OCZ Vertex SATA 2.0 60GB SSD

[phoronix]

Phoronix: OCZ Vertex SATA 2.0 60GB SSD

Besides offering an impressive selection of USB flash drives and DDR2/DDR3 memory products, OCZ Technology has been quick to expand their selection of solid state drives. OCZ manufacturers SSD products in their value, mainstream, performance, and enterprise series with some of these series containing multiple product families. Earlier this year we provided Linux SSD benchmarks using an OCZ Core Series V2 SSD, but introduced just recently has been the OCZ Vertex SSD series, which we happen to be reviewing today. The OCZ Vertex SSDs go up to 256GB in size and offers 64MB of onboard cache, RAID support, and is rated for 1.5 million hours MTBF.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=13872

[susikala]

This thing just kicks arse. Can't wait for the good SSDs to have affordable GiB/price rates. By then, btrfs will probably have matured enough to make an unbeatable combination.

Man, just teleport me 2 years down the line.

[deanjo]

or are looking for the greater reliability that is offered by solid state drives.That has yet to actually be field proven. One has to wonder why SSD's carry a shorter warranty period then traditional harddrives if they are indeed more reliable.

[ethana2]

One has to wonder why SSD's carry a shorter warranty period then traditional harddrives if they are indeed more reliable.

Indeed.

So, when I buy my next SSD.. Which controller do I want to look for? Indilinx something or other? ..or should I just stick to OCZ Vertex and Intel X-25 for current considerations?

[tomm3h]

So, when I buy my next SSD.. Which controller do I want to look for? Indilinx something or other? ..or should I just stick to OCZ Vertex and Intel X-25 for current considerations?
For now, your latter assumption is correct. It's not just the controller, but the firmware used. OCZ were originally going to ship the Vertex with more performance, but its firmware was found to be stalling repeatedly (Anand wrote a very good article on this, if you can find it.)

@Michael: if you're intending on using this drive in one of your main machines (I would) then it would sure be a nice idea to see the same tests run after ~3 months of solid use on the disk, just to ensure that there isn't a disproportionate level of performance loss over time.

Same tests, same OS, just comparing the results for the Vertex now, to the results of the Vertex then. That is, if you're allowed to keep it...?

[dm0rais]

For now, your latter assumption is correct. It's not just the controller, but the firmware used. OCZ were originally going to ship the Vertex with more performance, but its firmware was found to be stalling repeatedly (Anand wrote a very good article on this, if you can find it.)

@Michael: if you're intending on using this drive in one of your main machines (I would) then it would sure be a nice idea to see the same tests run after ~3 months of solid use on the disk, just to ensure that there isn't a disproportionate level of performance loss over time.

Same tests, same OS, just comparing the results for the Vertex now, to the results of the Vertex then. That is, if you're allowed to keep it...?
Here it is the anand article, I think the best they wrote.
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531

One of the biggest problems of today SSD's is the performance degradation, the more you store data, the drive get significant performance loss, up to 11% of a erased one. Intel made a pre-boot software that complete restore theyr SSD's, cleaning all data of course.

[tomm3h]

Here it is the anand article, I think the best they wrote.
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531

One of the biggest problems of today SSD's is the performance degradation, the more you store data, the drive get significant performance loss, up to 11% of a erased one. Intel made a pre-boot software that complete restore theyr SSD's, cleaning all data of course.
Thanks for posting the link. :)

With regards to the TRIM command, I'm not even sure if Linux supports it yet? I can't see anything on Google... It will be a shame if Windows 7 ships with support for it before Linux.

[Ex-Cyber]

Shorter version: Ext4 supports TRIM, but it's disabled because they can't test it (because no drives actually support it).

Longer version (from this interview (http://www.linux-mag.com/id/7272)):

Ext4 has support for the ATA TRIM command, which allows filesystems to inform SSD’s that blocks have been deleted and do not need to be taken into account by the SSD’s garbage collection and wear-leveling algorithms. Unfortunately the ATA TRIM command hasn’t been finalized yet, and so (as of today) there are no drives, including Intel’s SSD’s that actually support the ATA TRIM command; and for this reason Linux’s block device layer does not currently issue the ATA TRIM command, since there haven’t been any devices to test the command. So at the moment, ext4 informs the block layer that blocks that belong to deleted files can be discard, so once TRIM-capable SSD’s become available, and the Linux block layer actually sends the TRIM command to the hard drives, everything will be all set to go.

[tomm3h]

Ah, well thanks for clearing that up. :)

[fackamato]

This review is completely flawed, unless I missed something.

The partition is not aligned, therefore you get degraded performance. Windows Vista and 7 aligns the partition automatically and correctly (1MB offset). See this thread: http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54379

You'll want to use the right io scheduler (deadline seems to be ok), the right ext4 mount options, and correct alignment.

[deanjo]

This review is completely flawed, unless I missed something.

The partition is not aligned, therefore you get degraded performance. Windows Vista and 7 aligns the partition automatically and correctly (1MB offset). See this thread: http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54379

You'll want to use the right io scheduler (deadline seems to be ok), the right ext4 mount options, and correct alignment.

Interesting, I wonder if the same could be applied to flash drives.

[curaga]

The aligning to erase blocks works with SD cards at least.

OTOH I recently read an article about how Windows' 1mb aligning was just plain wrong, but IIRC the article was about EFI/GUID, not SSD.

[deanjo]

Well it does seem to make a difference with USB keys as well.

http://global.phoronix-test-suite.com/remote-graph.php?g=BAR_GRAPH&t=SQLite&s=Test%20Target:%20/media/disk%20%5B/dev/sdd1%5D&n=3.6.13&u=Seconds&i=aligned;not%20aligned;&v=328.20;401.61;&p=LIB&x=2.0.0a1

Not quite 30% but still the effect is pretty dramatic.

[energyman]

just don't forget that SSD performance completly breaks down after a while.

[fackamato]

just don't forget that SSD performance completly breaks down after a while.

No it doesn't. Maybe 10 years ago, not now.

[energyman]

No it doesn't. Maybe 10 years ago, not now.

so very wrong. Even the latest SSDs crap out after a short time.
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531

[fackamato]

so very wrong. Even the latest SSDs crap out after a short time.
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531

Use a smart os, use trim, right fs/mount options, ram temp folders etc and you'll be fine for many years. But sure, if you benchmark your ssd everyday you'll wear it out a bit faster than it would during normal use.

[energyman]

normal usage - where you are constantly at 80%? trim - that not even implemented command?

ssds might be ok in some years. but I am not holding my breath.

[fackamato]

normal usage - where you are constantly at 80%? trim - that not even implemented command?

ssds might be ok in some years. but I am not holding my breath.

TRIM is supported in Windows 7 and Linux (ext4), the next FW (coming this week) from OCZ will support it.

I don't consider constantly at 80% being normal usage, but I get your point. Actually my Vista partition on my Vertex has been sitting on 9GB free of 46GB for a while now, and I haven't experienced any slowdowns.

I got the SSD because I wanted superior performance for a good price. In a year or so there'll be a lot faster SSDs with greater storage for the same price, or you could get the original Vertex for a few dollars. Everything has shortcomings, if you want the best you will constantly upgrade.

[curaga]

I actually read the full Anandtech article about SSD's. And my conclusion was, not a single one of them is ready, and that I'm so getting a VelociRaptor for my next comps main drive.

[fackamato]

I actually read the full Anandtech article about SSD's. And my conclusion was, not a single one of them is ready, and that I'm so getting a VelociRaptor for my next comps main drive.

For me it was obvious. Extreme performance for an ok price (considering it's new tech) :), if I need to replace it in 3 years I don't mind.

[aragon]

Nice review, but I was really hoping to see power consumptions compared.