ADATA S599 Solid State Drive Review

ADATA is a finished-goods company with deep roots in the enthusiast system memory market. Like nearly every company that sells DRAM-based products, ADATA has gone the way of the SSD. Promising 280/270 MBps read/write speeds with Windows-7 TRIM support, the ADATA S599 Solid State Drive offers 100GB of high-speed storage capacity. Built from the SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor, Benchmark Reviews tests ACHI speeds and performance with the ADATA AS599S-128GM-C against some of the fastest storage devices available.

The SandForce SF-1200 SATA-3GBps controller is new to the industry, yet many manufacturers are already hailing it as the replacement for Indilinx's industry-leading Barefoot processor. Both are second-generation SATA products limited to 3.0 GB/s transfer speeds, and both offer similar specifications. SandForce adds DuraClass technology to 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.

In a very short time span the entire SSD market has created and recreated itself many times over. Counting the generations of SSD processors has become difficult for experienced experts, and keeping-up with controller architecture has come with its own set of challenges. Benchmark Reviews has tested dozens of Solid State Drive products, and we've seen everything from dual-SATA controllers in RAID-0 to extremely large cache buffer modules used inside of them. While the SSD industry grows daily, only a few select manufacturers offer popularly-accepted Flash NAND SSD controllers. As of April 2010 the most popular consumer SSD controllers are designed by: Indilinx, Intel, JMicron, Toshiba, Samsung, SandForce, and Marvell.

For decades, the slowest component in any computer system was the hard drive. Most modern processors operate within approximately 1-ns (nanosecond = one billionth of one second) response time, while system memory responds between 30-90 ns. Traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) technology utilizes magnetic spinning media, and even the fastest spinning desktop storage products exhibit a 9,000,000 ns - or 9 ms (millisecond = one thousandth of one second) initial response time. In more relevant terms, The processor receives the command and waits for system memory to fetch related data from the storage drive. This is why any computer system is only as fast as the slowest component in the data chain; which is usually the hard drive.

The theoretical goal for achieving optimal performance is for system memory to operate as quickly as the central processor, and the storage drive to operate as fast as memory. With present technology this is an impossible task, so enthusiasts try to close the speed gaps between components as much as possible. Although system memory is up to 90x (9000%) slower than most processors, just consider that the hard drive is an added 1000x (100,000%) slower than that same memory. Essentially, these three components are as different in speed as walking is to driving and flying.

Solid State Drive technology bridges the largest gap. The difference a SSD makes to operational reaction times and program speeds is dramatic, and takes the storage drive from a slow 'walking' speed to a much faster 'driving' speed. Solid State Drive technology improves initial response times by more than 450x (45,000%) for applications and Operating System software, when compared to their HDD counterparts.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Benchmark Reviews has used this SSD to publish our SandForce SF1200 RAID-0 SSD Performance review.

About ADATA Technology

Founded in May, 2001 by Chairman and CEO Mr. Simon Chen, ADATA Technology Co., Ltd. has quickly risen to become one of the world's largest memory product providers. At the beginning, with DRAM modules as the major product line, ADATA Technology's mission was to become "The Global Leading Brand of Memory Products." Later on, recognizing the market's trend, ADATA Technology diversified its product portfolio to include Flash peripherals and to capitalize on the strong growth of the Flash-based product market. With the ability to quickly develop high-quality DRAM memory and Flash memory products that meet market demand, ADATA Technology has experienced outstanding growth. Based on an May, 2009 iSuppli report, ADATA ranks second in the world for DRAM Module, seventh for USB Flash Disk and tenth for Memory Card respectively.

SandForce SF-1200 Features

SandForce 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
As each generation of flash memory evolves and the silicon geometries shrink - performance, reliability, endurance, and data retention are negatively impacted. DuraWrite technology extends the life of the SSD over conventional controllers, by optimizing writes to the flash memory and delivering a write amplification below 1, without complex DRAM caching requirements.

Performance and Power Optimization
SSDs are capable of significantly outperforming traditional HDDs, but typical controllers haven't delivered the compelling value necessary for mainstream adoption. SandForce DuraClass technology enables the SSD to maximize both the endurance and performance for the life of the drive fulfilling the promise of high speed flash memory in client computing applications and improving system performance by up to 50% as measured by the SYSmark Benchmark.

Mobile Computing Security
The SF-1200 has built in AES-128 bit encryption controllable by a configurable user password. This feature prevents would-be thieves from extracting data directly from the flash memory should they ever have access to the drive.

Data Protection and Reliability
SF-1200 SSD Processors provide up to 100x greater data protection than today's SSDs, and leading enterprise HDDs. This is a result of superior ECC protection and unique RAISE (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) technology. RAISE provides the protection and reliability of RAID on a single drive without the significant write overhead.

AS599S-128GM-C Specifications

First Look: ADATA S599

The ADATA S599 Solid State Drive is the third in their 500-series line of SSD products, coming right on the heels of the ADATA S592 and S596. Like past ADATA SSD's, the ADATA S599 arrives in a clean and friendly white retail box with their Hummingbird logo. ADATA underwent a corporate re-branding not long ago, so far they've succeeded in capturing consumer attention.

Once pulled from the package, the ADATA S599 shows off a simple black anodized aluminum finish on the metal casing that gives the drive a total weight of 63g.

Best suited for notebook and desktop computer installations, the 100GB ADATA S599 SSD could also be utilized for mission-critical backups or high-abuse data systems. The ADATA S599 Solid State Drive has been designed with a focus on high-performance data transfer speeds and data protection. Although the ADATA S599 model does not offer an integrated USB Mini-B port, several new 2.5" SATA enclosures utilize the SuperSpeed USB-3.0 standard for high-performance portable file transfers.

Standard 2.5" drive bay mounting points are pre-drilled and threaded into the ADATA S599 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-7 O/S without a hitch.

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. ADATA utilizes a metal two-piece enclosure for their S599 model, which reveals the internal components after removing four small counter-sunk Phillips-head screws located at the sides of this SSD. The ADATA S599 has a warranty-void sticker along the seam, and removing the enclosure cover will remove consumer protection with it. Benchmark Reviews will reveal all of the internal components on our next section anyway, so just be patient and save your warranty protection.

Thanks to the SandForce SF-1200 SSD controller architecture (detailed in the next section), the ADATA S599 Solid State Drive suggests transfer speeds around 280/270 MBps read/write for high-performance enthusiasts. Now that you're acquainted with the basic exterior features for the S599 SSD, it's time to peek inside the metal enclosure and inspect the internal components...

SandForce SF-1200 SSD Controller

The SandForce SF-1200 SATA-3GBps controller is new to the industry, but many manufacturers are already hailing it as the replacement for Indilinx's industry-leading Barefoot processor. Both are second-generation SATA products limited to 3.0 GB/s transfer speeds, and both offer similar specifications. SandForce adds DuraClass technology to 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.

SandForce has hit the 2010 SSD industry with full force, much the same way that Indilinx did back in 2009. Finished-goods companies can utilize the SandForce SF1200 processor in their own product line, which then receives a "SandForce Driven" badge. The SandForce SF-1222 processor is presently available in the ADATA S599, Corsair Force, RunCore Pro-V, Patriot Inferno, OWC Mercury Extreme Pro-RE, G.Skill Phoenix Pro, OCZ Vertex-2, PhotoFast G-Monster 2, OCZ Agility-2, and Mach Xtreme SSD series.

From the view above the printed circuit board (PCB), it doesn't look like there's anything dramatically innovative on the SandForce Solid State Drive. Eight flash NAND modules make a horseshoe around the SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor, and plenty of electronics fill in the remaining space atop the printed circuit board. But once the SandForce SSD board is turned to expose the underside, the difference is obvious: SandForce has used their DuraClass technology to remove the DRAM buffer.

The 2nd-generation SATA-3.0GBps SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBH processor is part of their SF-1200 family of SSD controller chips, and SSDs will utilize either the SF-1200 processor for retail consumers or SF-1500 for enterprise devices. All SandForce SSD controllers offer native TRIM support in Microsoft Windows-7, Native Command Queuing (NCQ) with 32 command slots, and Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) command set. While not directly important to transfer speeds or operational performance, SandForce utilizes a Tensilica Diamond Core DC_570T CPU inside the SF-1200 processor.

Another benefit of 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. The result is a faster transaction, albeit at the expense of total storage capacity. SandForce SSDs utilize over-provisioning technology, which allocates a portion of NAND for data storage and the remainder reserved for transaction and cache buffer space. SandForce has also marketing custom firmware to the finished-goods companies that sell their SSDs, which remove performance restrictions.

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.

Sixteen multi-layer cell Intel 29F64G08CAMDB flash NAND modules are joined to the SandForce SF-1200 controller. On professional-level 28% over-provisioned SandForce SSDs, these NAND modules may 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.

Because the SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor inside the many SSDs is a non-exclusive component available market-wide, Benchmark Reviews expects to see many new solid state storage products using this controller in the near future. Please continue on for details and performance results for this Solid State Drive...

SSD Testing Methodology

Solid 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 Disclaimer

Early 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

• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 (Intel X58-Express)
• Processor: Intel Core i7-920 BX80601920 @ 2.667 GHz
• System Memory: 6GB Triple-Channel DDR3 1600MHz CL6-6-6-18
• SATA 3Gb/s Storage HBA: Integrated Intel ICH10R Controller
  • AHCI mode - Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver 9.6.0.1014
• SATA 6Gb/s Storage HBA: Integrated Marvell SE9128 Controller
  • AHCI mode - Marvell Magni Driver Marvell Magni Driver 1.0.0.1036
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition 64-Bit

Drive Hardware Tested

The following storage hardware has been used in our benchmark performance testing, and may be included in portions of this article:

• ACARD ANS-9010 DDR2 SATA RAM-Drive
• ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair X256 CMFSSD-256D1 256GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.1)
• Crucial RealSSD-C300 CTFDDAC256MAG-1G1 256GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC SSD
• Intel X25-E Extreme SSDSA2SH032G1GN SATA SLC SSD
• Kingston SSDNowV+ SNVP325-S2 128GB SATA MLC SSD
• LiteOn LA-32M1S Strong-Page 32GB MLC SSD
• Mtron MOBI 3500 MSD-SATA3535-064 64GB SATA MLC SSD
• OCZ Agility OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 120GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Agility-EX OCZSSD2-1AGTEX60G 64GB SATA SLC (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware v1.5)
• OCZ Vertex-EX OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• Seagate Momentus 5400.6 320GB ST9320325AS 2.5" 5,400 RPM SATA-II Hard Disk Drive
• Seagate Barracuda-XT ST32000641AS 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
• Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Disk Drive
• WD SiliconEdge-Blue SSC-D0256SC-2100 256GB SATA SSD

Test Tools

• AS SSD Benchmark v1.4.3704.27281: Multi-purpose speed and operational performance test
• ATTO Disk Benchmark v2.34: Spot-tests static file size chunks for basic I/O bandwidth
• HD Tune Pro v3.5 by EFD Software: Measured random access IOPS and speed
• Iometer 2008.06.28 by Intel Corporation: Tests IOPS performance and I/O response time
• Lavalys EVEREST Ultimate Edition v5.30.1900: Disk Benchmark component tests linear read and write bandwidth speeds
• CrystalDiskMark v2.2 by Crystal Dew World: Sequential speed benchmark spot-tests various file size chunks

Test Results Disclaimer

This article utilizes 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.

AS-SSD Benchmark

Alex Schepeljanski of Alex Intelligent Software develops the free AS SSD Benchmark utility for testing storage devices. The AS SSD Benchmark tests sequential read and write speeds, input/output operational performance, and response times. Because this software receives frequent updates, Benchmark Reviews recommends that you compare results only within the same version.

Beginning with sequential read and write performance, the ADATA S599 SandForce SF-1200 Solid State Drive produced a 207.0 MB/s read speed, but only a 130.6 MB/s write. ADATA's own in-lab test results produced 207.5 and 131.8 MB/s read and write performance, which validates our own results.

Conversely, 4K IOPS performance swings in the opposite direction, with 16.1 MB/s read and 50.1 MB/s write. ADATA's lab was able to produce 20.7 and 56.9 MB/s read and write IOPS, which is notably higher than our results using the same system hardware.

Access time is one area that draws our attention, as the S599 SSD we received produced 0.24 ms read response times and 0.29 ms write times. ADATA's lab produced 0.08 and 0.23 ms response times, which are significantly lower. Keep an eye on read results, as we experience at least one other test that widely fluctuates test results.

AS SSD Benchmark also includes a file-copy tool for measuring transfer time and speed. Using the ADATA S599 SSD attached to the Intel ICH10 Southbridge in ACHI mode, our results produced a high of 94 MB/s and a low of 84.1 MB/s, In comparison, ADATA produced a high of 154.4 and low of 118.1 MB/s in their test lab - which is designed to generate maximum test results.

Drive Hardware

ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD

In the next section, Benchmark Reviews tests transfer rates using ATTO Disk Benchmark.

ATTO Disk Benchmark

The ATTO Disk Benchmark program is free, and offers a comprehensive set of test variables to work with. In terms of disk performance, it measures interface transfer rates at various intervals for a user-specified length and then reports read and write speeds for these spot-tests. There are some minor improvements made to the 2.34 version of the program, but the benchmark is still limited to non-linear samples up to 256MB. ATTO Disk Benchmark requires that an active partition be set on the drive being tested. Please consider the results displayed by this benchmark to be basic bandwidth speed performance indicators.

Our basic bandwidth speed tests begin with the ADATA S599 SSD connected to the Intel ICH10 controller, as the ATTO Disk Benchmark tools performs file transfers ranging from 0.5 KB to 8192 KB. The 100GB model we received reveals 286 MBps maximum read speed that plateaus from 512-8192 KB file chunks, and the 277 MBps peak write bandwidth plateaus from 64-8192 KB. These results surpass those suggested by ADATA, who produced nearly identical results in their test lab.

Aside from one single SATA 6Gb/s SSD storage solution, the ADATA S599 (SandForce SF-1200) SSD tops our peak-speed bandwidth charts and easily earns a spot among the fastest Solid State Drive products on the market. Based on this information, it appears the SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor can outperform the JMicron JMF612 and Indilinx Barefoot-based SSDs.

Drive Hardware

• ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair X256 CMFSSD-256D1 256GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.1)
• Crucial RealSSD-C300 CTFDDAC256MAG-1G1 256GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC SSD
• Intel X25-E Extreme SSDSA2SH032G1GN SATA SLC SSD
• Kingston SSDNowV+ SNVP325-S2 128GB SATA MLC SSD
• Mtron MOBI 3500 MSD-SATA3535-064 64GB SATA MLC SSD
• OCZ Agility OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 120GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Agility-EX OCZSSD2-1AGTEX60G 64GB SATA SLC (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware v1.5)
• OCZ Vertex-EX OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• Seagate Barracuda-XT ST32000641AS 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
• Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Disk Drive
• WD SiliconEdge-Blue SSC-D0256SC-2100 256GB SATA SSD

In our next section, Benchmark Reviews compares random access IOPS performance among high-end storage devices using HD Tune Pro...

Iometer IOPS Performance

Iometer is an I/O subsystem measurement and characterization tool for single and clustered systems. Iometer does for a computer's I/O subsystem what a dynamometer does for an engine: it measures performance under a controlled load. Iometer was originally developed by the Intel Corporation and formerly known as "Galileo". Intel has discontinued work on Iometer, and has gifted it to the Open Source Development Lab (OSDL).

Iometer is both a workload generator (that is, it performs I/O operations in order to stress the system) and a measurement tool (that is, it examines and records the performance of its I/O operations and their impact on the system). It can be configured to emulate the disk or network I/O load of any program or benchmark, or can be used to generate entirely synthetic I/O loads. It can generate and measure loads on single or multiple (networked) systems.

To measure random I/O response time as well as total I/O's per second, Iometer is set to use 4KB file size chunks over a 100% random sequential distribution at a queue depth of 32 outstanding I/O's per target. The tests are given a 50% read and 50% write distribution. While this pattern may not match traditional 'server' or 'workstation' profiles, it illustrates a single point of reference relative to our product field.

The chart below illustrates combined random read and write IOPS over a 120-second Iometer test phase, where highest I/O total is preferred:

From the onset, SandForce SSDs clearly outperform the competition when tested which a larger queue depth. While G.Skill's product website displays an image of their Iometer results reaching nearly 50,118 IOPS, there's no telling what settings were used for this test. In our own Iometer tests, which use 32 outstanding I/O's per target and a random 50/50 read/write distribution, only the 'unrestricted' SandForce SSDs approach 50,000 IOPS. These SSDs demonstrate a much higher performance level due to the custom firmware they've implemented, whereas the others each use 'locked' standard-release SandForce firmware that offers consistently identical results. Benchmark Reviews discusses this topic in more detail in our SandForce SF-1200 SSD Firmware Comparison article.

Drive Hardware

• ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair Nova V128 CMSSSD-V128GB2 SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair Force F100 CSSD-F100GB2 SATA MLC SSD
• Crucial RealSSD-C300 CTFDDAC256MAG-1G1 256GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC SSD
• G.Skill Phoenix Pro 60GB SATA MLC SSD FM-25S2S-60GBP2
• Kingston SSDNowV+ SNVP325-S2 128GB SATA MLC SSD
• LiteOn LA-32M1S Strong-Page 32GB MLC SSD
• OCZ Agility OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 120GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Agility-EX OCZSSD2-1AGTEX60G 64GB SATA SLC (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OWC Mercury Extreme Pro-RE SSDMXRE100 100GB MLC SSD
• Patriot Inferno PI100GS25SSDR 100GB MLC SSD
• RunCore Pro-V RCP-V-S2520-MCN 200GB SATA SLC SSD
• Seagate Momentus-XT Solid State Hybrid Drive ST95005620AS
• Seagate Barracuda-XT ST32000641AS 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
• WD SiliconEdge-Blue SSC-D0256SC-2100 256GB SATA SSD

In our next section, we test linear read and write bandwidth performance and compare its speed against several other top storage products using EVEREST Disk Benchmark. Benchmark Reviews feels that linear tests are excellent for rating SSDs, however HDDs are put at a disadvantage with these tests whenever capacity is high.

EVEREST Disk Benchmark

Many enthusiasts are familiar with the Lavalys EVEREST benchmark suite, but very few are aware of the Disk Benchmark tool available inside the program. The EVEREST Disk Benchmark performs linear read and write bandwidth tests on each drive, and can be configured to use file chunk sizes up to 1MB (which speeds up testing and minimizes jitter in the waveform). Because of the full sector-by-sector nature of linear testing, Benchmark Reviews endorses this method for testing SSD products, as detailed in our Solid State Drive Benchmark Performance Testing article. However, Hard Disk Drive products suffer a lower average bandwidth as the capacity draws linear read/write speed down into the inner-portion of the disk platter. EVEREST Disk Benchmark does not require a partition to be present for testing, so all of our benchmarks are completed prior to drive formatting.

The high-performance storage products tested with EVEREST Disk Benchmark are connected to the Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 motherboard. Using the 1MB block size, read performance of the 100GB ADATA S599 Solid State Drive measured an average 256.8 MBps with a similar maximum peak of 259.8 MBps. Linear write-to tests were next...

Linear disk benchmarks are superior tools in my opinion, because they scan from the first physical sector to the last. A side affect of many linear write-performance test tools is that the data is erased as it writes to every sector on the drive. Normally this isn't an issue, but it has been shown that partition table alignment will occasionally play a role in overall SSD performance (HDDs don't suffer this problem).

The waveform chart below illustrates how the integrated buffer manages file transfers, and makes linear write performance appear even yet unsteady. The results seen here are still relatively consistent compared to most other SSD products we've tested in the past. The ADATA S599 recorded an average linear write-to speed of 249.3 MBps, with a maximum performance of 254.7 MBps.

The chart below shows the average linear read and write bandwidth speeds for a cross-section of SATA storage devices tested with EVEREST:

Linear bandwidth certainly benefits the Solid State Drive, since there's very little fluctuation in transfer speed. Hard Disk Drive products decline in performance as the spindle reaches the inner-most sectors on the magnetic platter. I personally consider linear tests to be the single most important comparison of storage drive products, although hard disk drive products decrease performance as they reach the edge of the spindle, SSD products operate at a relatively smooth speed from start to finish.

Drive Hardware

• ACARD ANS-9010 DDR2 SATA RAM-Drive
• ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair X256 CMFSSD-256D1 256GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.1)
• Crucial RealSSD-C300 CTFDDAC256MAG-1G1 256GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC SSD
• Intel X25-E Extreme SSDSA2SH032G1GN SATA SLC SSD
• Kingston SSDNowV+ SNVP325-S2 128GB SATA MLC SSD
• LiteOn LA-32M1S Strong-Page 32GB MLC SSD
• Mtron MOBI 3500 MSD-SATA3535-064 64GB SATA MLC SSD
• OCZ Agility OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 120GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Agility-EX OCZSSD2-1AGTEX60G 64GB SATA SLC (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware v1.5)
• OCZ Vertex-EX OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Disk Drive
• WD SiliconEdge-Blue SSC-D0256SC-2100 256GB SATA SSD

In the next section, Benchmark Reviews tests sequential performance using the CrystalDiskMark software tool...

CrystalDiskMark Tests

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 is a file transfer and operational bandwidth benchmark tool from Crystal Dew World that offers performance transfer speed results using sequential, 512KB random, and 4KB random samples. For our test results chart below, the 4KB 32-Queue Depth read and write performance was measured using a 1000MB space. CrystalDiskMark requires that an active partition be set on the drive being tested, and all drives are formatted with NTFS on the Intel ICH10 controller set to AHCI-mode. Benchmark Reviews uses CrystalDiskMark to illustrate operational IOPS performance with multiple threads. In addition to our other tests, this benchmark allows us to determine operational bandwidth under heavy load.

Our tests of the ADATA S599 SandForce SF-1200 Solid State Drive were each consistent, but also far below the suggested speeds (a common problem with the CDM tool). Sequential tests on the S599 produced a maximum read speed of 210.5 MB/s, while the write speed was only 90.26 MB/s. Similarly, the 512K results showed a similar trend: 198.4 MB/s read, and only 86.10 MB/s write. Up to this point, read speeds have far exceeded write performance, at least until our 4K tests. CrystalDiskMark 4K tests produced only 16.84 read and 60.56 write performance. Finally, the 4KB QD32 results measured 115.4 MB/s read and 82.18 MB/s write. These results have been charted below:

Drive Hardware

• ADATA S599 100GB SATA MLC SSD
• Corsair X256 CMFSSD-256D1 256GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.1)
• Crucial RealSSD-C300 CTFDDAC256MAG-1G1 256GB SATA 6Gb/s MLC SSD
• Intel X25-E Extreme SSDSA2SH032G1GN SATA SLC SSD
• Kingston SSDNowV+ SNVP325-S2 128GB SATA MLC SSD
• LiteOn LA-32M1S Strong-Page 32GB MLC SSD
• Mtron MOBI 3500 MSD-SATA3535-064 64GB SATA MLC SSD
• OCZ Agility OCZSSD2-1AGT120G 120GB SATA MLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Agility-EX OCZSSD2-1AGTEX60G 64GB SATA SLC (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware v1.5)
• OCZ Vertex-EX OCZSSD2-1VTX120G 120GB SATA SLC SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• OCZ Vertex Turbo OCZSSD2-1VTXT120G 120GB SATA SSD (Firmware version 1.5)
• Seagate Barracuda-XT ST32000641AS 2TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive
• Western Digital VelociRaptor WD3000HLFS 300GB 10,000 RPM SATA Hard Disk Drive
• WD SiliconEdge-Blue SSC-D0256SC-2100 256GB SATA SSD

In the next section, I share my final thoughts on the struggle between SSD and HDD technology before delivering my conclusion and final product rating.

SSD vs Hard Disk Drive

The last days of old technology are always better than the first days of new technology. Never has this saying been more true than with the topic of storage technology, specifically in regard to the introduction of Solid State Drive technology a few years ago. The only things standing in the way of widespread Solid State Drive (SSD) adoption are high storage capacity and affordable price of Hard Disk Drive (HDD) devices. Because NAND flash-based SSD technology costs more per gigabyte of capacity than traditional magnetic hard drives, the benefits of immediate response time, transfer speeds, and operational input/output performance often get overlooked. Like most consumer products, it wasn't a question of how much improvement was evident in the new technology, it was price. I'll discuss product costs more in just a moment, but for now consider how each new series of SSD product employs greater performance than the one before it, convincing would-be consumers into waiting for the right time to buy.

There's also a gray area surrounding SSD performance benchmarks that has me concerned. You might not know this, but SSDs can be very temperamental towards the condition of their flash NAND. My experience testing dozens of Solid State Drives is that a freshly cleaned device (using an alignment tool) will always outperform the same device once it's been formatted and used. A perfect example is Indilinx Barefoot-based SSDs, which suffers severely degraded performance when writing to 'dirty' flash NAND. The reason that all of this will matters is simple: the performance results reported to consumers in product reviews (such as this one) often report the very best performance scores, and the process used to obtain these results is not applicable to real-world usage. This is where garbage collection techniques such as TRIM become important, so that end-users will experience the same performance levels as we do in our tests.

Garbage Collection (GC) is the current solution for keeping flash NAND 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' flash NAND 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 $1.00 per gigabyte WD VelociRaptor hard drive, costs may still close some buyers out of the market. Price notwithstanding, the future is in SSD technology and the day when HDDs are obsolete is nearing; but there are still a few bumps in the road to navigate.

ADATA AS599S-128GM-C Conclusion

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 for the sample received which may differ from retail 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 ADATA S599 SSD performs in operations against direct competitor SATA storage products. For reference, SandForce specifies the SF-1200 at 260 MB/s read and write, yet ADATA suggests 280/270 MB/s performance. In our benchmark tests, the ADATA S599 SSD performed at or above this rating. The ADATA S599 delivered 286/277 MBps peak read and writes speeds using ATTO Disk Benchmark and trailed by 260/255 MBps in Everest, making this the fastest SATA-3GBps MLC SSD we've tested. Operational performance was very good in Iometer, where the S599 outperformed all other MLC SSDs and competed with SLC models. Based on these results, enthusiasts can expect high operational speeds and functionality for demanding applications.

Solid State Drives are low-visibility products: you see them just long enough to install and then they're forgotten. Like their Hard Disk Drive counterparts, Solid State Drives are meant to place function before fashion. Anything above and beyond a simple metal shell is already more than what's expected in terms of the appearance. ADATA has kept production costs down while maintaining attractive looks by using an anodized aluminum chassis for their S599 SSD. As SSD controllers become faster and more advanced, heat dissipation through the enclosure walls is critical, and makes chassis design more important that it previously needed to be.

Construction is probably the strongest feature credited to the entire SSD product segment, and the ADATA S599 is no exception. Although the ADATA S599 SSD is covered by a limited warranty, the duration and restrictions are unknown. ADATA recommends that you register your product to receive warranty support. Unfortunately, there are no online discussion forums/chat or local telephone service numbers available for technical support.

Benchmark Reviews has tested the ADATA S599 SSD against its closest competitors, and the performance results were impressive. High-performance enthusiasts will enjoy the a noteworthy 0.16 ms response time, which assures a nearly-instant reactions when called upon. Based on the SATA-3.0 SandForce SF-1222TA3-SBH processor, the ADATA S599 SSD delivers native TRIM garbage collection and SMART support with impressive transfer speeds. More importantly, SandForce DuraClass technology adds their proprietary RAISE and DuraWrite features not available to other SSDs, and the end result is a product that lasts up to five times longer with less wear on NAND flash modules. One drawback to ADATA's SSD series is that they lack any publicly available firmware updates and there no enthusiast community supporting the company.

As of August 2010, the ADATA S599 Solid State Drive is available online at NewEgg. Benchmark Reviews tested the 100GB capacity SSD for this article, model AS599S-128GM-C, which which sells for $295.99. If you're in need of a higher-capacity storage solution, the 200GB model (AS599S-256GM-C) is listed for $629.

In summary, the ADATA S599-series is a high-performance SATA-3.0 GBps Solid State Drive that builds on the powerful SandForce SF-1200 SSD processor. SandForce innovates the SSD industry by prolonging MLC NAND flash module lifetime, and delivering RAID-like data redundancy. The ADATA S599 proved to meet or exceed its specifications, and 286/277 MBps read and write speeds are enough push the envelope of second-generation SATA performance. Unfortunately, most new SSDs coming to market are likely to be compliant with 3rd-generation SATA standards, and may also be faster. While the current retail prices make the ADATA S599 an attractive buy, expect even more discounts to come as additional SATA-6G SSDs join the market. ADATA made a wise decision to partner with SandForce for the S599, as it easily outperforms Indilinx-based SSDs.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Benchmark Reviews has used this SSD to publish our SandForce SF1200 RAID-0 SSD Performance review.

Pros:

Cons:

- Limited warranty and technical support
- Lacks integrated USB Mini-B data connection
- Not 3rd-Generation SATA-6.0 compliant
- No public firmware updates available

Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.

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