Mushkin Enhanced Reactor - possible bait & switch

[Mockingbird]

From the reviews, the Mushkin Enhanced Reactor seems like a very decent SSD.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8949/mushkin-reactor-1tb-ssd-review

The drive is the
Mushkin Enhanced Reactor 2.5" 1TB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MKNSSDRE1TB
which uses Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller and Micron 16nm MLC NAND

It seems that Mushkin Enhanced has quietly replaced that drive with the
Mushkin Enhanced Reactor 2.5" 960GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MKNSSDRE960GB
which also uses Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller and unknown NAND.

Now, I don't imply that SSD manufacturers shouldn't make changes to their SSDs. (Maybe Micron doesn't make 16nm MCL NAND anymore. Who knows?)

That said, when the new product performs significantly worse than the old product, the new product shouldn't be silently slipped into the name of the old product.

There hasn't been many reviews of the new SSD, possibly because not many have noticed that the product has changed, but userbenchmark indicates that the new SSD is significantly worse.

MKNSSDRE1TB
http://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Mushkin-Reactor-1TB/Rating/3583

MKNSSDRE960GB
http://ssd.userbenchmark.com/SpeedTest/240857/MKNSSDRE960GB

 

[deustroop]

One is smaller in size with no-name memory. So ? Replacing a drive is no thing.
Misrepresenting a drive is a thing.Which is it ?

 

[Mockingbird]

One is smaller in size with no-name memory. So ? Replacing a drive is no thing.
Misrepresenting a drive is a thing.Which is it ?

What's the question again?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Different model numbers? No bait and switch found.

I have a 1TB Reactor and am very happy with it.

 

[Mockingbird]

Different model numbers? No bait and switch found.

I have a 1TB Reactor and am very happy with it.

It has the same name.

Hardly anyone would notice the model numbers.

 

[ronbo613]

If you're not checking the model numbers, you probably don't care what kind of NAND it has or you don't even know what NAND is.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It has the same name.

Hardly anyone would notice the model numbers.

"Reactor 1TB" and "Reactor 960GB" are not the same name.

If anything, needing more spare area with the same controller is a red flag.

If you're not checking the model numbers, you probably don't care what kind of NAND it has or you don't even know what NAND is.

This. If you're not going to even bother checking the specs on what you're buying, you kinda just get what you get.

 

[Mockingbird]

"Reactor 1TB" and "Reactor 960GB" are not the same name.

If anything, needing more spare area with the same controller is a red flag.



This. If you're not going to even bother checking the specs on what you're buying, you kinda just get what you get.

If you read the anandtech review for the Reactor, you can easily mistakenly think that the review applies to MKNSSDRE960GB.

The SSD is just referred to as the "Reactor".

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8949/mushkin-reactor-1tb-ssd-review

 

[Mockingbird]

If you're not checking the model numbers, you probably don't care what kind of NAND it has or you don't even know what NAND is.

A lot of reviews doesn't even say the model numbers.

 

[deustroop]

If you read the anandtech review for the Reactor, you can easily mistakenly think that the review applies to MKNSSDRE960GB.

The SSD is just referred to as the "Reactor".

My name is deus. Could you easily, mistakenly think I am god ?

In either case, you have to check it out.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If you read the anandtech review for the Reactor, you can easily mistakenly think that the review applies to MKNSSDRE960GB.

The SSD is just referred to as the "Reactor".

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8949/mushkin-reactor-1tb-ssd-review

1) The title of the reviews says "Mushkin Reactor 1TB".
2) When the review was written, that was the only model in the Reactor series.

You seem to be reaching for a reason to be offended here. Different model number, different product. That simple. This isn't the Kingston V300 again.

 

[Billy Tallis]

A lot of reviews doesn't even say the model numbers.

We do always state the capacity. I lump 960GB and 1TB drives together for comparison purposes, but I don't put 1TB in the title of a review for a 960GB drive. And the photographs in the article almost always include the full label on the back of the drive.

 

[Johnny Lucky]

Hiya Gang!

Mushkin has both a 1TB version and a 960GB version of the Reactor ssd. Mushkin also has 250GB and 256GB version of the Reactor. They also have 500GB, 512GB, and 500GB LT versions. Each version has a different model number. The information is readily available at the Mushkin web site.

This is nothing new. In the past there have been a few other companies that had variations like that. It is rare but it does happen.

 

[Rifter]

Yeah this isnt bait and switch, its close, and they for sure are trying to trick people with having two of the same size 1TB models one being good one being not so good and the good one out first with good reviews to be replaced by the cheap look alike model with lesser performance, but since they are different model #'s its not a bait and switch.

It does however show you that this is a company that is shady, and not very honest IMO.

 

[Johnny Lucky]

RIFTER: I don't think Mushkin was trying to trick people. Their own web site and the technical reviews I have listed in the ssd database I maintain are all correct. For example, if you look at the 3 Reactor models in the 480 to 512 GB category, then you will notice that each version has different specifications and different performance results. Newegg has all three models listed and they listed the correct specifications for each model:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod...MATCH&Description=mushkin+reactor&N=100011693

Just take a quick look and you'll see what I mean. On the other hand, I can undertstand how a consumer, especially an inexperienced novice, could get things accidently mixed up.

BTW - It could be worse. Sometimes companies update their product but keep the same model name. Samsung did that with one of their 8XX series ssd's. I had to list the model twice in the ssd database I maintain - the orginal model and the updated version. Corsair did that with one of their power supply models. I think it was one of the AXi models. I wound up listing the psu twice and the correct model number for each psu.

 

[DaveSimmons]

This feels deceptive to me, whether it was intentional or not.

Other companies use different model numbers (750 vs 950) and add modifiers (Evo vs Pro) to different lines of drives. If 2 drives are 950 EVO then they use the same tech.

Mushkin ought to call the cheaper design something like "Reactor LE" or "Reactor Basic", or label the better spec design "Reactor Pro."

 

[VirtualLarry]

Samsung has done the same thing with their 850 EVO drives, the newer production batches use a higher number of layers than the original batches did.

Shouldn't Samsung have to change their model codes for their drives? They are different!

Just goes to show the fanboying that goes on here.

Edit: What I mean is, why pick on Mushkin, when Samsung does worse?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Samsung has done the same thing with their 850 EVO drives, the newer production batches use a higher number of layers than the original batches did.

Shouldn't Samsung have to change their model codes for their drives? They are different!

Just goes to show the fanboying that goes on here.

Edit: What I mean is, why pick on Mushkin, when Samsung does worse?

Did the 850 EVO performance decrease in that case? If yes, then I agree Samsung should have changed the model number or suffix.

Edit: I actually am a Samsung fanboy for OS/boot drives. But I've looked at getting a Mushkin 960GB/1TB for a cheaper data storage drive, which is why I read this thread.

 

[dlerious]

I bought a 1TB Reactor, but it was DOA. I've bought Crucial, ADATA, Samsung, and Sandisk since. Got my money back - Amazon was quick and easy, but I'm leary of buying Mushkin again.

 

[Oyeve]

Reigniting this thread to report that the 960GB drives are complete and utter garbage! I purchased 4 of the 960GB drives and 2 literally went BANG and then smoked. RMAing them today. Put back my old spinny HD in the system and even using the same power cable. These drives are garbage!