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 SSDNow V+200'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. Looking at the screenshot below, you can see that the V+200's average read and write speeds dropped to 104.2 MB/s and 166.8 MB/s, respectively.
Kingston SSDNow V+200 - Dirty
To see how well the V+200 could recover, I let the computer sit for a few hours and then reran the test. The drive's average read speed jumped back up to 272.1 MB/s. However, its write speed lagged a bit behind, averaging out at 187.6 MB/s.
Kingston SSDNow V+200 - After Trim
Lastly, I used OCZ's Toolbox utility (yes, it works) to perform a secure erase on the V+200. With the drive wiped clean, its average write speed jumped back up to 360.1 MB/s.
Kingston SSDNow V+200 - Wiped
Final Thoughts:
The SSDNow V+200 is an excellent choice for the cost-conscious business or home user looking to improve the performance of their existing desktop or notebook PC. Based on the same SandForce SF-2281 controller as Kingston's HyperX and KC100 SSDs, the V+200 is capable of some pretty impressive performance. In our sequential read and write tests, the drive was able to read at speeds as high as 585 MB/s and write at speeds in excess of 460 MB/s. These numbers dropped considerably when reading and writing incompressible data due in part to the V+200's asynchronous NAND. However, this isn't something that the average consumer will notice unless they're working with files that are already highly compressed. The V+200 is also covered by a 3-year warranty and is available as a standalone drive or as part of an upgrade kit.
The SSDNow V+200 is available now in 60GB, 90GB, 120GB, 240GB and 480GB capacities. Prices on Amazon.com currently range from $87 up to $727, with the 90GB upgrade bundle kit reviewed here going for about $135.
Highs:
- Available in 60GB, 90GB, 120GB, 240GB and 480GB capacities
- SandForce SF-2281 processor with DuraClass, DuraWrite and RAISE technologies
- Excellent sequential read and write speeds
- SATA 6Gb/s interface
- Supports SMART, TRIM and Garbage Collection
- Available as stand-alone drive or as part of an upgrade kit
- Self-encrypting drive technology
- Well constructed design
- Reasonably priced
- 3 year warranty
Lows:
- Considerably slower with incompressible data
- Asynchronous NAND flash
