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OCZ Vertex 3 Max Iops 120GB SSD review
Jason Tsay
If you’re a regular reader of Okay Geek, you’ll remember that we reviewed OCZ’s Agility 3 SATA III 6Gbps SSD a while back. This time, OCZ has sent us the Vertex 3 Max Iops SSD, which is their fastest SATA III drive. That being the case, we’ve provided plenty of benchmarks in our testing. How much faster is it than the Agility 3 and is that boost worth the extra price?
Features
- SATA III 6Gb/s interface
- SandForce SF-2281 Controller
- native TRIM support
- Up to 550MB/s read, up to 500MB/s write
- 1.65W (idle) - 3W (active) power consumption
- 120GB and 240GB capacities
- included 3.5” desktop adapter bracket
- 3 year warranty
Our Impressions
The Vertex 3 comes in packaging similar to the Agility 3 but this time, OCZ includes a 3.5” drive bay adapter and screws, along with the standard manual and “My SSD is faster than your HDD sticker.” As usual, the SSD is wrapped in an anti-static bag and cushioned in foam.
What’s the difference between the Vertex 3 and the Vertex 3 Max Iops?
The Max Iops version of the Vertex 3 uses 32nm Toshiba Toggle NAND whereas the normal Vertex 3 uses Intel 25nm MLC NAND. On paper, the Vertex 3 promises a maximum read of 550 MB/s, maximum write of 500 MB/s, random write 4 KB of 60,000 IOPS, and maximum 4 K random write of 85,000 IOPS. The newer Vertex 3 Max Iops, however, boasts a maximum read of 550 MB/s, maximum write of 500 MB/s, random read 4 KB of 35,000 IOPS, random write 4 KB of 75,000 IOPS, and maximum 4 K random write of 85,000 IOPS. Otherwise, in terms of specs, the two are virtually identical.
With that question out of the way, we plugged into one of our spare SATA III ports and up popped the 111 GB NTFS formatted drive. Our drive shipped with firmware version 2.11. It is recommended that you upgrade to the latest version or at least to 2.11 if your drive is on an older firmware to avoid a certain BSOD issue which we experienced on our very own Agility 3. After making sure everything was in order, we started benchmarking.
CrystalDiskMark Benchmark
The Vertex 3 Max Iops offered significantly better sequential read/write speeds than the Agility 3 with sequential read speeds being over twice as fast. The 4K write test also showed a significant advantage.
HD Tune Pro Benchmark
Then we went ahead and ran the HD Tune Pro benchmark, averaging 355.3 MB/s and maxing out at 363 MB/s read speeds.
HD Tune Pro File Benchmark
With a file length of 128 MB, we ran the HD Tune Pro file benchmark.
AS SSD Benchmark (MB/s)
We also ran the Vertex 3 MI through the AS SSD benchmark and came up with a score of 507.
AS SSD Benchmark (IOPS)
The same AS SSD benchmark shown in IOPS rather than MB/s.
Test Machine Specs
CPU - Intel i7-2600K
Mobo - MSI P67A-GD65 (B3)
Memory - G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB DDR3 1600 (2 x 4GB)
Video card - EVGA superclocked GTX 570
PSU - NZXT HALE90 850W
Case - NZXT Phantom
OS - Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
Monitor - Asus VH238H 23”
Overall
The Vertex 3 Max Iops is one of the fastest SSD’s we’ve tested; for SSD enthusiasts, it certainly won’t disappoint. The question comes down to - Max Iops or not? Considering that the price difference is around $50 between the two models, we’d probably have to say the difference is not all that significant to justify the extra cost. For buyers aiming fora higher performance SSD than the Agility 3, the Vertex 3 is a good place to settle. Those looking for the fastest SATA III drive OCZ has to offer should definitely go for the Vertex 3 Max Iops.
Pro’s
- OCZ’s fastest SATA III drive yet
- comes with 3.5” adapter
Con’s
- doesn’t present significant value over normal Vertex 3
Where to buy
This review was done by Jason Tsay, who was provided the Vertex 3 Max Iops by OCZ.
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