Intel X25-M 160GB 34nm MLC Flash SSD Benchmark Review

[Apoptosis]

Intel has moved to a more advanced, 34- nanometer manufacturing process for its leading NAND flash-based Solid State Drive (SSD) products and the results are spectacular. Read on to see how the Intel X25-M Mainstream 160GB Generation 2 SATA SSD does against more than a dozen other 2.5" SATA drives!



Title: Intel X25-M 160GB 34nm MLC Flash SSD Benchmark Review
URL: http://legitreviews.com/article/1022/1/
DIGG: http://digg.com/hardware/Finally_an_SSD ... 25_M_Gen_2

[jakegub]

Nate,

Only typo I found was on the first page. You said the 34nm drive was silver, the 50nm was black. I think those are switched.

Great Review!

[Apoptosis]

Nope not a typo:

Intel X25-M Gen 2 34nm MLC NAND Flash:



Intel X25-M Gen 1 50nm MLC NAND Flash:

[Apoptosis]

I got e-mails from a bunch of readers that asked why we didn't test the drive in AHCI mode for the benchmark AS SSD.

I did a fresh install of Windows Vista SP2 and loaded the proper AHCI SATA controller drivers for the ICH10 chipset during the installation process this time around. I have posted up the new benchmark results in the article. A direct link to that page is here - http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1022/11/

The random read score went from 22.23MB/s to 148.39MB/s by changing it from IDE mode to AHCI mode! An amazing difference and I hope this extra testing helps those that wanted to see it.

IDE Mode:



AHCI Mode:



If there is anything else I can do for you guys please let me know.

Also I just got this e-mail from Intel on an issue with this drive that they have become aware of. Since some of our readers are trying to purchase this drive right now I figured I'd pass it along so you are in the know.

Wanted to give mainly as a heads up to reviewers to be careful if using BIOS passwords:

Intel has found a sighting that impacts users who set a BIOS drive password on the newly released 34nm NAND Flash based Solid State Drives. If a user has set a BIOS drive password on the 34nm SSD, then upon disabling or changing the BIOS drive password followed by powering off/on the computer, the SSD becomes inoperable. However, if the user has not set a BIOS drive password then there is no issue. This erratum does not apply to a computer, network or operating system password.

The root cause has been identified and new fix is under validation. We are expecting to post an end user firmware update to fix this erratum in the next two weeks.

If you have enabled your BIOS drive password, do not disable or change your BIOS drive password. If you have not enabled your BIOS drive password, do not enable a BIOS drive password and visit http://www.intel.com/support/9089.html to update firmware when available.