| OCZ RevoDrive PCI-Express SandForce SSD |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Storage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Olin Coles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 22 September 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OCZ RevoDrive PCI-Express SSD ReviewSolid State Drive technology has become the high-performance option for SATA-drive upgrades, yet these ultra-fast NAND components are capable of so much more. Most computers are capable of offering 3.0 GB/s bandwidth via second-generation SATA controllers, which is fast enough for most general power-users. Although the latest desktop motherboards have incorporated third-generation SATA controllers good for up to 6.0 GB/s bandwidth, there's currently only one SSD storage product capable of utilizing this speed (as of September 2010). PCI-Express is an ideal alternative, since it doesn't require an add-on chip to support a new standard and still offers 5.0 GB/s bandwidth. Storage standards and bandwidth aside, it's understandable why SSDs were developed on a drive profile first: notebook and desktop hard disk drive upgrades offered a tremendous user-base. Unfortunately, SSDs were introduced with premium prices that rendered many consumers numb with sticker shock. As the technology became more prevalent, prices have also become more affordable and power-users have embraced the performance SSDs are known to offer. Now the market is ready for the next step: high-performance PCI-Express SSDs built for hardware enthusiasts. Enter the OCZ RevoDrive PCI-E SSD. SSDs have the power to transform slow computers into blazing-fast speed machines, and PCI-E SSDs can further amplify these improvements. The SandForce SF-1200 has quickly become the de facto SSD controller for companies seeking recognition, and for good reason. The OCZ RevoDrive embraces a pair of SF-1222TA3-SBH processors to produce up to 75,000 IOPS with only 7% over-provisioning to generate maximum performance with optimal capacity. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 120GB OCZ RevoDrive SSD (model OCZSSDPX-1RVD0120) against the fastest storage solutions on the market.
Just when PCs were starting to seem irrelevant in this fast-paced world of mobile gadgets and smart phones, along comes a new product that changes the entire landscape. SSDs, or more formally Solid State Drives, have finally lifted computers beyond the age of spinning metal magnetic platters. Delivering a boost in speed that no memory upgrade or new processor could ever dream of, solid state drive technology has sent hard disk drives packing. OCZ Technology, an enthusiast memory company and pioneer of consumer SSD products, further commits to their passion for high-speed storage and delivers the PCI-Express RevoDrive SSD. Based on two SandForce SF1200 controllers arranged in RAID-0, the OCZ RevoDrive PCI-E SSD delivers up to 75,000 IOPS with incredible bandwidth speed. SandForce is clearly the driving force in SSD controller technology for 2010, offering outstanding bandwidth speed and operational performance. OCZ utilizes two SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBH (SF-1200) processors in their PCI-E RevoDrive enthusiast MLC SSD, which features hand-picked high-performance Intel NAND flash memory modules. SandForce RAISE technology provides redundant protection for single SSD computer systems, while data is automatically secured with AES-128 encryption. The biggest mistake PC hardware enthusiast make with SSDs is grading them by their speed. File transfer speed is important, but only so long as the operational IOPS performance can sustain that bandwidth under load. Benchmark Reviews tests the OCZ Revo SSD against some of the most popular storage devices available and demonstrates that 4K IOPS performance is more important than bandwidth speed. Additionally, Benchmark Reviews has previously tested two similar SSDs to publish our SandForce SF1200 RAID-0 SSD Performance review.
Manufacturer: OCZ Technology Group, Inc. Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by OCZ Technology Group, Inc. Bandwidth Speed vs Operational PerformanceAs we've explained in our SSD Benchmark Tests: SATA IDE vs AHCI Mode guide, Solid State Drive performance revolves around two dynamics: bandwidth speed (MB/s) and operational performance (IOPS). These two metrics work together, but one is more important than the other. Consider this analogy: operational IOPS performance determines how much cargo a ship can transport in one voyage, and the bandwidth speed is to fast the ship moves. By understanding this and applying it to SSD storage, there is a clear importance set on each variable depending on the task at hand. For casual users, especially those with laptop or desktop computers that have been upgraded to use an SSD, the naturally quick response time is enough to automatically improve the user experience. Bandwidth speed is important, but only to the extent that operational performance meets the minimum needs of the system. If an SSD has a very high bandwidth speed but a low operational performance, it will take longer to load applications and boot the computer into Windows than if the SSD offered a higher IOPS performance. SandForce SF-1200 FeaturesSandForce SF-1200 SSD Processors enable commodity flash memory to reliably operate in cost and power sensitive client computing environments. The SF-1200 is a true single-chip SSD Processor designed for volume manufacturing and outstanding performance. Innovative DuraClass technology delivers world class reliability, endurance, performance and power consumption.
Endurance and Longevity
Performance and Power Optimization
Mobile Computing Security
Data Protection and Reliability Source: SandForce, Inc. OCZ RevoDrive SSD SpecificationsFocusing on both performance and affordability for consumers, the RevoDrive PCI-Express SSD is designed to accommodate a wide range of computing environments beyond everyday use to video-editing and other multi-media creation and management applications. Moving beyond the bottleneck of SATA II, the RevoDrive features a PCI-E interface to deliver superior speeds up to 540MB/s reads and random 4k writes up to 75,000 IOPS. Designed for high-performance gaming PCs and workstations, the RevoDrive has the unique capability to run both Windows and your essential applications and games to not only provides a more responsive PC experience, but promote a cooler, quieter, and more energy efficient conditions compared to traditional mechanical hard drives.
RevoDrive is available in 50GB up to 480GB capacities to offer extensive space for the latest operating systems, game titles, and applications for snappier boot and load times. The RevoDrive series comes backed with a 3-year warranty and ultra-reliable 2 million hour mean time between failure (MTBF) rating. Source: OCZ Technology Group, Inc.
Closer Look: OCZ RevoDrive PCI-E SSDFor this article Benchmark Reviews is testing the OCZ RevoDrive SSD, which is expected to reach speeds of 540 MB/s for sequential reads and 480 MB/s sequential writes. The 120GB Revo OCZSSDPX-1RVD0120 kit is built using dual SandForce SF-1222 controllers with 7% over-provisioning, which means that 120GB out of 128GB NAND flash contained in this SSD are allocated for data use. The OCZ Revo PCI-E SSD comes in 50/80/120/180/240/360/480GB capacities, and all models receive OCZ's three-year warranty. Most modern motherboards with PCI-Express 2.0 slots will support Revo as a boot device, such as Intel's 5x series and AMD's 8xx series, but older motherboards may require a BIOS update. OCZ offers a list of compatible motherboards on their product website.
SSDs are catching on quickly because they work equally well in PC, Linux, or Apple Mac computers, but the RevoDrive is different. Instead of packaging the NAND and drive controller into a SATA-connected enclosure, OCZ has built the Revo to utilize a single 4x PCI-Express 1.1 slot. Because it requires a 4x PCI-Express 1.1 slot to operate, the OCZ RevoDrive SSD is best suited for enthusiast-level desktop computer systems or performance-orientated application servers where 75,000 IOPS could really make an impact. SandForce SF-1200 series SSD controllers have been designed with a focus on high-performance operational and data transfer speeds, and include encrypted data protection and improved NAND wear-leveling through their proprietary DuraWrite technology.
While PCIe effectively rules out attention from notebook consumers, it opens up a market to users in need of Hot-Plug drive support. Additionally, OCZ's PCB-0052-X02 printed circuit board allows for modular component placement, which could one day expand the platform to offer up to four storage controllers with more complex drive schemes with even faster data processing. An add-on board could be connected, which would house supplemental NAND flash and two additional storage controllers.
OCZ utilizes a Pericom PI7C9X130 PCIe-to-PCIx reversible bridge chip on their Revo SSD, which connects one x4 PCI-Express port to one standard 64-bit /133 MHz PCIx port. The Pericom PI7C9X130 bridge features a 10KB buffer: 4KB for upstream reads with 2KB for upstream writes, and 2KB for downstream reads with another 2KB for downstream writes. From the PCI-Express bus, data travels through the Pericom PI7C9X130 located on the printed circuit board (PCB) directly above the gold-fingers into a Sil3124 RAID controller chip by Silicon Image (covered with a R sticker).
Silicon Image defines their SiI3124 chip as a PCI-Express to SATA-3GB/s controller capable of driving four ports. The current version of OCZ's Revo SSD incorporates the Sil3124 chip to drive two of the four available channels, using two SandForce SF-1200 controllers combined into a RAID-0 array to produce peak performance before reaching a collection of NAND flash components. A more detailed explanation of architecture is given in the next section... SandForce PCI-E SSD AnatomyThe SandForce SF-1200 SATA-3GBps controller is a durable component. SandForce features DuraClass technology on their SF-1200 processor, which claims to provide best-in-class endurance, performance, and lower power consumption. DuraWrite technology extends the endurance of MLC-NAND memory by providing at least five year lifecycles measured with 3000-5000 cycle MLC flash. Additionally, SandForce RAISE technology provides RAID-like protection for single SSD computer systems, and data is secured with AES-128 automatic encryption. It's easy to mistake the OCZ RevoDrive for two SandForce SF-1200 SSDs combined into RAID-0, which oversimplifies things. There are two primary components to the average SandForce-driven SSD: a single storage controller and flash memory. The OCZ RevoDrive is comprised of four primary components: PCI-Express bridge, RAID controller, dual storage controllers, and flash memory. Some might consider these differences minor semantics, but in truth they contrast a simple storage device (SSD) against a more complex RAID system on the PCI-Express platform. The first evidence that this isn't your average SSD comes when you boot-up the computer and are given the opportunity to enter the Silicon Image RAID Configuration Utility. Since the SiI3124 chip used on Revo is identical to those used on many desktop motherboards and RAID controllers, users will find it very familiar. The OCZ RevoDrive has two 'drives' permanently attached, so many of the RAID options are available but unusable (RAID-5/10). Users can destroy the RAID set and rebuild it using smaller or larger stripe sizes, although our SandForce SF1200 RAID-0 SSD Performance article has demonstrated that larger stripes are better for SSDs.
Silicon Image SiI3124 RAID Configuration UtilityWhen the OCZ Revo SSD is installed into a Windows 7 (64-bit) computer system as a secondary drive, the device manager prompts for driver installation which indicates a lack of Plug-n-Play compliance. OCZ includes the necessary SiI3124 drivers with the Revo SSD kit, as well as their website. As of September 2010 these drivers were identical to the latest package available direct from Silicon Image (si3124r5_15230_x64_Logo).
Windows 7 Device ManagerSandForce-driven SATA SSDs are capable of connecting to various controller hosts, such as those from Marvell or Intel, which retain TRIM garbage collection functionality as well as AHCI mode features. SandForce-driven PCI-Express form factor devices have their own host controller, and lose this functionality as a result. This is why the SandForce PCI-E SSD anatomy becomes important to understand. The Pericom PI7C9X130 PCIe-to-PCIx reversible bridge chip is straight-forward in purpose and functionality, as it connects the PCI-Express x4 port to one standard 64-bit /133 MHz PCIx port which messages the Sil3124 RAID controller chip. This is where the magic happens, as Silicon Image defines their SiI3124 chip as a PCI-Express to SATA-3GB/s controller capable of driving four ports. The current version of OCZ's Revo SSD incorporates the Sil3124 chip to drive two of the four available channels, using two SandForce SF-1200 controllers combined into a RAID-0 array to produce peak performance before reaching a collection of NAND flash components.
SiI3124 Block Diagram (Courtesy Silicon Image)The SATA 3Gb/s SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBH processor utilizes a Tensilica Diamond Core DC_570T internal CPU. SandForce-driven SSDs include either a SF-1200 processor for retail consumer products, or the SF-1500 for enterprise storage devices. While all SandForce SSDs offer native TRIM garbage collection (Microsoft Windows 7), Native Command Queuing (NCQ) with 32 command slots, and Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) command set, they cannot be passed-through to the Silicon Image SiI3124 RAID chip with current driver support unlike Intel's ICH10 does with the Rapid Storage Technology software. Regardless, the SF-1200 controller does an excellent job of minimizing re-write delays associated with dirty NAND.
SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBC ProcessorA key benefit to SandForce's SF-1200 architecture is that the SSD keeps all information on the NAND grid and removes the need for a separate cache buffer DRAM module by using the SandForce DuraClass technology. This results in a faster transaction, albeit at the expense of total storage capacity. SandForce SSDs also utilize over-provisioning technology, which allocates a portion of NAND for data storage and the remainder reserved for transaction and cache buffer space. The SF-1200 SSD processor provides ECC data protection and includes SandForce's unique RAISE (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology. RAISE provides the protection and reliability of RAID on a single SSD drive, thanks to flash architecture, without the significant write overhead of parity. The SandForce DuraClass technology automatically stores data in AES-128 encrypted format, preventing data extraction directly from the physical flash memory modules.
Intel 29F64G08CAMDB NAND Flash ICSeveral multi-layer cell (MLC) Intel 29F64G08CAMDB NAND flash modules are joined to the SandForce SF-1200 controllers. On the 128GB Revo SSD model (OCZSSDPX-1RVD0120) these NAND modules combine for 128GB of physical storage space, yet only 100GB of this capacity is designated for data. Consumer-level SandForce SSDs receive 7% over-provisioning and 128GB devices will yield 120GB of usable storage space. SSD Testing MethodologySolid State Drives have traveled a long winding course to finally get where they are today. Up to this point in technology, there have been several key differences separating Solid State Drives from magnetic rotational Hard Disk Drives. While the DRAM-based buffer size on desktop HDDs has recently reached 32 MB and is ever-increasing, there is still a hefty delay in the initial response time. This is one key area in which flash-based Solid State Drives continually dominates because they lack moving parts to "get up to speed". However the benefits inherent to SSDs have traditionally fallen off once the throughput begins, even though data reads or writes are executed at a high constant rate whereas the HDD tapers off in performance. This makes the average transaction speed of a SSD comparable to the data burst rate mentioned in HDD tests, albeit usually lower than the HDD's speed. Comparing a Solid State Disk to a standard Hard Disk Drives is always relative; even if you're comparing the fastest rotational spindle speeds. One is going to be many times faster in response (SSDs), while the other is usually going to have higher throughput bandwidth (HDDs). Additionally, there are certain factors which can affect the results of a test which we do our best to avoid. SSD Testing DisclaimerEarly on in our SSD coverage, Benchmark Reviews published an article which detailed Solid State Drive Benchmark Performance Testing. The research and discussion that went into producing that article changed the way we now test SSD products. Our previous perceptions of this technology were lost on one particular difference: the wear leveling algorithm that makes data a moving target. Without conclusive linear bandwidth testing or some other method of total-capacity testing, our previous performance results were rough estimates at best. Our test results were obtained after each SSD had been prepared using DISKPART or Sanitary Erase tools. As a word of caution, applications such as these offer immediate but temporary restoration of original 'pristine' performance levels. In our tests, we discovered that the maximum performance results (charted) would decay as subsequent tests were performed. SSDs attached to TRIM enabled Operating Systems will benefit from continuously refreshed performance, whereas older O/S's will require a garbage collection (GC) tool to avoid 'dirty NAND' performance degradation. It's critically important to understand that no software for the Microsoft Windows platform can accurately measure SSD performance in a comparable fashion. Synthetic benchmark tools such as HD Tach and PCMark are helpful indicators, but should not be considered the ultimate determining factor. That factor should be measured in actual user experience of real-world applications. Benchmark Reviews includes both bandwidth benchmarks and application speed tests to present a conclusive measurement of product performance. Test System
Drive Hardware TestedThe following storage hardware has been used in our benchmark performance testing, and may be included in portions of this article:
Test Tools
Test Results DisclaimerThis article utilizes benchmark software tools to produce operational IOPS performance and bandwidth speed results. Each test was conducted in a specific fashion, and repeated for all products. These test results are not comparable to any other benchmark application, neither on this website or another, regardless of similar IOPS or MB/s terminology in the scores. The test results in this project are only intended to be compared to the other test results conducted in identical fashion for this article.
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| Manufacturer | Indilinx | Intel | JMicron | Samsung | Toshiba | SandForce | Marvell |
| Controller | IDX110M00-FC | PC29AS21AA0 | JMF612 | S3C29RBB01-YK40 | T6UG1XBG | SandForce SF-1200 | 88SS9174-BJP2 |
| Max Cache | 64MB | 16MB | 128KB+256MB | 128MB | 128MB | Integrated | 128MB |
| Max Capacity | 256GB | 160GB | 256GB | 256GB | 512GB | 512GB | 256GB |
| Read/Write Speed | 230/170 MBps | 250/70 MBps | 250/200 MBps | 220/200 MBps | 230/180 MBps | 260/260 MBps | 355/215 MBps |
| Interface | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-II 3-Gbps | SATA-III 6-Gbps |
| Garbage Collection | GC/TRIM | None | TRIM | GC/TRIM | GC/TRIM | GC/TRIM | GC/TRIM |
|
Chart By: |
BmR |
Garbage Collection (GC) is the current solution for keeping NAND flash in 'clean' condition, while maintaining optimal performance. Windows 7 offers native TRIM support, and most retail SSDs also include this special GC function or at least offer a firmware update that brings the drive up-to-date. For anyone using an Operating System or SSD that does not offer Garbage Collection functionality, you'll be using 'dirty' NAND flash modules and suffering sub-optimal performance for each write-to request. A few SSD manufacturers offers free tools to help restore peak-level performance by scheduling GC to 'clean' used NAND sectors, but these tools add excessive wear to the NAND the same way disk defragmenting tools would. SLC flash modules may resist wear much better than MLC counterparts, but come at the expense of increased production cost. The best solution is a more durable NAND module that offers long-lasting SLC benefits at the cost of MLC construction. Adoption is further stalled because keen consumers aware of this dilemma further continue their delay into the SSD market.
Getting back to price, the changes in cost per gigabyte have come as often as changes to the technology itself. At their inception, high-performance models such the 32GB MemoRight GT cost $33 per gigabyte while the entry-level 32GB Mtron MOBI 3000 sold for $14 per gigabyte. While an enjoyable decline in NAND component costs forced consumer SSD prices down low in 2009, the price of SSD products has been on the rise during 2010. Nevertheless, Solid State Drives continue to fill store shelves despite price or capacity, and there are a few SSD products now costing only $2.03 per gigabyte. Although the performance may justify the price, which is getting dangerously close to the $0.79 per gigabyte for the WD VelociRaptor hard drive, costs may still close some buyers out of the market. Price notwithstanding, the future is in SSD technology - or possibly a SSD hybrid - and the day when HDDs are obsolete is nearing.
OCZ RevoDrive Conclusion
IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.
Our performance rating considers how effective the 120GB OCZ RevoDrive performs in operations against direct competing SSD storage solutions. In our benchmark tests, the Revo PCI-E SSD delivered 539/453 MBps peak read and writes speeds using ATTO Disk Benchmark. SSD speed tests with Everest Disk Benchmark produced 511/423 MBps, making this one of the fastest storage solutions Benchmark Reviews has ever tested. The retail OCZSSDPX-1RVD0120 kit that OCZ sent for testing can be configured with 4-128KB RAID-0 stripes, and operational performance measured 69,925 IOPS when tested with 64KB stripes using Iometer. Enthusiasts can expect extremely fast operational speeds and functionality for demanding applications with the OCZ RevoDrive PCI-Express SSD.
Benchmark Reviews has tested the OCZ Revo SSD against many of its closest competitors, including a SandForce RAID-0 set, and the performance results were impressive by their own merits. In fact, the OCZ Revo offered faster speeds than most other SSDs, including the RAID-0 set of separate SandForce SSDs. Operational performance tests place the RevoDrive at the top of our charts, well ahead of other SSDs and a RAID-0 pair. High-performance computer enthusiasts will enjoy the near-immediate response time, which assures instant reactions when called upon. Based on the SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBH processor, DuraClass technology adds proprietary RAISE and DuraWrite features not available to other SSDs. The end result is a product that could last up to five times longer with less wear on NAND flash modules due to 7% over-provisioning.
SSDs are not prone to mechanical failure, but if any Revo-series product does happen to fail during the 3-year warranty period end-users may contact OCZ via the company website or extensive support forums. Fortunately, there's also a toll-free telephone number (800-459-1816) for free technical support and customer service questions. OCZ has been proven to be one of the best companies in the business when it comes to customer service, and replacement parts are often sent with priority delivery.
The OCZ Revo PCI-E SSD series builds from the powerful SandForce SF-1222 solid state processor, which has innovated the SSD industry by prolonging MLC NAND flash lifetime and delivering RAID-like data redundancy. PCI-Express form factor or otherwise, SandForce SSDs have taken the storage market by storm. This has helped the OCZ Vertex 2 dominate the high-performance PC hardware segment, and will likely lend support to the OCZ RevoDrive for ultra-performance enthusiasts. SandForce-driven Solid State Drives are already extremely fast and offer SLC-level NAND durability at MLC cost, but combining two SF-1200 controllers onto a single-platform in RAID-0 delivers unprecedented operational I/O performance.
As of 06 December 2010, OCZ's 120GB RevoDrive PCI-Express SSD series sells for $299.99 at NewEgg, with several other capacities available. Considering that users get roughly twice the performance, there definitely a competitive argument to be made with regard to value. List below is the current OCZ product line of SandForce-driven SSDs:
| OCZ RevoDrive | OCZ Agility 2 Extended |
OCZ Vertex 2 Extended |
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$219 - 50GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0050
$295 - 80GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0080
$359 - 120GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0120
$525 - 180GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0180
$665 - 240GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0240
$1019 - 360GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0360
$1299 - 480GB - OCZSSDPX-1RVD0480
|
$148 - 60GB - OCZSSD2-2AGTE60G
$219 - 90GB - OCZSSD2-2AGTE90G
$256 - 120GB - OCZSSD2-2AGTE120G
$413 - 180GB - OCZSSD2-2AGTE180G
$539 - 240GB - OCZSSD2-2AGTE240G
|
$155 - 60GB - OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G $220 - 90GB - OCZSSD2-2VTXE90G $240 - 120GB - OCZSSD2-2VTXE120G $424 - 180GB - OCZSSD2-2VTXE180G $565 - 240GB - OCZSSD2-2VTXE240G |
In conclusion, OCZ's RevoDrive PCI-Express SSD offers two things to performance enthusiasts that other SSDs do not: bandwidth speeds beyond SATA-3.0 GB/s capabilities, and absolutely incredible operational IOPS performance. Unfortunately, these things come at the expense of several coveted storage utilities: TRIM garbage collection, Native Command Queuing (NCQ), and Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART). Until Silicon Image is able to incorporate these features into their driver so they'll pass through to the SSD, users will depend on SandForce's otherwise noteworthy NAND management.
The RevoDrive SSD will be a good fit for extreme-performance hardware enthusiasts who desire the fastest speeds and best operational performance, with some limited sever use. While I will always maintain that RAID-0 is not fit for business environments (even with routine backups), there are still a few very good situations where a PCI-Express SSD like the RevoDrive could be a good fit: virtual machine server, remote-access application server, high-transaction database server, and extreme-traffic web server... none of which should be production level without redundant safe guards.
Pros:
+ Delivers approximately 70,000 4K IOPS in Iometer
+ Better IOPS than two separate SandForce SSDs in RAID-0
+ Blazing fast 539/453 MBps read/write speed with ATTO
+ DuraWrite technology extends NAND lifetime
+ Top-level operational I/O performance for application servers
+ 3-Year OCZ product warranty
+ Several high-speed SSD storage capacities available
+ AES-128 Automatic encryption and password data protection
+ Less expensive than two separate SandForce-driven SSDs
Cons:
- SiI3124 RAID controller lacks NCQ, SMART, and TRIM pass-through
- Not as fast as two separate SandForce-driven SSDs in RAID-0
Ratings:
- Performance: 9.75
- Appearance: 8.75
- Construction: 9.00
- Functionality: 8.50
- Value: 7.75
Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.
Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.
Benchmark Reviews invites you to leave constructive feedback below, or ask questions in our Discussion Forum.
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Comments
They have certain bandwidth restrictions on the PCI-E bus with multiple PCI-E slots occupied concurrently. (X16 is divided into X8 times two)
I just wonder if this architecture would effect the output of the drive, and if the drive would effect the output of the Video Card?
PARECE QUE VAO MUDAR A TATICA!
Aside from the tranlation, can someone tell me if this type of storage( via Pci-e)is bootable??
I'd guess quite a lot will need bios updates.
I notice the idle power consumption on the data sheet provided by OCZ is 7W. Although still small, it seems to be much higher than other SSDs. Is this correct? If so, is it an artifact of having two controllers on the card or of being a PCI-E footprint? Any idea?
I agree with you about the controller; it works, but better options exist. Perhaps it was a cost benefit issue.
@ Neil: OCZ doesn't recommend motherboards with restrictive bandwidth on the PCI-Express bus, and the P55 motherboard would be a concern if SLI or CFX were used. If it's a single VGA with Revo on P55, I don't see a problem.
@ Robert: A standard SSD has a controller and NAND, while the Revo has twice the amount of NAND ICs, a RAID processor, and PCI-E bridge. This is where the extra power consumption comes from.