(Note: this is not the GeneZ gen 3, which is looking forward to Ivy Bridge with full PCIE 3.0 compatibility, but will require a PCI-E gen 3 CPU, which will be Ivy Bridge).

Z68 is the latest of cougar point based socket 1155 chipsets that combines most of the features of the preceding chipsets while adding some new ones. It has the Integrated Video capability of H67, the overclocking capability of P67, and workstation Virtual IO capabilities (Vt-d) like the Q67/C200 series products.

Adding on to that, the Z68 brings Lucid Virtu graphics to the table and Intel’s (RST) SSD caching capabilities to give your system more features and performance without breaking the bank.

Lucid Virtu enables a combination of the integrated graphics core present in all Core I 2nd generation chips with a discrete video card for when gaming power is needed. There are two methods, combined and discrete. The first allows the user to use the integrated controller until 3D graphics mode is needed, then the discrete power kicks in. Discrete mode uses the added in video card (and monitor is connected to that card. This allows the PC to use discrete cards 24/7 but still have access to AVX encoding features of the CPU.

In the last Z68 review this was not a good trade off unless you routinely encode 1080P video into ipod format. For transcoding (one codec to another), or 1080P to 720P the difference was minimal. So the 2-10% performance detriment across the board was not worth it to save 100% of the time in ipod conversion and no time to slower conversion in high def transcoding.

SSD caching uses up to a 64GB SSD in combination with a regular HDD, giving you the low latency and performance of an SSD with the previously low cost and large capacity of a mechanical drive. It sounds incredible a way to purchase cheap SSDs and get high performance benefit. This gets tested in this review.

ASUS

ASUS comes from the last four letters of the word “Pegasus.” A mythical winged horse, it has been chosen for the company’s name because it represents Strength, Creative Spirit, and Purity. Winged (or even terrestrial) equine science is not something you will find in abundance here at TechREACTION, but rigorous testing and evaluation of manufacturers’ PC-related products is. Strength is definitely an attribute ASUS brings to the table, being the largest motherboard manufacturer in the world. Creative Spirit is epitomized both by being early to market with new technologies as well as the aesthetics they put into their product designs. Purity is exemplified by the total package experience. Products that go above and beyond what one expects, and a knowledgeable staff to help get you working or playing beyond your expectations.

Republic of Gamers

For years since its establishment, ASUS aimed to put an ever-greater emphasis on PC gaming. This process resulted in the 2006 founding of the Republic of Gamers brand (ROG), formed for the sole purpose of delivering the most innovative hardcore hardware for truly dedicated gamers. 
 
Since then, the efforts of the ROG team have led to a constant flow of PC gaming technology that has become legendary among enthusiasts for its performance. ROG is more than just hardware, though – we take an active part in the global gaming community, helping develop the industry by sponsoring events such as QuakeCon, BlizzCon and Dreamhack. Worldwide media have recognized ROG as a leader in PC gaming, with many of our products winning awards and gaining very positive feedback from hardware pros. 
 
With this great response from gamers and the industry, ROG has all the resources it needs to keep working on enabling even better experiences – technology never sleeps, nor should the action!

The Features

The board features many of the standard AM3+ features, such as USB 3.0 and SATA 6 GBps, as well as rapid charging for cell phones and other USB accessories via the enchanced power states of the USB 3.0 controllers. It also supports the next generation AMD FX “Bulldozer” processors as well as handling all of your current Generation AM3 CPU needs. The board supports memory speeds up to 2000 MHz (via OC) and can use AMD overdrive overclocking/tuning software. Most importantly, however, is the inclusion of SLI capability on an AMD system. Such a thing is a shock indeed, and the 990FX chipset saw fit to have both CrossfireX and Tri-SLI capabilities built into it.

What Gigabyte brings to the table on their own is the 2x copper PCB branding, a wicked truly black PCB with a tuned and stable power delivery system. Gigabyte believes in Blu-Ray quality HD sound and all boards are now shipping with 108dB SNR audio. A dual BIOS provides extra system stability in the event of a bad flash or corruption due to extreme overclocking. 3TB+ drives are supported for increasing storage to the maximum limits, and, to further augment your storage needs, it offers a software called XHD, which automatically sets up a RAID0 stripe when using the AMD SATA 6Gbps ports.

Gigabyte is also supporting remote device functionality with BIOS support via some new software. TouchBIOS allows you to attach a touch screen monitor and access the BIOS much like a Android app. CloudOC lets you remotely clock your PC via Bluetooth or 802.x interface. One more feature (Gigabyte loves their 3’s!) is called Autogreen. With an optional Bluetooth transceiver your computer can be set to automatically go into a sleep state when your cell phone leaves the vicinity of the PC.

Without further ado, let’s get onto the GA-99FX-UD5 AM3+ motherboard.

The SST-TS07B is an aluminum HDD enclosure that utilizes the speed and compatibility of the USB bus to make external 3.5” SATA 6G storage solutions blazing fast, yet simple to use with almost any system.

The full-color packaging includes a picture of the actual product as well as information about it. Heavy duty cardboard helps protect the unit during shipping, and certainly is capable of supporting the additional weight of a hard drive tossed in there as well.

Opening it up, we have the enclosure itself, AC adapter, USB 3.0 cable, and a clear plastic stand for those that wish to perch the drive upright to maximize surface area for better heat dissipation or to conserve desktop space.

The enclosure opens easily with just a flip of the latch on back and a small shake. The covers slide off and the tool-free mounting mechanism becomes visible. Pop open the orange mounts, insert the drive and slide it down into the SATA points, then simply lock the orange holders in place. There is a slight angle to the SATA data and power connectors, this appears to be designed in to prevent damage when sliding the drive into place. The mounting holds very well.

A Look Inside

Micro Star International, or MSI as it better known, brings us one of their new G3 line of Intel Z68 motherboards today. The MSI Z68A-GD65 G3, is a feature rich, socket 1155 motherboard, designed for use with the current Intel Core i second generation series, Sandy Bridge CPUs as well as the forthcoming Ivy Bridge processors. Compatibility with a product that will not even be out for another year, implies an expectation of quality, and MSI backs the GD65 (and its big brother the GD80) with a 5 year warranty.

MSI is a known entity among the DIY/Enthusiast market. After building their brand as a “behind the scenes” player in the PC market, they took their technical know how and delved into the enthusiast and overclocking markets like gang busters.

From MSI

Since its founding in 1986, MSI has been demonstrating continued success in digital age. To achieve the best user experience, every component is essential. In the past 25 years, MSI always strives to provide digital products based on its core values –“Innovation” and “Style”. The results are products with superior performance, trusted reliability, excellent user experience and expressive style.

Embracing years of experience in design and manufacturing, MSI mainboard and graphics card have achieved maximum productivity by becoming one of the top 3 in the world. Our hard work has led us to become one of the finest brands in the industry with accumulated sales in more than 120 countries, 150 million mainboard users and 100 million graphics card users worldwide.

Z68 Gen 3

For a complete break down of the specifications arranged nicely with iconic graphics, please visit MSI’s website. We will cover the important aspects here of course.

• Warranty – 5 years
• PCI express – 3rd generation
• CPU support – Current and future LGA1155
• Military class II – Tantalum (Hi-c) and solid caps
• Click BIOS II – Same interface in BIOS as in Windows
• OCGenie II – One button overclocking
• Virtu – Hybrid Graphics between Intel IGP and Discrete video
• THX Studio Pro – High Fidelity audio
• Super Charger – Charge your Cell or media player quickly
• Winki 3 – Quick boot to Linux OS from DVD or USB drive
• 3TB+ Infinity – Use 3TB drives as boot device

MSI is committed to building a superior product that will last well into the next generation. This commitment is evident in the following features.

The warranty period of 5 years applies to both the GD65 and the GD80 G3 motherboards. The Military Class II technology; Hi-C Tantalum solid caps and Super ferrite chokes also play a key role. Tantalum caps were introduced by MSI last year, the ceramic devices offer up to 6 year lifespan at 85C operating temp. While these superior components are more expensive, they offer greater reliability to the end user and actually save money for the manufacturer with reduced repair authorizations (RMA’s).

The PCI Express 3 slots give the motherboard Ivy Bridge compatibility, and ensure that future generations of cards will work to their full potential. Lastly the 3TB+ Infinity support means that not only are the highest density hard drives supported on the motherboard, but that with a compatible OS they can be used as boot drives as well.

*NOTE: Installing Winki 3 also enables HDD backup. Imaging software is used to restore your OS in case of HDD failure. It is surprising not to see this displayed on the package as a feature, it is a great one.

The GD65 is more than just a durably designed motherboard. Features are what users look for with motherboards in the enthusiast range of products. The board sports the usual accessories you would expect on a LGA1155 motherboard: USB 3.0 (supplied by Renesas), SATA 6G, a push button OC tool and a USB super charger utility.

MSI takes it a step further though, including the new Lucid Virtu technology, that gives the user power saving and performance improving options by combining both the IGP located on the Intel CPU as well as a discrete card. THX Studio Pro licensing gives high fidelity controls to the onboard Realtek audio chip, enabling fine control and improvement of audio output. Winki 3 is also included and can be run from the included Driver DVD or installed to a separate USB stick.

The last key feature of the MSI Z68A-GD65 G3 is Click BIOS II. While mouse control in a UEFI BIOS is not unheard on motherboards these days, MSI has taken the next evolution in BIOS control. Installing Click BIOS II in Windows offers the user the same screen layout and features as the BIOS from within your operating system. While some changes will still require a restart, the implications for simplicity are readily apparent.

Due to time constraints for the review, exploring every feature of the board is not going to be possible. Key features are covered however, as well as performance testing with the Virtu GPU enabled. On to the photos!

Today, we look one of their peripheral offerings – a PCI Express expansion card that provides a internal 19 pin USB 3.0 header. The SST-EC03, or simply EC03, is a small PCI Express 1x lane device that adds USB 3.0 connectivity to an older PC, or expands the number of USB 3.0 ports for newer systems that have it already. It also includes a mounting panel that will fit in a 3.5” external front bay.

The Product

The EC03 uses the new Renesas D720200AF1 controller. Similar in most ways to the D720200F controller found on many motherboards with NEC USB 3.0, the new version of the chip provides improved idle mode power saving features, and consumes only 20% of the power required by the older chip.

Unlike many other PCI-E devices, the EC03 uses a 4 pin peripheral connector for power. This allows the elimination of power rectifiers, thus decreasing cost and increasing efficiency. However, it also means running one more wire across the interior of one’s case, something many enthusiasts may not be keen on doing.

Next: A Closer Look at the EC03

Crucial.com. The Memory Experts.

At Crucial.com, we know memory. We research it. Test it. Stock it. And we’ll even replace it. We’re among the first ones to get a new platform, OS, motherboard, or killer game and we waste no time putting it to the test. We sit in dark rooms reading benchmark scores. We spend hours installing and uninstalling memory modules into motherboard after motherboard… We don’t get tired. We never cut corners. We break our backs to get your upgrade out the door in a flash. And we support our products—and customers—every step of the way.

The M4 series is the consumer version of the C400 SSD produced by Micron Technology, and should function equally as well.

Specifications

The M4 series hits maximum performance at the 256GB density; smaller SSDs will not come close to the write performance of the 256GB/512GB numbers, and the larger model does not change specifications at all.

Skepticism initially weighed heavy in the air here at TechREACTION Orbital HQ after reviewing a few SATA 6G drives before this unit based on the SF-2200 controller, which were capable of much higher read and write speeds, and seeing the paper specs of the Crucial M4 drive designed on SATA 6G specifications. However, after use of the Intel 320 series SSD last month (which is entirely Micron/Intel designed and based on SATA 3G specifications), hope bubbled to the surface.

The read and write performance is in the 415/260 MBps range, which means the drive is not expected to be a screamer. Much like the C300 drives produced at the onset of SATA 6G, write performance is well below read performance, which is a sticking point when compared to drives using other controllers.

The increase in speed over the C300 series boils down to the new 25nm NAND flash used, and improvements to the Marvell storage controller, which has gotten minor improvements to boost both the transfer speed and its ability to use 25nm NAND chips.

The Drive

The M4 review package is simple in design and uses a bi-fold cardboard box with a band to keep it closed. Crucial and Micron logos are included, and both the blue band and the blue stripe on the box read “Crucial M4 SSD.”

Opening up the package, we find the Crucial M4 SSD is packed bottom-up. Beneath the drive, Crucial was kind enough to include a 2GB flash drive with data sheets and parts specifications included.

The drive itself consists of 2 gunmetal grey aluminum shells separated by a thin black spacer. This increases the height of the drive to the common 9.5 mm and will assist in maximum compatibility for 2.5” drive caddies for both laptops and PCs.

The Guts

Opening the drive reveals the meat and potatoes. As mentioned, the SSD design is built on a bottoms up design, so removing the top of the drive gives us a glimpse at the bottom of the PCB.

Eight 16GB (128Gbit) Micron NAND modules stare back at us, housing half of the drive’s 256GB capacity. MT29F128G08CFAAB-WP12 represents 166 MTs x8 width MLC NAND. The DRAM cache is also located on the bottom of the PCB, showing us Micron D9LGQ which translates into 256MB of 1333 MHz DDR3. Power control circuitry and the pin-out for the storage controller are also viewable. Linear Technology supplies the step-down regulator, while the caps are unremarkable.

Flipping over the PCB, we find the other half of our NAND memory, the storage controller, and more power circuitry devices. The drive controller is the Marvell 88SS9174-BLD2, which is a new revision to the C300 SSD controller, supporting higher IOPS and 25nm NAND memory. The Marvell controller supports TRIM and garbage collection, but AES is not included.

With specifications and assumptions abounding, the drive was installed and tested and run for a week as a desktop OS drive.

]]> http://www.techreaction.net/2011/08/17/review-crucial-m4-sata-6g-256gb-ssd/feed/ 4 http://www.techreaction.net/2011/08/01/review-ocz-vertex-3-240gb-max-iops/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-ocz-vertex-3-240gb-max-iops http://www.techreaction.net/2011/08/01/review-ocz-vertex-3-240gb-max-iops/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 12:10:39 +0000 Neuromancer http://www.techreaction.net/?p=23554 OCZ Technology has made enormous strides in the SSD technology field since throwing the company whole-heartedly into NAND flash storage solutions. Their latest SATA 6Gb iteration is the Vertex 3 MAX IOPS edition. We have on the test bench the 240GB model, featuring the super-fast SandForce 2200 storage controller and 256GB of 32nm Toshiba Toggle Mode Double DATA Rate NAND Flash.

The specifications on the drive are very beefy. Sporting a 550 MBps max read speed, as do many of the other OCZ SATA 6G models, and a 500 MBps top write speed, which is actually 20 MBps slower than the “vanilla” Vertex 3 240 GB model, why would consumers want to pay more for the MaxIOPS variant? 340 MBps 4K write speed. The MaxIOPS pushes past the competition on an important file size for PC users. For those running Apple’s OSX, the HFS+ file system also uses a 4K file cluster so the MaxIOPS edition can really improve performance on their boxes as well.

Pay attention, dear reader, as TechREACTION takes the 240GB MAX IOPS Vertex 3 SSD to the bench rig and puts it through its paces.

OCZ: At a Glance

Founded in 2002, San Jose, California-based OCZ Technology Group, Inc. has built on its expertise in high-speed memory to become a dominant player in the manufacturing and distribution of solid state drives (SSDs), a disruptive, game-changing technology that is replacing traditional rotating magnetic hard disk drives (HDDs). SSDs are faster, more reliable, run cooler, and use significantly less power than the HDDs used in the majority of computers today. In addition to SSD technology, OCZ also offers high performance components for computing devices and systems, including enterprise class power management products and industrial power accessories.

The Package

While there are lovers and haters of any packaging, there are a few things that must be considered. The packaging should have enough protection for the device being handled, the ability to ship large quantities of the unit efficiently and most importantly, from the manufacturer’s POV, the ability to portray the product in a manner that meets their requirements. The last one is a little tricky, as not all manufacturers have the same requirements. Some may want just a model number, some may want enough information to make the product stand out from competitors, and even similar offerings from the same company.

The OCZ Vertex 3 MAX IOPS 240GB drive, like the rest of the Vertex 3 series, has an attractive glossy cardboard package, that holds a velvety cardboard insert. The black and grey theme with white and silver standouts, is a standard of the entire Vertex line. Most of OCZ’s products carry a similar style to the package design, but their lesser products usually are tagged with a gaudy color (like lime green). They stand out (as well as their lower price point) but the Vertex series is always a standout with it’s subtle grandeur.

Removing the insert reveals the 3.5” bracket, inserted into cut outs around the SSD. Removing the bracket from the slots allows the lid to lift easily and reveal the casing the SSD is shrouded in. Bracket mounting screws are also included, so there’s no need to dump a coffee can of PC parts to find a way to mount the drive.

With the drive removed from its ESD sleeve, we saw a recurrence of a minor issue that we encountered with the Vertex Agility 3 we had for testing. The large decal on the top of the drive had bubbles in its applicationl. It’s not a functional issue, and once the drive is installed it will be unseen.

The bottom label contains all of the serious information, such as model number and serial number, as well as specifications for its use, which include the mandated, RoHS and recycling info. Temperature and shock ratings are also included.

The included paraphernalia is a short data sheet and large case badge for those so inclined. Displaying the rather obvious “My SSD is faster than your HDD!” Proper marketing should have changed the label to read “My SSD is faster than your SSD!” just for the Vertex 3 crowd.

]]> http://www.techreaction.net/2011/08/01/review-ocz-vertex-3-240gb-max-iops/feed/ 2 http://www.techreaction.net/2011/07/08/review-intel-320-series-160gb-ssd-sata-3gbps/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-intel-320-series-160gb-ssd-sata-3gbps http://www.techreaction.net/2011/07/08/review-intel-320-series-160gb-ssd-sata-3gbps/#comments Fri, 08 Jul 2011 13:43:22 +0000 Neuromancer http://www.techreaction.net/?p=22513 On the test bench this week is Intel’s newest SATA 3Gbps SSD offering, the 320 series 160GB SSD. This is designed to replace the vaunted X25-M SSD. Featuring fast read and write speeds, and vastly improved 4K IOPs specifications, this drive on paper at least, lives up to being a high end SSD designed with SATA 3Gbps in mind. Built using 25nm NAND flash memory the new drive is inherently less expensive and comes in larger capacities than previous SSDs. Why would Intel make a SATA 3Gbps SSD now, when SATA 6Gbps drives are already pushing the maximum bandwidth capable on enthusiast systems today? To really understand the answer to that question, we should take a quick look at Intel as a company.

About Intel

Intel started out in 1968 as the Integrated Electronics Company, and invented the x86 architecture in 1978 a 32bit processor still in use in almost every home user machine today. Intel is at or near the top in sales of CPUs, Chipsets, Graphics Processors, Network Interface Chips and much, much more. When Intel decided to produce Solid State Drives, they went at it with open arms, producing some of the highest regarded SSDs made.

So why SATA 3Gbps? Intel’s Answer, “Most computers users today are still limited to SATA 3GBps controllers.” As the top producer of CPUs, GPUs and motherboard chipsets, Intel is in an excellent place to know what computers are using today.

This points out that this drive is meant as an upgrade to existing technology. Various sizes are available ranging from 40GB to 600GB in density. Intel SSD 320 prices, based on 1,000-unit quantities, are as follows: 40GB at $89; 80GB at $159; 120GB at $209; 160GB at $289; 300GB at $529 and 600GB at $1,069. PC users that did not want to spend an extra $400+ dollars a year ago on an SSD that was most likely too small as an upgrade when they purchased directly from the manufacturer, can now do it themselves.

Intel even provides tools to help the end-user to make the move to a Solid State drive. Providing both an SSDTOOLBOX, and a data migration tool, which is based on Acronis True Image Home Edition which will only work with an Intel drive installed in your machine.

The Drive

The Intel 320 series SSD is a third generation SSD produced from Intel. Built using new higher density 25nm NAND flash memory, using the SATA 3Gbps interface it is designed as a more affordable, higher performance and more reliable version of the previous generations X25-M SSD. The 320 series is targeted at all consumer and business options from mobile to server deployments.

As a review sample the product shipped in a large cardboard box, with enough insulation around to ensure, the smaller cardboard box did not get damaged in anyway; Those pictures are not necessary, as they are not retail packaging. The drive itself, is a 7mm design, much thinner than most SSDs of any data density. To make the drive more suitable to all users, they added a small black ring to the top of the drive. This works as a spacer, to increase the height to 9.5mm. For laptop users, this is a “standard” size that is most common and simplifies installation in many hard drive caddies.

Note: The bottom plate is slightly tarnished aluminum, though this should not be indicative of retail sample quality.

Each plate internally, has a thin, clear plastic film to keep the drive from making contact with the aluminum frame. The thinner top portion of the drive is embossed with a arcing line from the back of the drive to one side near the front. This limits flex of the top plate and allows them to use a lighter material.

Opening the drive up, from the top down instead of the bottom up like other drives that use a 9.5mm casing, also designed in, we see the bottom of the PCB. Which holds two NAND flash chips. These 2 chips are 25nm designed in a joint venture with Micron Technologies. The IC number 29F64G08ACME1, is only for the two chips located on the back (top) of the PCB. These are both 25nm 64 Gigabit chips. These chips provide up to 8GB (10%) of extra space for redundancy per chip. This has been seen before on SandForce controllers that usually use 7% over-provisioning cache.

The two NAND devices are 64G in model, which translates to 8 GB single die. These chips are used both for NAND redundancy, to cover for failed locations on the stroage NAND, and additional memory space.

Flipping the board over we can quickly notice the remaining 10 NAND chips. Each of the 10 chips is labeled 29F16B08CCME1. Like the redundancy devices on the back of the PCB, these chips are designed in a joint venture with Micron. These storage chips are 8 GB Dual die NAND memory, for a grand total of 160 GB. Each NAND is based on an 8K page size.

The largest single chip on the PCB is the storage controller itself. PC29AS21BA0 was used in G2 designs of Intel SSDs, and has proven to a be a reliable controller for over 2 years. Changes have been made, such as real-time AES-128 bit encryption and the afore mentioned redundancy feature.

The other 2 main devices embedded are a Hynix Mobile SDRAM controller, and Kemet KO-CAP capacitors. H55S5162BFR-60M identifies the Mobile SDRAM cache, as a 1.8v 512 Mb chip and runs at 166 MHz. The chip is used for caching processes to the controller and does not store the data itself.

The six Kemet Tantalum KO-Caps (T520) are each rated to 6.3V and 470 microfarads +/-10%. In a parallel circuit, total capacitance is the sum of the parts which in this case leads to a .00282 farad rating. The use of heavy duty tantalum polymer caps in parallel over a single larger cap is an earmark towards durability and reliability. A parallel circuit will still maintain some charge in the event that one or more components fail, allowing cached data to be written to the NAND chips. Note: The event of one of the caps failing before a NAND cell is highly unlikely due to the quality of the caps used.

Intel Review recommendation

Intel documents that the 320 series drives will have better performance with larger data transfers (particularly 8GB data sizes or 100 minutes in length). This is due to a command called PAGE READ CACHE MODE. By checking registered pages into a buffer, the next page can be moved into place without waiting for the first page to be sent to storage. While using slower individual cycles, the speed kicks in when multiple requests are handled because of the increased data rate, despite the latency loss. It should be pointed out, that performance in writes improves as much as 33% over single threaded requests. This is not the same as increased queue depth so standard testing does not equal the field like on other drives.

In January of this year the IOMeter project at sourceforge has a new release candidate, and will be monitored as a possible benchmark in the near future when it goes live. At this time there is some speculation on the inconsistency of compressible data rates in random, pseudo random and repetitive data, which would in no way affect the Intel drive, but would affect other controllers.

As a compromise CDM 3 x64 was run at standard settings and again with the largest data test size available to test the benefits of the new command structure for paged data.

On the bench today is OCZ’s latest SATA3 offering, the mid-ranged OCZ Agility 3 240GB. OCZ produces low-, mid-, and high-end SandForce SATA3 drives, marketed as the Solid, Agility, and Vertex series.

The Agility 3 drives are designed to be a balance of performance and value, and offer three capacities to choose from: 60, 120, and 240 GB. Sporting an advertised 525MB/s Read and 500MB/s write and a 4K IOPs at 45,000 (180MBps), “mid-range” hardly seems to be a fair adjective for this product. Coming it at over $450 for the 240GB drive definitely earmarks these drives for the performance enthusiast over the mid-range system builder. However, at only $125 for the 60GB model, keeping that particular drive in stock might be a problem retailers enjoy having.

About OCZ

Founded in 2002, San Jose, California-based OCZ Technology Group, Inc. has built on its expertise in high-speed memory to become a dominant player in the manufacturing and distribution of solid state drives (SSDs), a disruptive, game-changing technology that is replacing traditional rotating magnetic hard disk drives (HDDs). SSDs are faster, more reliable, run cooler, and use significantly less power than the HDDs used in the majority of computers today. In addition to SSD technology, OCZ also offers high performance components for computing devices and systems, including enterprise-class power management products as well as leading-edge computer gaming solutions.

The Drive

The packaging for the Agility 3 drive is the same packaging they have used for some time now. Sophisticated and elegant, the drive itself is shipped in an ESD bag and inserted into a cardboard knockout that holds the drive firmly in the center of the poster board thickness packaging. The color scheme used on the external packaging (lime green and black) is carried over to the sticker on the drive itself.

Although the internal knockout packaging contains slots to support a 3.5” mounting bracket, the Agility series do not include any. While this is one way to save money on shipping a product, of not retail cost, the thin metal brackets included with the Vertex series are missed here. This being the case, the drive was not mounted in the test station, but left to sit by itself atop the mechanical storage drives.

The drive itself is a standard 2.5” form factor. This provides compatibility with most laptops in production today, but necessitates the use of an adapter for most conventional cases on the market. Many newer cases are including 2.5” brackets or mounting points for SSDs now, so if you’re building a completely new PC, the lack of the bracket’s inclusion is not as important.

The drive features a black metal upper half and a dark chrome appearance on the bottom SSD plate. The top plate is accented with a generic Agility 3 sticker, with no hint of data density. The color scheme on the packaging is continued here as well, lime green on black. Some bubbling was noticed on the logo sticker. Although it will not effect the performance of the drive, it could cause tear points sliding it in or out a drive cage.

The bottom plate carries labels for the specific model number of the drive, as well as some cautionary advice (“Do not drop!” and “Do not press!”). A separate sticker includes the SN and UPC code.

Opening the drive up reveals an extremely clean setup. The SandForce 2281 controller is the centerpiece here, providing the speed an reliability that DuraWrite technology has brought to the SSD market. A single 2281 controller can support up to 512GB of NAND memory, and 500MBps at 128K size. NCQ is supported up to 32 queue depth, and AES drive encryption of 128 or 256 bits is also on offer.

The memory chips them selves are Micron built 128Gbit chips, a total of 16 are included on the PCB (8 front, 8 back), for a total data density of 256GB. Micron part number 29F128g08cfaaa is labeled on each chip. As this is the largest model of the Agility 3 series, there are no empty NAND spots left on the PCB, and larger drives would require moving to 256Gbit chips.

The last feature to note on the PCB are the dual LED indicators located next to the SATA data port. The one LED indicates power to the drive, and is visible from outside the drive as a soothing green glow. The other LED is labeled FLT, and would indicate a fault or failure of the drive. Once installed inside of a computer case, neither LED will be readily visible, however.

Test System and Applications

]]> http://www.techreaction.net/2011/06/24/review-ocz-agility-3-240gb/feed/ 4 http://www.techreaction.net/2011/06/14/review-owc-240gb-extreme-pro-6g/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-owc-240gb-extreme-pro-6g http://www.techreaction.net/2011/06/14/review-owc-240gb-extreme-pro-6g/#comments Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:50:55 +0000 Neuromancer http://www.techreaction.net/?p=21667 With the SATA 3 specification being only 2 years old, and the wide availability of SSDs only 2 years more advanced than that, solid state drives have managed to push SATA2 to its limits very quickly. With SATA3 seeing near-universal availability on new motherboards, it is no surprise companies are trying to push the SATA3 interface to its limits.

OWC has just released the Extreme Pro 6Gbps SSD. At 240GB, and sporting some of the most cutting-edge I/O circuitry, it is capable of pushing the SATA3 interface almost to its limits. The advertised speeds for this drive are 559 MBps (read) and and 527 MBps (write). If true, this is nothing short of amazing, considering the theoretical maximum is 600 MBps. Achieving 90% of a spec’s theoretical performance wall is nothing to sneeze at in even the most mature architectures.

Specifications

• 5 Year Warranty
• Mac and PC compatible
• Built in the USA
• Sustained Data Rates up to 559MB/s Read, 527MB/s Write
• Random 4K file read/writes up to 60,000 IOPS

From the drive’s marketing literature:

SandForce DuraWrite and RAISE technologies and use of top quality Tier 1/Grade A, Synchronous NAND Flash provides maximum performance with unrivaled Data Reliability, integrity and longevity.

New 6.0Gbps Performance, same award winning family. Proudly built in the USA and backed by OWC’s unrivaled free lifetime US based support.

The Extreme Pro 6G SSD gets put through the standard battery of tests to determine if it is capable of reaching those speeds, and hopefully gain us all a better understanding of what is going on underneath the skin.

Other World Computing

For those readers that are exclusively into the PC enthusiast market, the name OWC won’t ring any bells. OWC has actually been around for over 20 years; however, they have been primarily an Apple-based peripherals company. With the move to Intel x86 based architecture a few years back, Apple now has even more components that are PC-compatible, and moving into a market hundreds of times larger seems like a good business decision. OWC is making great strides in securing a place at the top of the SSD market based just on the specifications of the Extreme Pro 6G.

Bringing a competitive SSD into the market at a good price will do much for their name, and we expect to see them mentioned more often on PC enthusiast forums.

Next: A Look at Extreme Pro 6G