What new SSDs are using MLC NAND? (particularly the 2.5" form factor)

[cbn]

Here are the 2.5" I found so far:

OCZ VX 500
ADATA SU900 (Micron 3D MLC NAND and SM2258 controller)
Mushkin Reactor Armor 3D (Micron 3D MLC NAND and SM2258 controller)
ADATA XPG SX950 (3D MLC and SM2258 controller)
Palit GFS (3D MLC and Phison S11 controller)
Crucial BX300 ( Micron 256 Gbit 32 Layer MLC NAND and Silicon Motion SM2258)

For M.2:

MyDigitalSSD BPX (Phison E7 with Toshiba 15nm MLC NAND)
CORSAIR MP500 (Phison E7 with Toshiba 15nm MLC NAND)
Plextor MP8e (Marvell 88SS1093 with Toshiba 15nm MLC NAND
PNY CS2030 (Phison E7 with Toshiba 15nm MLC NAND)
Mushkin Helix (SM2260 with 3D MLC NAND)]
ADATA XPG SX8000 (SM2260 with 3D MLC NAND)
Transcend MT850 (SM2260 and 3D MLC NAND)

 

[Johnny Lucky]

I maintain a consumer ssd database. The database identifies the type of flash memory, the controller, and the interface for each model. The database is up to date as of this morning. Here is the link:

http://www.johnnylucky.org/data-storage/ssd-database.html

In addition to the basic information, the database also includes links to technical reviews. The reviews are divided into English Language reviews and reviews in many other languages. There are no advertisements or other distractions. It is strictly a hobby.

 

[cbn]

On that ADATA SU900, the company is pricing the 256GB model in between the 256GB and 512GB SU800 model (which uses Micron 3D TLC NAND rather than Micron 3D MLC NAND):

SU800 256GB: $79.99
SU800 512GB: $139.99

SU900 256GB: $117.99

(Both SU800 and SU900 use the SM2258 controller)

.....so it looks like there is only very slight premium pricing on this 3D MLC SSD...... at least on paper. (re: the 256GB 3D MLC Model appears to be priced only slightly higher than what a 384GB 3D TLC model would cost (est. $109.99 for 384GB TLC SSD).

 

[Valantar]

I maintain a consumer ssd database. The database identifies the type of flash memory, the controller, and the interface for each model. The database is up to date as of this morning. Here is the link:

http://www.johnnylucky.org/data-storage/ssd-database.html

In addition to the basic information, the database also includes links to technical reviews. The reviews are divided into English Language reviews and reviews in many other languages. There are no advertisements or other distractions. It is strictly a hobby.

This post should be made into its own thread, which should then be stickied ASAP. That's one of the most useful things I've come across in quite a while. Fantastic work, thanks for sharing!

A couple of humble suggestions (I understand that you've put a lot of work into this already, so please understand that this is only meant as constructive feedback):
-I'd add two columns: Warranty (years) and Endurance (TBW).
-I'd also add selection boxes to pick out and compare specific drives.

Other than that: wow. Again, thanks for sharing.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I also use the SSD Review when looking for drive information.

 

[cbn]

Updated thread with PNY CS2030.

 

[BSim500]

This post should be made into its own thread, which should then be stickied ASAP. That's one of the most useful things I've come across in quite a while. Fantastic work, thanks for sharing!

^ Completely agree. The work Johnny Lucky has put into it is too good to lose trying to remember under what topic the link was posted. The "Memory and Storage Sticky" is also well out of date (last updated 2011).

Mods, could you please create a new SSD Review Sticky out of this link?

 

[cbn]

On that ADATA SU900, the company is pricing the 256GB model in between the 256GB and 512GB SU800 model (which uses Micron 3D TLC NAND rather than Micron 3D MLC NAND):

SU800 256GB: $79.99
SU800 512GB: $139.99

SU900 256GB: $117.99

(Both SU800 and SU900 use the SM2258 controller)

.....so it looks like there is only very slight premium pricing on this 3D MLC SSD...... at least on paper. (re: the 256GB 3D MLC Model appears to be priced only slightly higher than what a 384GB 3D TLC model would cost (est. $109.99 for 384GB TLC SSD).

SU800 256GB is currently $54.99 AR FS, so lets hope the SU900 256GB street price is a decent amount lower as well.

 

[Puffnstuff]

I really want a ssd to replace my spinner that holds my programs but I just can't do it right now. To me the sandisk x400 seems to be my front runner (the wd blue is a clone of this drive with a 3 year warranty) as it has a 5 year warranty.

 

[Johnny Lucky]

Update - Off subject but I have expanded the ssd database by adding columns for warranties and endurance. I will add the information as time permits over the next couple of days. The majority of ssd's will have a standard 3 year warranty. The majority of ssd's will not have endurance data. If edurance data is available the data will be expressed several different ways. You might see anything from 70GB writes per day for 5 years; some sort of P/E number; 1.5 million hours MTBF; or something completely different. There is no universal standard.

 

[cbn]

Updated OP with Mushkin Reactor Armor 3D.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Very nice! Will we see 2TB 3D MLC NAND 2.5" SATA6G drives under $500? Let's hope!

 

[VirtualLarry]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ADATA-Ultim...State-Drive-/302196029431?hash=item465c4977f7

Adata SU900 3D MLC NAND, now available. 256GB for $119.99. Kinda pricy. It wasn't that long ago, and I was buying PNY CS1111 240GB MLC SSDs for $59.99 + tax from BestBuy on ebay.

 

[energee]

Adata SU900 3D MLC NAND, now available. 256GB for $119.99. Kinda pricy.

These new 3D MLC drives are going to need a good strategy because they're up against a giant known as the Samsung Pro. Competing by price alone is going to be difficult, particularly at the lower capacities, but I'm glad they're here because we desperately need some competition.

 

[energee]

Has it been confirmed that the Mushkin Reactor Armor 3D is using Micron's 3D NAND? It was speculated but not confirmed in yesterday's article on Anandtech.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I'm really curious to see the pricing on the new Mushkin Reactor Armor 3D. The current Reactor hit 199 all time low price before backing up to $229 sale price. It'd be really nice to see semi-affordable 1TB MLC drive.

 

[FFFF]

I'm really curious to see the pricing on the new Mushkin Reactor Armor 3D. The current Reactor hit 199 all time low price before backing up to $229 sale price. It'd be really nice to see semi-affordable 1TB MLC drive.

Considering it's 3D MLC, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much.

 

[Johnny Lucky]

Another update - Warranty and Endurance information has been added to the ssd database. In addition, I identified a few more ssd's that use MLC flash memory. Models that are no longer in production have been deleted.. The deleted models were released between 2011 and 3013 during the early days of SATA 3 ssd's.

 

[FFFF]

Another update - Warranty and Endurance information has been added to the ssd database. In addition, I identified a few more ssd's that use MLC flash memory. Models that are no longer in production have been deleted.. The deleted models were released between 2011 and 3013 during the early days of SATA 3 ssd's.

I would advise keeping the old models and just putting Discontinued next to them in a new column. Not only for the SSD history records but I'm sure there are also people who might still get their hands on such models.

 

[cbn]

Updated OP with Mushkin Helix M.2 NVMe drive.

 

[cbn]

Updated OP with ADATA XPG SX8000.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Updated OP with ADATA XPG SX8000.

Just ordered a couple of 128GB models of this drive. Needed some PCI-E M.2 drives for my DeskMini units, so I could dual-boot without boot-menu hassles.

The fancy picture description, lists something like 2500/1200 seq. read/write, but then Newegg's specs list a bit more pedestrian 1000MB/sec read, and 300MB/sec write. Which apparently pertain specifically to the 128GB size, because the specs on the 256GB sized drive are nearly double.

Edit: I got one installed in my DeskMini, and got Win10 Pro 64-bit 1607 installed and updated on it.

Performance? Not so good.

Seq Read QD32T1: 980MB/sec
Seq Write QD32T1: 112MB/sec (!)
Random Read QD32T1: 220MB/sec
Random Write QD32T1: 105MB/sec

For some reason, writes seem to be capped at 100MB/sec, which is slower than the SATA 2.5" PNY CS1111 (BX100 clone) SSD in the same box.

Note, that this is using an H110 chipset, with the CPU's PCI-E lanes connected to the M.2 slot.

 

[bononos]

Considering it's 3D MLC, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much.

Is 3d MLC something to be wary of because its still new or? Isn't 3d TLC better than ordinary planar TLC?

 

[FFFF]

Is 3d MLC something to be wary of because its still new or? Isn't 3d TLC better than ordinary planar TLC?

There shouldn't be anything to worry about it, my comment was in regards to the fact that 3D MLC is quite new to the market and thus shall be in limited supply at first which means it will not drive the prices down any significant amount or at all.

 

[cbn]

Updated OP with ADATA XPG SX950.