Legit Reviews

Kingston SSDNow V+100 128GB SSD Review

Kingston has rolled out their SSDNow V+100 SSD series which they claim is 25% faster than its predecessor even though it utilizes the same Toshiba controller. This drive has TRIM support for Windows 7 users and 'always-on' garbage collection for those running older operating systems like Windows Vista and XP. Check out the article to see how the SSDNow V+100 does in both synthetic and real world benchmarks!

As far as performance goes, the V+100 performance exceeded my expectations that were based on experience with the earlier drives with the same controller. Kingston and Toshiba have done a really nice job on reworking the firmware to get a nice performance boost. Their "always on" and OS independent garbage collection is more aggressive and can help mitigate the performance degradation of long-term use on a system that does not support TRIM. This said, if you are running RAID array(s), Mac OS X, or a Windows version prior to 7, this drive was made with you in mind as all of those do not support TRIM.

Article Title: Kingston SSDNow V+100 128GB SSD Review
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1469/1/
Pricing At Time of Print: $203.99 for 96GB

Great job Joe, it looks like they made some great improvements!
Now as an owner of the V+ I am assuming that I won't be able to get my grubby little paws on the firmware?

Not that I've seen but I don't see why not. Maybe Nate can check with Kingston.

Bwall wrote:Great job Joe, it looks like they made some great improvements!
Now as an owner of the V+ I am assuming that I won't be able to get my grubby little paws on the firmware?

The Toshiba controller has undergone a die shrink down to 32nm, so while the drives look identical there have been changes beyond the firmware.

Hey, that would have been nice to know for the article!

Joe Evans did a great job on the review today. I still have a couple of questions...

1. Given the "real-world results," how do I make use of the "synthetic benchmark" outcomes? Should I consider them at all? (I'm not a gamer, if that makes a difference).

2. In terms of degradation...Since I'm running Win7, may I expect the "longevity" of the performance of this drive to approximately equal the SandForce controller drives?

3. Will the Trim function work if the drive is used as an external USB 2.0 storage unit?

Thanks for the V+100 128GB SSD review. I always read Legit Review stuff...unless it is too far over my head.
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PS...I'm still mystified by SSD drives and all the little nuances...controller types, Trim, degradation...Maybe at some point you could do an FAQ about these things, although I'm sure something like this already exists somewhere, but LR's version would be better!

forsooth wrote:1. Given the "real-world results," how do I make use of the "synthetic benchmark" outcomes? Should I consider them at all? (I'm not a gamer, if that makes a difference).

They should be considered but unless scores are substantially different, the likelihood of a user being able to notice the difference is slim.

forsooth wrote:2. In terms of degradation...Since I'm running Win7, may I expect the "longevity" of the performance of this drive to approximately equal the SandForce controller drives?

There some debate on that and frankly, they haven't been around long enough to gauge. With more aggressive garbage collection, the # of write/erase cycles increases which ultimately wear on the drive. Whether that means the drive span is reduced by 10% or 50% remains to be seen. If you plan on buying a drive and sticking with it 5+ years, this may be a large consideration. They way these are advancing, most people will probably upgrade within a few years so the point become moot.

forsooth wrote:3. Will the Trim function work if the drive is used as an external USB 2.0 storage unit?

No, I have been told that it has to be the OS drive. You wouldn't want to run it as a USB drive anyway. It'd be like having a Corvette on a go-kart track.

forsooth wrote:Thanks for the V+100 128GB SSD review. I always read Legit Review stuff...unless it is too far over my head.

You're welcome.
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forsooth wrote:PS...I'm still mystified by SSD drives and all the little nuances...controller types, Trim, degradation...Maybe at some point you could do an FAQ about these things, although I'm sure something like this already exists somewhere, but LR's version would be better!

I've thought about it. I try to give enough info in every review so that it is understandable and helpful but not so much that regular readers roll their eyes at yet another explanation of how TRIM works.

Thank you for the informative reply. I learned a lot.

Corvette on a go-cart track! I get the point.

However, if the SSD _IS_ to be used as an external USB 2.0 drive, then the V+100 128GB might be a good choice because it has aggressive garbage collection in light of the fact that TRIM will not be available. That is, if I am understanding it correctly...

Technically speaking, yes.

Ok, thanks....

One last question before I let this go....The USB cable that is include will supply sufficient power for the SSD, and no additional power source will be needed. Is this correct?

Thanks again!

Correct.

Thanks, and happy anniversary to LR!