SSD install suggestion?

[TotalEclipse]

I have a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R which has the Intel ICH10R and also Marvell's SE9128 SATA2 chip.

I'm debating between the 320 and M4 drives.

My main question is, do I stick with the ICH10R for reliability or plug in to the Marvell sata2 port to try to squeeze all the performance out.

This will NOT be a RAID setup.

If you all tell me the stick with the Intel port, it will also help seal my drive choice.

Thanks in advance

 

[Coup27]

There has been reports of users suffering poor performance with a certain Marvell motherboard chip.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2206374&highlight=samsung

That is one example, but unfortunately that user doesn't say what motherboard he had. I read somewhere that the later versions of their SATA 6Gbps controller didn't have this problem, but you might want to do some research into the Marvell controller on your board to see if it has any SSD throttling problems, unless somebody else knows which the controller is to avoid.

 

[TotalEclipse]

Thanks, it looks like my Marvell chip might have only one PCI express connection also.

 

[Coup27]

Do you have a spare PCI Express x16 way? Could get a PCI-E to SATA 6Gbps card and still get the m4?

 

[TotalEclipse]

Yes, I do.

 

[Coup27]

Then thats an option also.

 

[Chaptorial]

Not to hijack your thread but I received a Crucial M4 for Xmas and am having/had the same dilemma as yourself. My Asus P6X58d Premium also uses a Marvel controller for SATA III and before installing I did some research and it appears that utilizing the Intel SATA II connection actually works out to be faster and more stable then utilizing the Marvel SATA III, at least on my MB.

I installed the SSD on the Intel port a few days ago and while I'm not thrilled about not being able to utilize the SSD's full potential, coming from the HD in my sig and being that this is my first SSD, the speed is just freaking nuts. Windows boots and is ready to go in about 19 seconds. I love it.

Now all that being said, I too am looking at possibly buying a PCI-E to SATA 6Gbps card. I have a free PCI Express x16 slot as well and am only using one other x16 slot, for my video card. There's another thread here where someone is asking for recommendations on PCI-E to SATA cards:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2215675

So now back to your question I'd go with using the Intel port on your MB for speed and stability purposes and if you still can't shake the feeling of not using your SSD to its full potential, get a PCI-E to SATA 6 card. And finally in my biased opinion, , go with the M4.

 

[bryanW1995]

Only way I'd look at getting the pci-e to sata 6 card would be if you're a true "power user". The fact that you're asking questions like this here tells me that you are almost certiainly not. Go for the stability and be crazy thankful for the ginormous speed increase that the ssd provides you.

 

[TotalEclipse]

Only way I'd look at getting the pci-e to sata 6 card would be if you're a true "power user". The fact that you're asking questions like this here tells me that you are almost certiainly not. Go for the stability and be crazy thankful for the ginormous speed increase that the ssd provides you.

Thanks for the dig. Sorry, I didn't know the reputation for the Marvell chip offhand.

My Raptor RAID 0 array just isn't cutting it anymore.

Learn to spell before you make digs at others.

Thanks, Chaptorial for your very informative post.

 

[abaez]

I have an X58A and a Vertex2 120gb. When I first installed the SSD on the SATA3 port my speeds were not close to what others were getting on the forums.

I switched to the SATA2 port and reinstalled and everything was fine after that - speeds were what was expected.

 

[bryanW1995]

Thanks for the dig. Sorry, I didn't know the reputation for the Marvell chip offhand.

My Raptor RAID 0 array just isn't cutting it anymore.

Learn to spell before you make digs at others.

Thanks, Chaptorial for your very informative post.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to insult you at all. What I meant was that the m4 is so fast on a 3Gbps connection that even a very demanding non-enterprise user such as Anand has difficulty discerning that it's not on 6Gbps instead. And he has been using ssd's for many years now. Coming from even a raid 0 setup of the latest and greatest velociraptors, you will absolutely be blown away.