Vertex RAID-0 Conclusion

EDITORS NOTE 05/10/2009: Benchmark Reviews has re-tested the OCZ Vertex with the latest v1.10 firmware, which includes TRIM support, and the resulting performance was generally identical to the previous firmware. Please remember that TRIM is a Windows 7 supported feature, and does not improve performance on Windows XP or Vista Operating Systesm.

Benchmark Reviews begins each conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas we rate. The first is presentation, which takes product packaging into consideration to the extent that it provides adequate packing material and consumer information for an informed purchase. Since the American economy in the midst of an economic recession, many manufacturers are having to pull out some very creative ideas to help market their products. Add onto this the fact that SSD technology already carries a premium price tag, and you can understand why product presentation becomes important. OCZ takes the Vertex series packaging back to basics with a simple-yet-catchy black and white appearance, while at the same time delivering critical product information and specifications for the untrained consumer.

Solid State Drives are a lot like spark plugs: you see them just long enough to install, and then they're forgotten. OCZ keeps production costs down on the Vertex SSD Series with a uniform black painted enclosure for all of their SSD products, and uses an adhesive label for each product series and underside specifications. There isn't very much to expect from the appearance of Solid State Drives, because like their Hard Disk Drive counterpart they are meant to place function before fashion. To this end, I still wish manufacturers would begin using sealed plastic enclosures to prevent moisture or electrical shock damage.

Construction is probably the strongest feature credited to the entire SSD product line, and OCZ products have never been an exception. Solid State Drives are by nature immune to most abuses, but add to this a hard metal shell and you have to wonder what it would take to make this drive fail. If an Vertex Series product does happen to fail during the 2-year warranty period, end-users can contact OCZ via the company website or extensive support forums. Fortunately, there's also a toll-free telephone number for support or customer service questions (800-459-1816).

Based on the collection of benchmark performance tests we've conducted, the OCZ Vertex offers linear bandwidth so far ahead of previous competition that it might require calling this a new generation product in order to justify how so many other 'new' products have just been left behind. The MLC Samsung flash DRAM modules paired to a 64MB cache buffer on this 120GB Vertex SSD help yield a 0.10 ms response time. ATTO Disk Benchmark tool reported an impressive 249 MBps maximum read bandwidth but only 138 MBps maximum write in our tests, while RAID-0 Vertex performance soared to 438/358 MBps. Lavalys EVEREST linear full-sector bandwidth performance was a steady 247.6 MBps read-from and impressive 225.2 MBps write-to speed, while RAID-0 Vertex SSDs raised the bandwidth to 504.9/437.2 MBps.

As of December 2009, the OCZ Vertex series of SSDs is available at NewEgg and other popular online retailers. A lower-capacity 30GB Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX30G is sold for $99.99 after rebate, while the 60GB OCZSSD2-1VTX60G sells for $219 after rebate. The larger 120GB version we tested in this articles is offered for $409. A jumbo-sized 250GB version of the Vertex SSD is available for $829.

In conclusion, the OCZ Vertex MLC Solid State Drive offers tremendous performance in read and write bandwidth speeds and an exceptional 0.10 ms response time at a attainable price. As a single drive, the Vertex SSD is second to none (at least until OCZ launches the Summit SSD), and easily outperforms a RAID-0 set of Western Digital VelociRaptor hard drives. Place two OCZ Vertex SSDs into a RAID-0 striped array, and the results are phenomenal. The only drawback is price, which keeps the premium around $4 per gigabyte or storage space. I can recommend the OCZ Vertex to cutting-edge super-users and performance enthusiasts who want unmatched response and speed from their computer system.

EDITORS NOTE: Because of an extremely low failure rate for this product series, OCZ has to three years of coverage.

Pros:

+ Impressive 505 MBps read and 437 write RAID-0 bandwidth with EVEREST
+ 64MB Cache buffer permanently solves 'stuttering' problem
+ Very low 0.10 ms random access time
+ Lightweight compact storage solution
+ Resistant to extreme shock impact
+ Up to 250GB of SSD capacity
+ 2-Year OCZ product warranty
+ Low power consumption may extend battery life

Cons:

- Metal case is heavier and less durable than plastic
- Lacks integrated USB 2.0 Mini-B data connection
- Expensive premium-level product

Ratings:

• Presentation: 8.75
• Appearance: 8.75
• Construction: 9.75
• Functionality: 9.75
• Value: 8.00

Final Score: 9.0 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

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