OCZ Vertex 4 Review (128GB), Firmware 1.4/1.5 Tested
by Kristian Vättö on August 4, 2012 10:00 AM ESTAS-SSD Incompressible Sequential Performance
The AS-SSD sequential benchmark uses incompressible data for all of its transfers. The result is a pretty big reduction in sequential write speed on SandForce based controllers, while other drives continue to work at roughly the same speed as with compressible data.
AS-SSD's sequential read performance has surprisingly gone downhill with the 1.4 firmware. The drops are not huge, only 17.1MB/s (~4%) for 256GB model and 31.5MB/s (~7%) for the 512GB one. While firmware 1.5 brings some improvement, it's not enough to take performance back to the level it originally was.
OCZ claimed increased sequential write speeds with both 1.4 and 1.5 firmwares. IO Meter didn't show any significant changes but AS-SSD is telling a different story. The 256GB model gets a substantial boost of over 100MB/s and the 1.5 firmware should give a small increase as well if the scores of 512GB model are anything to go by. Vertex 4 is definitely in its own class when it comes to high queue depth sequential write performance, although we'll find out how big of a deal this is in real world performance once we get to AnandTech Storage Benches.
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hasseb64 - Sunday, August 5, 2012 - link
This OCZ firmware review biz has to stop. Let them get ONE chance to deliver a FINALIZED PRODUCT (review it 1 time, and then it is enogh). We consumers should not accept a half finished product.jwilliams4200 - Sunday, August 5, 2012 - link
The solution to that is simple. Just do what I do. Never buy OCZ.peevee - Monday, August 6, 2012 - link
EXACTLY!OCZ is a sketchy business. We remember upder0the-table downgrade of Vertex 2. We remember blue-screening Vertex/Agility 3s. Now this.
OCZ employs incompetent firmware engineers. 15 months later after I purchased my Vertex 3, and the latest firmware is still unstable.
Now all modern SATA III SSDs are fast enough for desktop use. The main differentiators are reliability and quality of support. And at these metrics OCZ is the worst of the worst. They still cannot upgrade firmware on a system drive from Windows, they still don't work with Mac at all, they still will require you to "Sec erase" your drive with your system (and then spend hundred hours to reinstall and reconfigure everything again) every time they update firmware, they still don't allow you to go to an old firmware (although some on them crash less for some users then their new firmwares) and require you to have working internet connection for update utility to redownload firmware every time... And blame problems on everybody else (while other drives simply work). This company is so bad it should simply die. I don't know why Tom's pays them so much attention, OCZ's reputation is beyond repair at this point.
vishwa108 - Sunday, August 5, 2012 - link
It is never a good moment when the bull being lead by its nose-ring is claiming to be leading the bullring. This OCZ Independence Day saga have had many a worshipful scurrying to atone his altarboy days of their “independent” review and now, after “Version 1.5”, the worship is still akin to the fruit of The Choir Boys At Practice being heard louder than ever.First it was OCZ Zist und Zat soon to be followed by photocopied scans of “the reviewers” bottoms and then it was Marvellouski, quickly buried by another version of Amerikana 1.4 – only to end up with some vacuous advice of the, “Don’t go beyond half und you be OK, ja?”, variety. All for a good course/cause in buggery no less. No wonder Amerikans are being offered either the feast of Uncle Tommy und hist Kobbling Kabin Krew or another Mormon extravaganza with the mesmerised numpty vessels ringing louder than ever whenever the word, “War”, is messaged. What? OCZ are not of Yankeeland but rather of those who will soon be receiving their just rewards from across The Straits? Makes you ‘fink, ain’t eet. Perhaps the truth ought to be tried once in awhile – with all holes barred, of course.
It is self benevolent to realise that Truth is merely another word for Freedom because the freedom that was gifted is about another/others and is not about self – when the gift was taken back. When truth is of self, you can’t even get it out of the blighter after a severe bout of torture. Hands up those who would like to disagree – especially when it is via a freed versioned 1.5 of some SSD doo-dah.
ssddaydream - Sunday, August 5, 2012 - link
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mark53916 - Monday, August 6, 2012 - link
What happens to the lifetime and reliability of the OCZ Technology Vertex 4drives with firmware 1.5 when the drive is only running at 1/2 capacity?
We already know that the performance is improved, but there may be other
advantages to operating with reduced capacity. These two come to mind:
1. The drive endurance may be improved
If it turns out that either the drive endurance is improved if the
drive is only half used I would be very happy.
2. The data retention time for powered off devices may be improved.
Increased powered off data retention time at reduced capacity
won't affect me much since I couldn't afford solid state for my monthly
backups even at the full capacity price, but people who have to
keep around old system disks for long periods would benefit
if the powered off data retention time were increased
In addition, I find that the per byte price for SLC drives seems to be about
10 times what the cost is for MLC drives [even though the manufacturing techniques
seem to indicate that manufacturing cost is slightly less than 2 or 3 times
as much for SLC compared to MLC.
I'd gladly spend 2x the price per byte and run at 1/2 capacity until I actually
need the additional capacity, even without increased drive endurance or
powered off retention time, just for the improved performance.
FunBunny2 - Monday, August 6, 2012 - link
SLC and MLC are the same parts, just binned and then programmed for either 1 or 2 bits. That's it.robalm - Sunday, September 16, 2012 - link
I decided to upgrade from my old Intel x25-m g2 80gb to a new fast ssd.It became an OCZ Vertex 4 128gb (1.5) but now I saw this review and this:
"Small filesize sequential read performance needs work. Thankfully most sequential reads in client workloads tend to be in the sweet spot for the Vertex 4, but there are some applications That do a lot of small sequential IO (eg web browser cache accesses). '
Have I made a stupid upgrde when it come to web browser performence?
ryrynz - Monday, December 15, 2014 - link
My Vertex 4 128GB had a sudden death. Seems to be fairly common for these drives.MAKE SURE YOU'RE BACKED UP. If you get some sudden reboots you know your controller
is on the way out.. one time it'll happen and poof.. no drive detected, you've been warned.