TRIM Performance:
While SSD's offer many benefits, there are some downsides to using flash memory. One of the biggest issues people run into is performance degradation. Over time, an SSD will run out of fresh blocks and will have to write over data the file system has marked as deleted. This procedure is very complicated and can slow an SSD's write speeds considerably.
To address this problem, most manufacturers have added TRIM support to their SSDs. The TRIM command allows an operating system, such as Windows 7, to tell an SSD which data blocks are no longer in use. Using this information, the drive pro-actively erases these blocks and adds them to the free block pool.
To test the Agility 3's TRIM function, I first put the drive in a "dirty" state. I used Iometer to fill the entire drive and then ran a random write test for 20 minutes. Surprisingly, this had very little effect on the Agility 3's write speed. However, its average read speed dropped to 127.3 MB/s.
OCZ Agility 3 - Dirty
To see how well the Agility 3 could recover, I let the computer sit for a few hours and then reran the test. While the drive wasn't able to reach the factory fresh performance shown in our earlier tests, its average read speed climbed up to 258.4 MB/s.
OCZ Agility 3 - After Trim
Lastly, I used OCZ's Toolbox utility to perform a secure erase on the Agility 3. With the drive wiped clean, its read speed jumped back up to 327.5 MB/s.
OCZ Agility 3 - Wiped
Final Thoughts:
While not exactly a "budget" SSD, OCZ's new Agility 3 delivers a lot of bang for your buck. Based on the same SandForce SF-2281 controller as the Vertex 3, the Agility 3 is capable of some impressive performance. Thanks to its SATA 6Gb/s interface, the drive performed very well in our sequential read and write tests, reading at speeds as high as 536 MB/s and writing at speeds in excess of 430 MB/s. These numbers dropped considerably when reading and writing incompressible data due in part to the Agility 3's asynchronous NAND. However, most consumers probably won't notice this unless they're working with video and music files that are already highly compressed. The Agility 3 also features TRIM support and is backed by a three year warranty which includes access to OCZ's toll-free tech support as well as their 24 hour support forums.
The Agility 3 is available now in 60GB, 120GB and 240GB capacities. Prices on Amazon.com currently range from $133 up to $485, with the 120GB version reviewed here going for $214.
Highs:
- Available in 60GB, 120GB and 240GB capacities
- Excellent sequential read and write speeds
- SATA 6Gb/s interface
- Supports TRIM, SMART and NCQ
- 3 year warranty
- Reasonably priced
Lows:
- Considerably slower with incompressible data
- Does not include a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter bracket
