After publishing SSD Evaluation List in 1H2009, we continue to test the performance of new generation SSDs in 1H2010. The number of SSD products and makers has far exceeded that of last time. We have classified them into 64GB and 128 GB groups based on storage capacity. Moreover, we have divided SSD groups based on controller ICs for evaluation and compared the differences between SSDs using SLC and MLC NAND flash.

Since the first release of the new solution which is based upon dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or Flash memory, solid state disk (SSD) has been gaining increasing market acceptance.

With the NAND flash price slipping and SSD controller IC technology relentlessly advancing, more and more makers have invested in the SSD market. With its versatile evolution, the low-priced SSD for consumer products and the high-priced, high performance SSD for advanced applications such as servers, workstations have become two important product segments in the SSD market.   

In the 2010 performance test, each of the following aspects are introduced separately: product storage capacity, SLC and MLC, and SSD controller IC type. Meanwhile, because of the launch of the new Windows 7 OS, we have also studied whether the Trim instruction of Windows 7 enhances SSD performance.

There were 24 makers which joined the SSD performance test, including A-DATA, Apacer, Carry/Gingle, Corsair, Intel, Kingston, Kreton, Mach Xtrerme, Micron/Crucial, OCZ, Patriot Memory, PQI, Richmax, RIDATA, Samsung Electronics, Silicon Power, Transcend, Walton Chaintech, Asax, Kingfast, Kingspec, Runecore, Solidata, from which we have respectively selected the top 10 in the 64GB and 128GB or above group.

Considering the SATA transfer specification generally adopted in SSDs, DRAMeXchange has chosen the motherboard with Intel chipset for the test platform adopting the new Windows 7 operation system, and the specifications are as follows:

64 GB class SSD tests and the complete analysis of test results to be continued