TRIM Performance:
While SSDs 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 proactively erases these blocks and adds them to the free block pool.
To test the HyperX Savage's TRIM and garbage collection functions, 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 30 minutes. Looking at the screenshot below, you can see that the HyperX Savage's average read and write speeds dropped to 120.2 MB/s and 240.3 MB/s, respectively.
Kingston HyperX Savage 240GB - Dirty
To see how well the HyperX Savage could recover, I let the computer sit for about an hour and a half and then reran the test. The drive's average write speed climbed up to 278.3 MB/s. However, its read speed lagged behind, averaging out at 124.0 MB/s.
Kingston HyperX Savage 240GB - After Trim
Lastly, I used Parted Magic to perform a secure erase on the HyperX Savage. With the drive wiped clean, it had average read and write speeds of 377.5 MB/s and 374.0 MB/s, respectively.
Kingston HyperX Savage 240GB - Secure Erase
Final Thoughts:
Kingston has knocked another one out of the park with its new HyperX Savage SSD. This eye-catching, low profile drive combines Phison's quad-core, eight channel PS3110-S10 controller with Toshiba's Advanced 19nm (A19) MLC NAND flash to deliver some truly impressive performance. In our sequential read and write tests, the 240GB version of the HyperX Savage was able to read at speeds as high as 565 MB/s and write at speeds in excess of 495 MB/s. The drive also did very well in our random write tests, producing more than 86,000 IOPS at low queue depths.
Aside from its good looks and impressive performance, what really makes the HyperX Savage stand out from the competition is the upgrade bundle kit. The kit includes everything you need to install the drive in your existing desktop or notebook computer, including a 2.5" USB 3.0 enclosure, 3.5" bracket, SATA data cable, multi-bit screwdriver and Acronis data migration software.
The HyperX Savage is available now in 120GB, 240GB, 480GB and 960GB capacities. Prices on Amazon.com currently range from about $68 up to $581, with the 240GB upgrade bundle kit reviewed here going for about $129.
Highs:
- Available in 120GB, 240GB, 480GB and 960GB capacities
- Phison PS3110-S10 controller
- Excellent sequential read and write speeds
- Very good random read and write performance
- Performs equally well with compressible and incompressible data
- SATA 6Gb/s interface
- Available as stand-alone drive or as part of an upgrade bundle kit
- Good looking and well constructed design
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Includes 3.5" bracket, 9.5mm adapter and Acronis data migration software
- Upgrade bundle includes USB 3.0 enclosure, multi-bit screwdriver and SATA cable
- Reasonably priced
- 3 year warranty
Lows:
- Does not support DEVSLP
