First Look: LiteOn Strong-Page SSD

Manufacturers dress-up their products to help them sell, but don't get too caught-up on the flashy stickers because they'll be out of sight soon enough. When it comes to internal desktop and notebook computer drives you've got to remember that once installed, that SSD gets hidden away from view and forgotten. Keeping in mind that this product is also of solid state design and therefore has no moving parts, it takes extra attention towards product presentation in order to help keep consumers feeling comfortable with their premium-priced purchase. The LiteOn version of the LA-32M1S model doesn't come with any manufacturer decals on the enclosure, but the golden-titanium textured finish disassociates itself with so many of the plain black designs we've seen lately, and adds a touch of class to the product line.

In addition to notebooks and desktop computer application, the 32GB Strong-Page MLC SSD can be utilized for mission-critical backups or high-abuse data systems; but its real focus is on high-performance data transfer speeds. Unfortunately, the LiteOn LA-32M1S model does not offer any integrated USB Mini-B port for making this into a portable backup storage device.

Standard 2.5" drive bay mounting points are pre-drilled and threaded into the LiteOn 32GB Strong-Page MLC SSD, which allows for quick upgrade or addition into any existing notebook or desktop system. The mounting positions matched up to the drive bracket on my notebook computer, and after only a few minutes of drive cloning I was quickly loading the Windows O/S.

Unlike most Hard Disk Drive (HDD) storage products, SSDs are nearly impervious to impact damage and do not require (or benefit from) any kind of special vibration dampening or shock-proof enclosures. LiteOn utilizes a textured rough-looking metal enclosure for their 'Strong-Page' Solid State Drive, which reveals the internal components after removing just four small counter-sunk Phillips-head screws on the underside.

Thanks to a new Marvell 88SS8014 controller architecture (detailed in the next section), the LiteOn Strong-Page SSD offers good performance at value-driven prices. Now that you're acquainted with the basic exterior features of the 32GB Strong-Page MLC SSD, it's time to peek inside the LA-32M1S enclosure and inspect the internal components...

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