Internals, Testing Methodology and System Setup
Internals:
Simple, snap together housing, with a single screw to hold the PCB in place. Cost cutting design at its finest. I've included the 256GB MSATA SSD in this pic. No disassembly required there.
Front (1TB):
Design and layout nearly identical to the M550.
Rear (1TB):
Front (128GB):
Rear (128GB):
No packages at the rear of the 128GB model, as the eight packages in front hold a single 128Gbit dies each, providing the necessary capacity without the need for rear mounted flash.
Testing Methodology:
Given the way Dynamic Write Acceleration functions, and the fact that the M600's flash might be in SLC or MLC states, varied based on how full it is, we pretty much had to toss out the review playbook and cook up a completely new method just for this review. Well over 100 hours went into this, as the method used had to also be applied to comparison samples. After several iterations, the test sequence resulted in the following:
- Partition full drive capacity and format NTFS.
- Perform a truncated round of benchmarks to simulate an OS install.
- Fill to 30% in 10% increments (with wait periods each 10%).
- Perform abbreviated random workload on the first 10% to simulate OS file writes over time (registry, log files, etc).
- Fill to 50% in 10% increments (with waits after each 10%).
- Perform truncated round of benchmarks to evaluate performance.
- Evaluate sequential read speed of first 50% (fragmentation check).
- Fill to 80% in 10% increments (with waits).
- Perform truncated round of benchmarks to evaluate performance.
- Fill to near capacity (97%) (wait at 90%).
- Perform truncated round of benchmarks to evaluate performance.
This is fairly involved, but necessary to evaluate how the M600 will (should) perform in actual use. The wait periods ranged from 30 minutes to overnight, depending on how much was changed prior to the wait. Larger trace benchmarks like PCMark were included as part of the workload tests, but we will stick with ATTO results for this review, as you will find those results better show any relative inconsistencies that may develop as testing progresses.
Test System Setup
We currently employ a pair of testbeds. A newer ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt and an ASUS Z87-PRO. Variance between both boards has been deemed negligible.
PC Perspective would like to thank ASUS, Corsair, and Kingston for supplying some of the components of our test rigs.
| Hard Drive Test System Setup | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-4770K |
| Motherboard | ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/TB / ASUS Z87-PRO |
| Memory | Kingston HyperX 4GB DDR3-2133 CL9 |
| Hard Drive | G.Skill 32GB SLC SSD |
| Sound Card | N/A |
| Video Card | Intel® HD Graphics 4600 |
| Video Drivers | Intel |
| Power Supply | Corsair CMPSU-650TX |
| DirectX Version | DX9.0c |
| Operating System | Windows 8.1 X64 |
If there are more reviews
If there are more reviews like this where people are not able to get their heads around the Micron controller concept, they should simply release the successor to the MX100 line with their low cost standard controller (upgraded of course). This would become the go to SSD for millions. A consistent 256GB SSD for $80 sounds much better than the new dinky M600 for anything.
The M600 looks like a lemon to me at the moment.
There’s the rub. Testing in
There's the rub. Testing in this manner revealed that the MX100 has issues as well – just different ones. See the bottom of page 4 for details and explanation.
Makes one wonder if the
Makes one wonder if the marvel controller’s quirk is exclusive to the 88SS9189. I know sandisk uses previous revisions of the controller in their ssd’s.
Different companies, and different firmwares though. Probably not likely.
I’m a SSD neophyte, my
I’m a SSD neophyte, my primary usage: Photoshop, Lightroom, Audio recording, (minimal video)
I’m going to replace my 1TB Boot HD with a 1/2TB SSD (480,500,512). I’m leaning to the Crucial M550 over the M100 (only $20>), some say the M550 “is built for heavier use”. (?) I was looking at the Samsung but not after Twits “Padre SJ” and this review discuss slowdown issues.
Do the M550’s have the any slowdown issues? Or is this only the M600 due to the different/new controller?
Allyn M. talked about the M550 on July 25, 2014. (no “review”)
Q: Are the potential specs of the M600 series worth waiting for it to come out, or should I just pull the trigger on the M550 and stop waiting?
Thanks,
Dokk
ALLYN
A SANDISK ULTRA 2-Thru
ALLYN
A SANDISK ULTRA 2-Thru the same tests would be a great addition,
as the third variation of this tech……………..
The Sandisk Ultra II drive
The Sandisk Ultra II drive uses the Marvell 88SS9187 instead of the 88SS9189 controller and uses different firmware. So in my opinion it’s probably doubtful. Gonna take some months to also test whether or not sandisk figured a way around the leaky tlc problem.
My info tells me Sandisk is
My info tells me Sandisk is using-
9190-4ch for 120 and 240 GB drives,
and 9189 for larger drives……..
But it’s the tech i would like to see compared.
Sammy has a static cache,
Micron is using dynamic,
Sandisk is using on chip copy……………
Hmmm on closer inspection it
Hmmm on closer inspection it does seem that Sandisk likes to variate which Marvell controller is used on a drive or even capacity basis.
Example, the sandisk x300s drive uses the 9189 controller.