case | In Win C583 |
| Power Supply | Cooler Master G550M |
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit, version 1703 |
Our SSD testing with SYSmark uses a different test system than the rest of our SSD tests. This machine is set up to measure total system power consumption rather than just the drive's power.
SYSmark 2014 SE doesn't come close to stressing the storage system enough to show meaningful distinctions between high-end NVMe SSDs. The Responsiveness sub-test is the most sensitive to storage performance, and only shows a few percent difference between most SSDs. The overall test barely registers a difference at all. But with my primary power meter broken, SYSmark does provide a rough assessment of how power hungry the Intel Optane SSD 900P is:
The SYSmark energy usage scores measure total system power consumption, excluding the display. Our SYSmark test system idles at around 26 W and peaks at over 60 W measured at the wall during the benchmark run. SATA SSDs seldom exceed 5 W and idle at a fraction of a watt, and the SSDs spend most of the test idle.
Despite being the fastest drive in this bunch and thus the one with the shortest SYSmark run times, the Optane SSD 900P used far more energy over the course of the three SYSmark runs. With higher idle power than even the Intel SSD 750 and similar power draw under load, the Optane SSD 900P really needs its heatsink. Intel is a very long way off from being able to package this level of performance in a M.2 SSD.
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BrokenCrayons - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
Yup, there's the ddriver we all know touting yet another set of unverifiable qualifications that proclaim relevant experience. From getting first pick of hard drives off the pallet at the shipyard to system security and now a decade of multiphysics simulation experience, this shamless self-promoter has done it all and is a SME in everything.It's too bad you're so transparently trying to set a new record in rigged life experiences. Shame!
ddriver - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
You make a persuasive argument :)I criticize intel, that is great, therefore I suck, regardless of how grounded that criticism is.
You criticize me, who sucks, therefore you are great, like intel, regardless of how baseless your criticism is.
I wish I had such lowly and trivially attainable goals in life as you do. That would make things so much easier. I'd basically have to cheer and clap hands at my own stupidity to feel accomplished. Must be nice...
BrokenCrayons - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
The number of times you've replied in this article alone make it clear you serve no useful purpose to the world.ddriver - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
And I guess you responding to so many of my comments if just to whine about it makes you very useful, right? LOLCheapSushi - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
Wouldn't be a AnandTech article without him. I pretty sure nearly every single one has some cynicism from him.ddriver - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
Go and check and come back with the results.BrokenCrayons - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
I like the Optane articles the best when it comes to ddriver. They predictably draw him out and while in the context of Optane, he's even easier to manipulate than usual.ddriver - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
Oh wow, so you are manipulating me now. You mastermind you.Good thing I come out of my troll cave so you can ride that white steed of yours into glorious battle and once again find purpose in life, heroically championing for the dummies of mediocrity :)
All hail the brave sir Dumb-a-lot.
BrokenCrayons - Friday, October 27, 2017 - link
I can tell you feel like you've lost by the way you're resorting to childish name calling.sonny73n - Tuesday, October 31, 2017 - link
OMG ddriver. I've stopped reading your posts after page 3, but at page 8 now I'm still seeing your rantings. You definitely have serious issues.