Internals, Testing Methodology and System Setup
Internals
Outside:
Disassemble!
Front (480GB top, 280GB bottom):
Controller close-up:
This is Intel's 7-channel controller design that has been around since the SSD DC P3700/SSD 750 (though it's 14-channels in those parts – same PCB layout though). We suspect significant changes had to be made to bring latencies down so significantly. Also note: no DRAM. Who needs DRAM with a few hundred GB of stuff that is almost as fast!
Rear (480GB top, 280GB bottom):
Chip counts and analysis:
16GB and 32GB 3D XPoint packages side by side (480GB model).
- 280GB: 14x16GB front / 7x16GB rear – 336GB total
- 480GB: 7x16GB+7x32GB front / 14x16GB rear – 560GB total
Now I know what you're thinking. If Optane doesn't need overprovisioning or a large spare area in the same sense as NAND flash SSDs, then why on earth do these parts have on the order of 20% extra 3D XPoint installed? Intel's official response to that question is “3D XPoint™ memory media does not require over-provisioning. We aren’t disclosing the use of the additional media at this time.”, which is fair enough, but I can hypothesize a bit based on my knowledge of the history of this controller in particular and of storage media technologies in general:
- Raw 3D XPoint dies do not have built-in space or mechanisms for ECC (error correction).
- Remember these are addressed more like RAM than like NAND flash. It is entirely possible that Intel set up their channels in a RAID-6 style configuration, effectively making it into a 12-channel controller with two effective channels for parity.
- After doing that math, we still end up with ~3.3% left over for any metadata or spares.
- Unproven, newer technologies will typically be made with a greater design margin.
Kudos for Intel for (theoretically) going way over the top on error correction and redundancy here. It makes sense to do this for the first iterations of any storage product, regardless of the companies confidence in the technology.
Testing Methodology
Our tests are a mix of synthetic and real-world benchmarks. IOMeter, HDTach, HDTune, Yapt and our custom File Copy test round out the selection to cover just about all bases. We have developed a custom test suite as off-the-shelf tests just no longer cut it for in-depth storage testing. More details on the next page. If you have any questions about our tests just drop into the Storage Forum and we'll help you out!
Test System Setup
We have several storage testbeds. A newer ASUS P8Z77-V Pro/Thunderbolt and a Gigabyte Z170X SOC Force (for RAID testing). Future PCIe and SATA device testing, including this review, take place on an ASUS Sabertooth X99, which comes equipped with USB 3.1, M.2, and can also handle SFF-8639 (U.2) devices with the proper adapter.
PC Perspective would like to thank Intel, ASUS, Gigabyte, Corsair, Kingston, and EVGA for supplying some of the components of our test rigs.
| Hard Drive Test System Setup | |
| CPU | Intel Core i7 5820K @ 4.125 GHz |
| Motherboard | ASUS Sabertooth X99 |
| Memory | 16GB Micron DDR4 @ 3333 |
| Hard Drive | G.Skill 32GB SLC SSD |
| Sound Card | N/A |
| Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 750 |
| Video Drivers | GeForce Game Ready Driver 347.88 |
| Power Supply | Corsair CMPSU-650TX |
| DirectX Version | N/A |
| Operating System | Windows 8.1 Pro X64 (update) |
PCPer File Copy TestHDTachHDTuneIOMeterYAPT- NEW TEST SUITE!!!
If someone picks up one of
If someone picks up one of these and doesn’t play games or just doesn’t want the Star Citizen code, would you mind sending it to me?4shrovetide@gmail.com Thank you in advance to anyone who helps out!
The prices in Europe are
The prices in Europe are ridiculous at best. Over 550 euros for the 280, over 1000 for the 480.
Can these SSDs mine coins too, faster and more efficient than a Vega64?
https://www.mindfactory.de/search_result.php?select_search=0&search_query=optane+900p
550k/500k random read/write
550k/500k random read/write
FOR WHAT IS GOOD ?
I wish techsites test how
I wish techsites test how long it takes to setup games especially with bigger and bigger game files. As well as game patches ( in some moba games it’s literally a few gigs a week). I have a sata 6 SSD with a gigabit FiOS connection the sata 6 SSD is the rate limiting step.
If you want to convince people for the next big upgrade to nvme from sata 6. Loading times for games made compelling argument from hd to SSds.
I personally would love an SSds that will get me game ready faster and not just in load times but in installing the games and the daily weekly patches as well.
If you can somehow test this and show the time saved I would appreciate it.
This test would actually be useful real world data gamers can use.
What about backwards
What about backwards compatibility? Does it require NVMe support in UEFI? Will it work in an older BIOS motherboard? Does Intel put an option ROM in the firmware to support booting in older systems?
I’m planning to build a
I’m planning to build a gaming PC with dual 1080 Ti’s, which mobo do you think would be best to use with the 480GB 900p Optane and would I have trouble fitting the add-in Optane card into the board with the 1080 Ti’s there? Thanks for the post.
Conflict of Interest…
Conflict of Interest…
Shame! PCPer is a complete
Shame! PCPer is a complete sellout! Probably “forgot” to mention the whitepaper (that this article is based on) Intel paid you to write… What a shame..
Might want to include
Might want to include something on the front page.
The FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking
https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
Making it clear to the readership and viewership is important that ones receiving items and disclosing relationships.