Hardware Canucks » Storage

Intel 520 240GB Cherryville SSD Review

skymtl — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:58:05 +0000

We’ve been hearing about and anticipating new Intel’s Cherryville SSDs for some time now they are finally being released in the guise of the 520 series. They are built around the same SandForce SF2281 controller we have come to know from numerous other SSDs but Intel has taken it upon themselves to equip these drives with a custom firmware and high end NAND. But is this enough to set the 520 series apart from in a cluttered market?

Seagate Barracuda 3TB in RAID 0: Performance Unleashed

skymtl — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:53:25 +0000

Seagate’s new Barracuda 3TB is one of the fastest hard drives currently available and it come with plenty of storage space for a reasonable price. What it can’t do is compete on a level performance footing with SSDs but when two of these drives are paired up, the results speak for themselves. They may even cause some to forget about all the expensive, yet capacity limited 240GB SSDs.

Corsair Performance Pro 256GB SSD Review

skymtl — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:31:43 +0000

Corsair’s Performance 3 256GB SSD showed many enthusiasts that an SSD didn’t need to have “SandForce” in the same sentence as “performance” and that the new Marvell controller was a force to be reckoned with. Today we will be putting the Performance 3’s successor –the Performance PRO- under the microscope to see if it can meet our already high expectations.

Seagate Momentus XT 750GB Hybrid Hard Drive Review

skymtl — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 04:59:35 +0000

SSDs seem to be all the rage these days but while they offer incredible performance, what they haven’t been able to achieve is acceptable capacity levels at sub-$300 price points. This is where hybrid drives like Seagate’s new Momentus XT 750GB come into play. They offer a combination of SSD-like performance in your most-used applications while also offering higher storage capacity at a mass market price.

OCZ RevoDrive Hybrid 1TB PCI-E SSD Review

skymtl — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:02:16 +0000

Searches for affordable high capacity SSDs usually come up blank so several manufacturers have begun releasing hybrid solutions which combine the performance of an SSD with the storage space of the hard drive. OCZ’s RevoDrive Hybrid is the latest to take on this challenge by combining a 100GB SSD with a 2.5″ 1TB HDD. This isn’t exactly a match made in heaven but the benefits are tangible.

Seagate Barracuda 3TB Review; A 1TB / Platter Monster is Unleashed

skymtl — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:57:38 +0000

Platter size may not mean much to everyday consumers but storage enthusiasts know that larger platters are usually a ticket to first class performance. Previously, large capacity drives used 750GB disks to achieve their required space but Seagate’s new Barracuda 3TB is the first with three 1TB platters. Coupled with a very fast controller, this new drive has what it takes to literally blow the doors off the competition.

OCZ RevoDrive 3 X2 480GB PCI-E SSD Review

skymtl — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:37:02 +0000

With SSD technology progressing at a breakneck pace, some areas of the market have begun to demand drives which could theoretically outstrip the new SATA 6 Gbps standard. In order to offer the best possible performance without limitations, OCZ has looked to the PCI-E bus for one of their SSDs. The RevoDrive 3 X2 drives are considered the flagships of their current PCI-E SSD lineup and while these drives certainly don’t come cheap, they offer some truly jaw dropping performance.

Western Digital Scorpio Blue 1TB 2.5″ Hard Drive Review

skymtl — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 01:54:45 +0000

With their competitors leading the way with 1TB notebook hard drives, Western Digital has finally shown their cards by releasing the Scorpio Blue 1TB. By combining a pair of 500GB platters, they are hoping this particular HDD can effectively deliver good performance, high capacity and low power consumption to mobile users. But does this relatively expensive drive have what it takes to overcome some stiff competition?

OCZ Agility 3 240GB SSD Review

skymtl — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:00:14 +0000

When moving to an SSD from a typical hard drive, many have to sacrifice storage capacity for speed. OCZ has tried to mitigate this loss by introducing the Agility 3 240GB, a high capacity SSD which doesn’t cost an absolute fortune.

Crucial M4 256GB Update: The Power of Firmware

skymtl — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 02:07:23 +0000

A short while ago we reviewed the Crucial M4 256GB SSD but we couldn’t just leave things at that since a new (supposedly) performance increasing firmware was just released for it. In this quick article we look at the differences brought about by this new, much ballyhooed 0009 version. Has Crucial accomplished the impossible by releasing an easy to install update that breathes new life into their M4 family? We’re about to find out.

Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 120GB SSD Review

skymtl — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:26:03 +0000

In such a cluttered SSD market, it is becoming increasingly difficult for manufacturers to distinguish their wares from those of the competition. Some rely on flashy packaging while others just follow meekly along with everyone else. Mushkin on the other hand has gone another route by introducing their SF2281-based high performance Chronos Deluxe 120GB at a price point which undercuts nearly every competing drive. But does this mean corners were cut?

Crucial M4 256GB SSD Review

skymtl — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:34:54 +0000

Crucial may be a newcomer to Hardware Canucks but their SSDs just happen to be some of the most popular around right now due to their excellent pricing and wide availability. Their newest line of M4-series drives continues down the same path as previous generations but now uses the same Marvel 9174 controller we saw in the Corsair Performance 3. But how does it stack up?

Kingston HyperX 240GB SSD Review

skymtl — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:07:06 +0000

With every other manufacturer well into their enthusiast SATA 6Gbps releases, it was only a matter of time until Kingston joined the fray. Their new HyperX series uses long-life, high performance Intel NAND with a SandForce SF2281 controller which makes it one of the best possible combinations available for enthusiasts.

Patriot Wildfire 120GB SSD Review

skymtl — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 02:59:49 +0000

Before getting the Wildfire, we had seen our fair share of the Sandforce invasion that is currently running amok in the SSD market. Expecting yet another rebrand of the same tried, tested and boring design, we didn’t really expect much from Patriot’s latest flagship drive. But instead of the same old story, we’ve found an SSD which dares to be different and exceeds every one of our expectations.

Corsair Performance 3 256GB SSD Review

skymtl — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 03:20:39 +0000

Corsair’s Performance 3 SSDs were all the rage at this year’s CES but after a short time, they were almost forgotten in favor of newer SandForce-based drives. Now, months after launch we’re taking a look at the Performance 3 in its 256GB form and have come to realize that its Marvell controller has some unique features that allow it to stand out from the pack.

Patriot Pyro 120GB SSD Review

skymtl — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:36:48 +0000

Patriot has always been known for their well priced yet highly competitive products and their newest SSD series contiues this tradition. The SandForce-based Pyro drives will be parachuted into a market segment that’s loaded with similar SSDs so does the Pyro 120GB have what it takes to run with the likes of Corsair and OCZ?

Corsair Force 3 120GB SSD Review

skymtl — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:12:46 +0000

Less than a week ago, we looked at Corsair’s flagship SSD with the Force GT but while cutting edge technology is great to drool over, there’s a huge market out there for a more affordable high performance solution. This is where the Force 3 series comes in since it can be found for less than $210 and can compete with some of the best drives around.

Corsair Force Series GT 120GB SSD Review

skymtl — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:23:08 +0000

With a review repertoire that has been highly focused upon high performance 240GB drives, we thought it was high time to begin looking at the more affordable 120GB side of the spectrum. The new Corsair Force GT 120GB SSD fit the bill perfectly; it is supposed to offer enthusiast-level benchmark numbers while retailing for a fraction of the 240GB version’s cost. However, there are some trade offs that have to be explored.

OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS 240GB SSD Review

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:36:19 +0000

When it was released a few short months ago, OCZ’s Vertex 3 became one of the fastest SSDs on the market. However, OCZ is now trying to one-up themselves with a drive series that promises even higher performance than its forefather. Dubbed the Vertex 3 Max IOPS, it is supposed to offer groundbreaking real world performance while retailing for only $60 more than the standard version.

OCZ Vertex 3 240GB Update: Retail vs Review Sample

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 03:46:37 +0000

SSD firmware updates. We’ve all heard about them but is there any tangible benefit to actually upgrading your SSD with the latest firmware? In this article we take a look at two identical Vertex 3 drives; one of which is a pre-retail sample with beta firmware while the other is a retail version sporting the latest firmware. The final results between the two are interesting to say the least…

OCZ Vertex 3 240GB Solid State Drive Review

admin — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:52:32 +0000

OCZ has consistently been at the forefront of the SSD market but their competitors are rapidly catching up. In order to head off up and coming products, OCZ has released a new flagship drive called the Vertex 3. Alongside a new Sandforce controller and high-end Micron 25nm NAND, this brand new drive also sports a SATA 6Gb/s interface for the best possible performance.

Seagate Barracuda XT 3TB Hard Drive Review

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:25:25 +0000

As SSDs continue to encroach upon the storage market, hard drive manufacturers have been working overtime to increase the capacity and performance of their products. Seagate has taken things to the next level with the Barracuda XT 3TB; a drive which offers impressive benchmark numbers alongside a massive amount of storage space.

Western Digital Scorpio Black 750GB 2.5″ Hard Drive Review

admin — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 04:09:40 +0000

SSDs have been stealing the limelight as of late but Western Digital is well on their way to heading off this push with their latest generation of Scorpio Black 2.5″ hard drives. By offering a combination of performance, extremely high capacity for small form factor drives and low power consumption, they hope to offer up a tempting line of products in an age of rapidly expanding storage needs. In this review we take a look at the highest capacity Scorpio Black drive to date: the 750GB version.

Corsair Force 90GB SSD Single & RAID Review

admin — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:53:19 +0000

Corsair has long been a fixture in the PC market and they have continued that tradition with a complete lineup of solid state drives. While the Nova series is geared towards entry level buyers, the Force-branded drives have been bred from the ground up for performance. In this review, we take a look at the Force 90GB, a drive which tries to strike a delicate balance between price, performance and capacity.

Seagate Momentus XT 500GB Hybrid Hard Drive Review

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:41:05 +0000

With SSDs making some minor inroads into the market hard drives used to have sole proprietorship over, manufacturers like Seagate needed something new to spice things up. Enter a new generation of hybrid drives which combine the capacity of a traditional hard drive with the high speed NAND of an SSD. The Momentus XT is one of the first which is available in a small form factor for notebooks, set top boxes and HTPCs.

Western Digital Caviar Green 3TB Hard Drive Review

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 02:25:30 +0000

As media files balloon in size and high definition content moves towards the mainstream, consumers’ storage needs have expanded by leaps and bounds. Hard drive manufacturers have been trying to keep up with products sporting higher and higher capacities. Western Digital is now pushing the limits with their new Caviar Green 3TB and has come up with some unique features which allow their newest product to break previous thresholds.

Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 40GB SSD Single & RAID Review

admin — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 00:23:56 +0000

While SSDs have been gradually coming down in price, they are stilled considered to be luxury items by many. Mushkin’s new Callisto Deluxe line is aiming to change that perception. The 40GB version is less than $100 and promises high performance in a frugal package but can it deliver?

G.Skill Phoenix Pro 40GB & 120GB Solid State Drives Review

admin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 04:32:43 +0000

As SSDs grow in popularity, prices are gradually dropping for higher-end drives. It is now possible to buy one of these cutting edge 120GB storage devices for well under $250. One of the companies leading this charge towards increasing value for money is G.Skill and their newest Phoenix Pro series is looking to make a real impact upon the market.

OCZ RevoDrive 120GB PCI-E Solid State Drive Review

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 02:46:46 +0000

OCZ has been at the forefront of the SSD market for as long as we can remember. However, the current SATA interface has constrained the performance and solid state drive manufacturers have been left scrambling for alternatives. OCZ has now turned to the PCI Express interface in order to increase performance. But has their gambit paid off?

Corsair Force 40GB Solid State Drive Review

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:40:26 +0000

The quality of products in the value-oriented SSD market really hasn’t been anything to brag about ever since solid state drives began gaining popularity. However, a few companies are working to erase preconceptions many now have about just how much needs to be spent for a decent SSD. Corsair’s Force 40GB breaks with the pack by offering respectable performance in a sub-$150 product.