Internals, Testing Methodology and System Setup
Internals:
After removing the tiniest socket head cap screws I’ve ever seen, here are the guts:
The Pyro (above) employs Intel 25nm IMFT ONFi flash – TSOP packaging.
The Wildfire employs Toshiba 32nm Toggle-mode flash – BGA packaging.
Looking underneath, we see that Toshiba likes to cram more dies into their packages, meaning that only 8 packages are needed to make up the 120GB Wildfire. In reality, it’s likely that Patriot can purchase the IMFT flash for less than half the cost per TSOP at that lower capacity point.
Testing Methodology
Our tests are a good mix of synthetic and real-world benchmarks. PCMark, IOMeter, HDTach, HDTune, Yapt and our custom File Copy test round out the selection to cover just about all bases. If you have any questions about our tests just drop into the Storage Forum and we’ll help you out!
Test System Setup
We’re breaking in a new Sandy Bridge test bed. Necessary for properly testing these new drives, even with the known issues. To get around this, we are using only the Intel SATA 6Gb/sec ports, which are known to not exhibit the inconsistent performance / connectivity issues.
PC Perspective would like to thank ASUS, Corsair, and Kingston for supplying some of the components of our test rig.
| Hard Drive Test System Setup | |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-2500K |
| Motherboard | Asus P8Z68-V Pro |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX 4GB DDR3-2133 CL9 |
| Hard Drive | G.Skill 32GB SLC SSD |
| Sound Card | N/A |
| Video Card | Intel® HD Graphics 3000 |
| Video Drivers | Intel |
| Power Supply | Corsair CMPSU-650TX |
| DirectX Version | DX9.0c |
| Operating System | Windows 7 X64 |
- PCMark05
- Yapt
- IOMeter
- HDTach
- HDTune
- PCPer File Copy Test
Hi Allyn & crew,
Nice review,
Hi Allyn & crew,
Nice review, but have you ever tested any IDE (PATA) SSDs? I bought a RunCore SSD (Model 0900027140 32GB)and have tried almost everything (I get a BSOD) and can only get into the Safe Mode. I know IDE is old, but I was trying use one in an old SONY PCG-V505DC1 laptop and have never been able to boot into Windows XP. Whether I start with a fresh install or using Norton Ghost, Casper 6 or Acronis True Image, the results are the same (BSOD).
It seems to me that either the drivers are wrong or a firmware update is need. I’ve contacted RunCore, but so far no good answer. The funny thing is, I tried this SSD (via and IDE/USB cable) on my MacBook Pro (using Super Duper) and it works just fine.
Have you any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bernie
It’s likely that your aging
It’s likely that your aging Sony lacks the necessary compatibility to handle the RunCore SSD – or vice versa.
@Bernie
IDE SSDs are rare,
@Bernie
IDE SSDs are rare, slow, and expensive for the size/performance you get. Adding an IDE SSD to an old laptop is not a good idea because Windows XP does not support SSDs as well as Windows 7 and new operating systesms, and the value of the SSD is likely to be higher than the old IDE device you are installing it in. If you have a system that only takes IDE drives, then your first priority should be to update to a SATA based laptop or new motherboard/CPU for a desktop. You can then later add a SATA based SSD to the system to increase performance.
Even if your SONY PCG-V505DC1 could take a SATA SSD, it will suffer from other bottle necks that would diminish the value and advantage that an SSD would provide.
It would be nice if you could
It would be nice if you could remind us which of these tests use random data, so we can tell how much of the difference is due to compression by the Sandforce controller that won’t apply to previously compressed files.
Any reason server operators shouldn’t expect expect longer life (more write cycles) from 32nm than 25nm? Performance is not the only criterion.
Doesn’t the Pyro only get 60k
Doesn’t the Pyro only get 60k iops, and it’s the Pyro SE that gets 85k iops isn’t it? Great review, been looking at the different Pyro’s for my first SSD, might bite the bullet one day!