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Open SSD High Performance Territory – Intel X25-M 80GB PC&NB Platform Test


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Since about 2008, I started to see some SSD, SATA Solid-State Drive, articles and test report in the internet.

1st half 2008, SSD higher price and smaller capacity made it be hard to accept by end users.

Till the 2nd half, more and more manufacturers launched their products. The supply became more and the competition started.

SSD price started to drop and the mainstream capacity increased from 4~8GB to 32~64GB.

 

At the moment, the most popular size of SSD is 2.5. There are some 1.8 version, but not very popular.

I think it because the most NB supports 2.5 HDD.

 

In addition, SSD and SD or CF has 2 kinds of NAND Flash technologies, one is SLC and the other is MLC.

Generally, SLC read/write speed is more average, and life is longer. However, the price is much higher.

MLC read speed is same as SLC, but the write speed is slower. But the advantage of MLC is the price is much lower than SLC.

 

This test report is fastest MLC SSD, Intel X25-M SSD to compare with the other 2.5 products.

issd01.jpg

 

Over the years, Intel has decisive position in CPU and Chipset territory.

Since 2nd half 2008, Intel launched SSD product line to enter this latest storage industry.

There are many Intel SSD products available, they are X25-E 32GB, X25-E 64GB, X18-M 80GB and 160GB, X25-M 80GB and 160GB.

Intel X25-M or X18-M. 25 and 18 means SSD dimension, 2.5 or 1.8 .

 

Currently, Intel SSD types are MLC, X25-M/X18-M 80GB and 160GB.

For the SLC, Intel also has X25-E 32GB and 64GB.

 

Intel X25-M 80GB outlook

Official spec is READ 250MB/s, WRITE 70MB/s. It’s the fastest performance in the market now.

issd02.jpg

 

issd03.jpg

 

The interface is SATA II, voltage is 5V.

It supports both NB and PC platform.

issd04o.jpg

 

Intel SSD has 7mm or 9.5mm two different models to fit all mechanical system. My test is 7mm model, it’s a little bit thinner than 2.5 HDD 9mm.

issd05.jpg

 

X25-M compaonents

issd06.jpg

 

issd07.jpg

 

Controller chip is the key factor of SSD performance

issd08.jpg

 

Other IC

issd09.jpg

 

The PC test platform uses GIGABYTE GA-EX58-UD4P.

The chipset is Intel latest X58 and ICH10R. I believe it can bring out the best performance of Intel X25-M.

issd10.jpg

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Configuration

CPU: Intel Core i7 Extreme 965

MB: GIGABYTE EX58-UD4P

DRAM: CORSAIR Dominator 2GBX3 DDR3 1866C9D

VGA: MSI N9600GT Diamond

HD: Intel X25-M 80GB

POWER: Corsair HX1000W Modular Power Supply

Cooler: Thermaltake BigTyp VP

issd11.jpg

 

Core i7 platform system setup

issdos.png

 

HD Tune Pro 3.50

Average Read is 210.8MB/s, average write is 71.7MB/s

Random read is 244MB/s, Random write is 80MB/s

issd80hdd1.png

 

EVEREST Linear Read average is 239.5MB/s, the highest is 250.5MB/s.

HD Tune Pro files base test, the highest read is over 250MB/s, and write also reach 75MB/s

ATTO DISK Benchmark over 64k test can reach highest read at 267MB/s, and write at 80MB/s

CrystalDiskMark is read 249.8Mb/s, and write 75.43MB/s

issd80hdd2.png

 

EVEREST Random Read average is 237.3MB/s, and peak is 315.2MB/s.

HD Tach average read is 214.7MB/s.

FDBNECH Read 251906 KB/s,Write 73722 KB/s

issd80hdd3.png

 

Intel X25-M reading performance is really amazing. It’s almost the best in the SSD market right now.

The write is limited by MLC structure. However, the office spec, 70MB/s, is also the top of MLC or 2.5 HDD.

Small files performance is also very high score. The next NB platform test, I will compare it with 2.5 HDD.

 

 

NoteBook test I use DELL Latitude E4300.

The chipset is Intel GS45.

issd12.jpg

 

The NB test will be more detail.

After all, most 2.5? storage is installed in NB.

So the NB performance will separate into 3 parts.

1.Intel X25-M 80GB SSD MLC(Intel X25-M)

2.SAMSUNG 64GB SSD MLC(SAMSUNG SSD)

3.WD2500BEVS 250GB 5400rpm(WD2500BEVS)

 

Test One

WD2500BEVS

issd250nb1.png

 

SAMSUNG SSD

issd64nb1.png

 

Intel X25-M

issd80nb1.png

 

NB chipset performance is not as high as PC version.

But the read performance is almost same as PC.

Intel X25-M has much higher performance than Samaung MLC SSD

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Test Two

WD2500BEVS

issd250nb2.png

 

SAMSUNG SSD

issd64nb2.png

 

Intel X25-M

issd80nb2.png

 

Intel X25-M has very good scores in CrystalDiskMark. The Read/Write is 230/72MB/s.

The random read is also reach 179MB/s. It’s not as high performance as PC, but it’s still very good performance.

 

 

Test Three

WD2500BEVS

issd250nb3.png

 

SAMSUNG SSD

issd64nb3.png

 

Intel X25-M

issd80nb3.png

 

ATTO Disk Benchmark, Intel X25-M read performance is 277MB/s, and it’s higher than PC.

FDEBENCH X25-M also reach 222 and 70MB/s.

 

 

Test Four

WD2500BEVS

issd250nb4.png

 

SAMSUNG SSD

issd64nb4.png

 

Intel X25-M

issd80nb4.png

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Test Five

WD2500BEVS

issd250nb5.png

 

SAMSUNG SSD

issd64nb5.png

 

Intel X25-M

issd80nb5.png

 

CrystalDiskMark, X25-M Read/Write are 227 and 72MB/s.

In HDD Mark, X25-M is higher than SAMSUNG SSD 50%, and 3 times faster than 5400rpm HDD.

As X25-M applies with NoteBook, some benchmark drop a lot as comparing to PC, but over 80% test still keep read 220~230Mb/s and write 70~75Mb/s.

 

Intel SSD is really unique. Its read/write performance is much higher than current MLC SSD.

No matter SLC or MLC SSD, Intel X25-M 250MB/s read speed is very top performance.

 

Comparing to HDD, SSD is faster, lighter, lower power consumption, higher anti-vibration and lower defect rate.

But it’s more expensive and less capacity. I think it’s normal for any product before mass production.

In late 2008, SSD mainstream capacity was up from 16~32GB to 64GB. It makes SSD and 2.5 HDD capacity gap smaller.

 

 

issd13.jpg

 

Although Intel X25-M uses MLC which the read/write life is worse than SLC.

However, Intel implements exclusive algorithms to lower the product life depletion.

Also, the good SSD anti-vibration ability, NANA Flash defect rate is very low, makes SSD actual using life is longer than HDD.

X25-M power consumption is much lower than HHD, office spec is standby 0.06W and full speed 0.15W. It also enhance the NB standby time.

 

Intel X25-M has been launched for several months, but the read/write performance is still in the leading position.

For the current competitive SSD market, X25-M is a really good product.

The previous X25-M 80GB price was 595USD, but after price dropped in March 2009, the latest distributor price is 385USD/Kpcs. Taiwan suggested street price is around NTD 18,800.

X25-M is still more expensive than normal MLC SSD, but the leading performance and price adjustment make Intel X25-M C/P value be higher.

More and more SSD new technology, faster and faster performance, some SSD products catch the performance gap with X25-M.

I hope Intel can keep adjusting their SSD price, raise the capacity and launch more SLC version. Let customers can have more options as purchasing SSD. :)

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  • 1 month later...

After using for month, Intel X25-M also encounter the common issue of MLC SSD.

The writing performance is dropping, even you reinstall the OS, the performance drops to 30-40Mb/s

issdo.png

 

 

Intel X25-M latest firmware 045C8820

 

After flash Intel latest 045C8820 firmware, the writing performance back to normal.

Intel has solved the lower SSD writing performance as long term using MLC IC.

issdn.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

niente male davvero! :D

 

che modello sono di preciso?

hai notato cali prestazionali dopo un po' che li usi? (il problema maggiore degli ssd a quanto pare è proprio quello del calo di prestazioni con la frammentazione...)

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niente male davvero! :D

 

che modello sono di preciso?

hai notato cali prestazionali dopo un po' che li usi? (il problema maggiore degli ssd a quanto pare è proprio quello del calo di prestazioni con la frammentazione...)

 

 

defrag , indicizzazione disattivati a mano lo swap spostato su hd meccanico....le prestazioni sono paurose........ultradrive me 64 gb se puo servire qui ce un .reg che disattiva un po di cose

 

 

 

 

TWEAKS PER WINDOWS XP

 

1. Creare un file .reg per il Registro di sistema

 

salvate il codice in un file di testo e poi rinominate il file in .reg

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftDfrgBootOptimizeFunction]
"Enable"="N"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlFileSystem]
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001
"DisableNTFSLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMControlSet001ControlSession ManagerMemory Management]
"DisablePagingExecutive"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMControlSet001ControlSession ManagerMemory ManagementPrefetchParameters]
"EnablePrefetcher"=dword:00000000

Riavviare il computer.

 

Ricordarsi, poi, di ABILITARE la scrittura cache del proprio disco SSD:

 

Tasto destro su "COMPUTER" (sul desktop)>Proprietà>Hardware>Gestione periferiche>Espandere Unità Disco>doppio click sul SSD>TAB "Criteri"> spuntare "Abilita cache di scrittura su disco". E questo vale per TUTTI i dichi installati.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Altro UPDATE IMPORTANTE, per tutti gli altri possessori di dischi SSD, che pero' NON sono compatibili con i software del TRIM xche sono in raid0 o altro. :yeah:

 

Avete presente CCLEANER ??

Ecco, con la nuova versione 2.19 è possibile eseguire il TRIM dei vostri SSD con controller diversi dall' INDILINX. ;)

 

Impostare quanto segue:

gb27akyza7uek6gv92mu.gif

 

 

Il programma, bello lento nella pulizia, :p rende pero' allo stato verginello il vostro disco SSD ridandogli le onorate prestazioni iniziali.

Yep!

 

:)

Edited by sirioo
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ottimo :)

più o meno ci sono procedure simili anche per gli ssd dei netbook...io ho fatto una cosa del genere su xubuntu...a quanto pare funziona :D

(per ubuntu viene infatti consigliato di installare anche senza swap (che cmq con 1gb di ram non viene usata molto) e di non scrivere i log degli eventi e disabilitare le indicizzazioni.

 

al di là del fatto che gli ssd dei netbook sono vagamente comparabili alle prestazioni di una penna usb, ormai si può dire che gli ssd sono una realtà alla portata di molte tasche. Ed effettivamente consentono un incremento di prestazioni spaventoso rispetto ad un hd tradizionale. Pian piano i prezzi caleranno e le prestazioni miglioreranno ancora...lode e onore ai primi pionieri che consentono al settore di progredire! :ave:

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ottimo :)

più o meno ci sono procedure simili anche per gli ssd dei netbook...io ho fatto una cosa del genere su xubuntu...a quanto pare funziona :D

(per ubuntu viene infatti consigliato di installare anche senza swap (che cmq con 1gb di ram non viene usata molto) e di non scrivere i log degli eventi e disabilitare le indicizzazioni.

 

al di là del fatto che gli ssd dei netbook sono vagamente comparabili alle prestazioni di una penna usb, ormai si può dire che gli ssd sono una realtà alla portata di molte tasche. Ed effettivamente consentono un incremento di prestazioni spaventoso rispetto ad un hd tradizionale. Pian piano i prezzi caleranno e le prestazioni miglioreranno ancora...lode e onore ai primi pionieri che consentono al settore di progredire! :ave:

 

 

O0

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