OCZ Vector 256GB SSD

Review Pages

1. Features, specs
2. The package
3. HDTachRW
4. ATTO Disk Benchmark
5. CrystalDiskMark
6. AS SSD benchmark
7. IOMeter benchmark
8. Anvil Pro SSD Benchmark
9. PCMark 7 Professional
10. Summary

We have in our labs OCZ' s latest SATA solid state drive, the Vector 256GB SSD. The Vector SSD Series is featuring the company’s next-generation Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller and promises to provide exceptional input/output operations per second (IOPS) performance over time regardless of whether the data streams are in compressed or uncompressed formats.

The Vector SSD Series is available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities, and delivers read bandwidth of up to 550 MB/s, write bandwidth of up to 530 MB/s, random read performance of up to 100,000 IOPS.

It's slim, 7mm housing supports a wide spectrum of computers including the latest thin form factor notebooks, and each Vector SSD is also bundled with a 3.5-inch desktop adapter bracket and Acronis True Image cloning software.

The Barefoot 3 controller also includes a suite of flash management tools that can analyze and dynamically adapt to increasing NAND vulnerabilities as flash cells wear or process geometries get smaller. According to OCZ, this means that the Barefoot 3 controller overcomes the shortcomings associated with MLC NAND flash memory and is specified to deliver 20GB host writes per day for 5 years.

PERFORMANCE	128GB	256GB	512GB
Sequential Reads¹	550MB/s	550MB/s	550MB/s
Sequential Writes¹	400MB/s	530MB/s	530MB/s
Random 4k Read IOPS²	90,000 IOPS	100,000 IOPS	100,000 IOPS
Random 4k Write IOPS²	95,000 IOPS	95,000 IOPS	95,000 IOPS
1. Maximum sequential speeds are determined using ATTO 2. Small file I/O performance is measured using Crystal Disk Mark, 1000MB test file size, QD32

PHYSICAL
Usable Capacities (IDEMA)	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
NAND Components	25nm Multi-Level Cell (MLC)
NAND Controller	Indilinx Barefoot 3
Interface	SATA 3 6Gb/s
Form Factor	2.5 Inch, Ultra-slim 7mm
Dimension (L x W x H)	99.7 x 69.75 x 7mm
Weight	115g

RELIABILITY / PROTECTION
MTBF	1.3 million hours
Data Path Protection	BCH ECC corrects up to 28 random bits/1KB
Data Encryption	256-bit AES-compliant, ATA Security Mode Features
Product Health Monitoring	Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) support

ENVIRONMENTAL
Power Consumption	Idle: 0.9W, Active: 2.25W
Operating Temperature	0°C ~ 55°C
Storage Temperature	-45°C ~ 85°C
Shock Resistance	1500G/0.5ms
Certifications	RoHS, CE, FCC

COMPATABILITY
Serial ATA (SATA)	Fully compliant with Serial ATA International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 3.0. Fully compliant with ATA/ATAPI-8 Standard Native Command Queuing (NCQ)
Operating System	Windows / Mac OS X / Linux

ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Performance Optimization	TRIM, Idle Time Garbage Collection
Endurance	Rated for 20GB/day of host writes for 5 years under typical client workloads
Service & Support	5-Year Warranty, Toll-Free Tech Support, 24 Hour Forum Support, Firmware Updates
Included Accessories	Acronis True Image HD cloning software registration key (current version compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7.) and a 3.5" desktop adapter