Looking for Personal Opinions on Best Value in an SSD ...

[dud]

Looking for opinions as to what the community feels is the "best value" in the area of current SSDs for home use. The criteria that I ask you to consider is price versus performance/reliability. Please also consider the controller used within the SSD when providing your opinion.

Thank you ...

 

[cbn]

What capacity SSD?

P.S. Sales prices change all the time. (See this thread examples). However, if you can find a SM2246EN/MLC drive I would go for that as they typically go on sale (closeout?) for a price around the level of a planar TLC SSD.

 

[dud]

What capacity SSD?

P.S. Sales prices change all the time. (See this thread examples). But lately it does seem that SM2246EN controller and MLC NAND seems to be the best overall value overall (especially for the lower capacities).

250 to 500GB. I understand that prices fluctuate all the time, depending upon market forces, a holiday sale, etc. It is quite simple to find a deal on something in the 250 GB size for a bit over $50 ... but the question is it a good value?

 

[cbn]

250 to 500GB. I understand that prices fluctuate all the time, depending upon market forces, a holiday sale, etc. It is quite simple to find a deal on something in the 250 GB size for a bit over $50 ... but the question is it a good value?

If it is SM2246EN plus MLC I would not hesitate to buy it. (Example of past deal here-->http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38236490&postcount=33)

EDIT: Current price on that drive is $59.99 free shipping for 240GB (which is also a good deal), and $102.99 for 480GB which is an even better deal.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

If it is SM2246EN plus MLC I would not hesitate to buy it. (Example of past deal here-->http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38236490&postcount=33)

EDIT: Current price on that drive is $59.99 free shipping for 240GB (which is also a good deal), and $102.99 for 480GB which is an even better deal.

What would be the problem with an SMI 2246 controller and TLC?

I really didn't do any extensive research before I replaced an 840 EVO with an ADATA SP550 to double capacity. The 480GB SP550 was cheap enough, I thought I'd just give it a try, if only for promising customer reviews.

I bought it for $110 at the Egg.

Apparently ADATA was using the SMI controller and probably the 2246 for these TLC SSDs. Their promotional overview suggests a longer drive-life in TBW's.

Here's the link I uncovered in the Anandtech archives for the MLC SP610:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8180/adata-sp610-ssd-256gb-512gb-review/8

And here's a review from TheSSDReview.com :

http://www.thessdreview.com/our-reviews/silicon-motion-sm2246en-ssd-controller-review/

ADATA also has a similar 960GB model, priced at almost exactly $200 the last time I looked.

 

[hojnikb]

SM2246EN is only used with MLC flash, TLC drives usually use SM2256.

 

[PliotronX]

I used to think the BX100 was it once upon a time but the 850 Evo is unquestionably the best choice if performance is any consideration because it's actually fairly inexpensive (at least in smaller capacities). There is also the Arc 100 which I am fascinated with at the moment but is not in the same league as the Evo. The CS1211 that cbn linked to is one of the better budget models and unfortunately it's been discontinued so it's bound to skyrocket in price as stock plummets (just as the BX100 did when the POS BX200 hit the market).

 

[zlejedi]

850 evo unfortunately Samsung jacked the prices up ever since they introduced 750 series so they aren't bargain they used to be.

Cheapest MLC drive you can find will be good.

 

[cbn]

What would be the problem with an SMI 2246 controller and TLC?

SM2246EN is only used with MLC flash, TLC drives usually use SM2256.

That is right.

I should have phrased "SM2246EN plus MLC" as "MLC plus SM2246EN" to reduce the chance for confusion.

 

[cbn]

I really didn't do any extensive research before I replaced an 840 EVO with an ADATA SP550 to double capacity. The 480GB SP550 was cheap enough, I thought I'd just give it a try, if only for promising customer reviews.

I bought it for $110 at the Egg.

ADATA also has a similar 960GB model, priced at almost exactly $200 the last time I looked.

On these SM2256 drives (like your SP550) there have been reports of Read Speed degradation:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38241634&postcount=4

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2467748&highlight= (BX200 thread)

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2463086&highlight= (SP550 thread)

I hope this problem eventually gets fixed.

 

[VirtualLarry]

On these SM2256 drives (like your SP550) there have been reports of Read Speed degradation:

I hope this problem eventually gets fixed.

I'm not holding my breath. I feel that the problem is inherent in the planar TLC technology.

 

[cbn]

I'm not holding my breath. I feel that the problem is inherent in the planar TLC technology.

Later on in the thread Glaring Mistake did mention the OCZ Trion 100 and 150 weren't having the same problems:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38242286&postcount=10

Not sure what is happening there. They do use Toshiba branded Phison S10 controllers and Toshiba 15nm planar TLC NAND (which is different controller and NAND combination used by the SP5500 and BX200).

 

[zlejedi]

It's more likely that problems haven't manifested yet - or those controllers are using more aggressive preventive measures against it wasting more write cycles and shortening drive life. Anyway considering most people will have only one drive it's much safer to avoid any planar TLC as long as relatively cheap MLC or V-NAND TLC can be found

I'm not holding my breath. I feel that the problem is inherent in the planar TLC technology.

TLC is only hit first by it due to much lower tolerance level of voltages in 3 bit cells. Give it a few die shrinks and planar MLC is going to hit it too.

I only hope that no one will have the brilliant idea of making something like 7nm planar TLC in the future.

 

[cbn]

Anyway considering most people will have only one drive it's much safer to avoid any planar TLC as long as relatively cheap MLC or V-NAND TLC can be found

Maybe if PCIe SSD controllers drop in price it could encourage (in some cases) the use of NAND as MLC rather than TLC?

 

[Glaring_Mistake]

On these SM2256 drives (like your SP550) there have been reports of Read Speed degradation:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38241634&postcount=4

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2467748&highlight= (BX200 thread)

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2463086&highlight= (SP550 thread)

I hope this problem eventually gets fixed.

Want to say that the tests I’ve run on the SP550 and BX200 do not necessarily mean that they develop issues with their read speeds when they’re powered on
It is not something that has been covered in the tests I’ve performed so I do not want to claim that read speeds drop when the drive is in use before I have evidence of it happening.

Even if I did prove that read speeds drop when they’re in use then the fact that read speeds can be pretty dramatically improved by the ECC when files with low read speeds are read may be what they consider to be the fix.

Later on in the thread Glaring Mistake did mention the OCZ Trion 100 and 150 weren't having the same problems:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38242286&postcount=10

Not sure what is happening there. They do use Toshiba branded Phison S10 controllers and Toshiba 15nm planar TLC NAND (which is different controller and NAND combination used by the SP5500 and BX200).

Want to point out that the Trion 100 uses Toshiba 19nm planar TLC NAND instead of the 15nm that is used in the Trion 150 as well as that the Trion 150 has not undergone tests for as long as the Trion 100.
And SP550 and BX200 use the same controller but not NAND (unless ADATA has gone over to using 16nm TLC NAND from Micron).

 

[Glaring_Mistake]

It's more likely that problems haven't manifested yet - or those controllers are using more aggressive preventive measures against it wasting more write cycles and shortening drive life.

Given enough time I’m sure read speeds will start to slow down for the Trions but that is true of all SSDs and is not something I have seen much evidence of yet for either Trion.

Seeing as they are powered down between tests and do not get to idle much before or after tests I do not think they rely on rewrites in order to keep read speeds high.
Nor would rewrites explain the pattern that the Trion 100 has either.