New Vector SSD looks very interesting. Is this the BEST NEW SSD for 2013 ?

I wanted to share some interesting SSD reading I just did.


Just read a pretty good write up about the new Vector SSD at Anandtech. The benchmarks appear very impressive. It's just killing many of the SSD's people used to think are good. I guess it shows how fast PC hardware changes. I wonder if this is a taste of things to come with other brands?

It's interesting to read the best two performing SSD's use a proprietary controller that appears superior to most SSD's using Marvel or Sandforce. Samsung 840PRO and the new Vector. This appears to set them apart and ahead of the pack in performance.


The article also makes mention of a longer validation process for the VECTOR; that's certainly been an Achilles heal for OCZ in the past having rushed previous models to market.


Here is a link to the article:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6363/ocz-vector-review-256gb/






There is a bunch more really good reviews popping up which certainly reinforces some of the Anandtech article. Here is a few:

Maximum PC:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/%5Bprimary-term%5D/ocz_vector_256gb_ssd_review




There is another great review here: StorageReview.
http://www.storagereview.com/ocz_vector_ssd_review



I am pleased to see the amount of attention given to the reliability concerns, it looks like a solid effort on OCZ part to clean up a mostly deserved bad reputation for reliability




Here is a couple more reviews:
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/58083-ocz-vector-256gb-ssd-review.html


http://www.techspot.com/review/609-ocz-vector-ssd/




The benchmarks appear quite impressive on this little beast. The advantage over older controllers and SSD's appears pretty obvious in some benchmarks from Anandtech:






I've had my eye on the Samsung 840Pro and I have been looking for an upgrade to a 256GB SSD. To say I am not interested in this new SSD would be a lie. I think it's going to come down to this new VECTOR and the Samsung840 are the new Kings of the SSDs. It's amazing to me how much products can change and improve so quickly. It seemed like SSD was here to stay for a while this time last year, and that performance would remain unchanged for a significant period. Those best selling SSD's from 12 months ago based on Sandforce and Marvel controllers like the Vertex3 and the CrucialM4 just seem old and slow already. And, it's interesting to see how both Samsung and OCZ have differentiated themselves from the other SSD's with proprietary SSD controllers that set them apart in relative performance from the majority of other SSD's based on Marvel/Sandforce. I guess it pays to own your own controller company, and make your own controllers as both Samsung and OCZ are demonstrating.



and,



Lastly....



<---- in before someone bashes OCZ

While I agree in a HTPC, and would say any SSD probably is sufficient- I'd argue two things.

First- In a high end Desktop or workstation you would/could notice the difference much more. That's really what the Vector is. It's a higher end SSD intended for that. It's not intended for a HTPC. I just posted it here because I thought it was interesting to see how SSD's are changing.
If you wanted to build a high end HTPC or the ultimate HTPC it would be hard to do or lay claim you did without a top level SSD. But I imagine for 95% of HTPC applications your probably right and it's not a big deal real world for an ordinary person or non enthusiast.

And,

Second, You said 10% but in my glancing at the benchmark it's way more than that. In some benchmarks it's 50% better or faster than mainstream Marvel or Sandforce based drives like the Crucial M4 or Vertex/Agility/Intel
It's not even close in many. It's measurably superior. It even lays waste to the Vertex4 in a couple places, which was already much faster than most of the drives on the market. I think it would be way harder to find a benchmark it's only 10% better in versus a benchmark it's 25% or more better at. Your downplaying it a bit I think.

Cliff Notes:

I agree in ordinary basic HTPC it's overkill / not needed / unappreciated by most ordinary folks
I am very interested as a non HTPC SSD for my Desktop workstation as it's impressive performance is undeniable.

Your beat me to it and stole my thunder.

Go easy on Assassin as he's mosty right in the context of his statement and this forum dedicated to HTPC. Remove the HTPC, or slant any build into an upper level performance or budget build and this of coarse will change significantly.

I'm not going to rush out and replace my perfectly fast and working SSD in my HTPC for this. And if you can buy Sandforce 120GB's for $50 there is little reason to spend $100+ on a higher end SSD for a basic HTPC build IMO.

But- I am guessing I might have one in my desktop in 2013

I concur.

The reputation of OCZ will not allow them to sell for Samsung prices, so as usual your going to get more performance for you dollar spent. This is already happening with the Vertex4, and it looks like the Vector is everything the Vertex4 was and more.
I think your going to see OCZ drop the Vertex4 into the market share stealing door buster prices. $79 for $128GB. Moving the flagship Vector into it's current position and relieving it of it's flag.

I'd wager on the Vector, and it's 5 year warranty- over the Samsung for a reasonable $$$ savings. I think this is what OCZ is counting on.

Reports of the Vertex4 seem to be much improved, not just on the superior performance but the reliability. The Vertex4 is far under the return rate of previous OCZ SSD's and steadily improving. The Vector appears to be everything the Vertex4 is and more, building on that foundation.

I am not even sure many SSD's come with a 5 year warranty anymore. Certainly not many with this level of performance to price ratio.

A company that big ? Sure they will. They will lay off a bunch of people, trim the fat, and cut a bunch of non performing product lines. Just like all major corporations do to increase earnings or get back on track to delivering share holder wealth.

I would be very, very surprised to see OCZ go under. At least in the time of my warranty period. They would most likely sell or merge long before that. Remember they own PC power and cooling, and their own SSD controller MFG company (which makes the controller in this awesome SSD) There's value there. Someone would buy or merge before they just went out of business. That's my thinking anyways.

I did ???


I think I heard, understood... and even confirmed my understanding your point. Moreover- I even agreed with it.

I specifically went out of my way to make reference about 2 distinct points of contention your making

1- HTPC doesn't need a SSD of this performance caliber. It's not needed and unappreciated. Real world use in a basic HTPC is not going to deliver much real world difference.

2- This is a HTPC forum- but it's also a PC forum. Most posters here are PC people. You have to be a PC person first before you can be a HTPC person. I said I was interested in this as it was an interesting reading- and showing some of the changes happening in SSD products. More specific than that I said I was not interested in is for my HTPC, but rather my desktop workstation- as this is the application it's designed for.

I'm not sure how this entire thread is not deserving of being in this forum, or being discussed. It's interesting (at least to me) to see how new proprietary controllers are changing newer SSD products and differentiating them from products we have seen, even recent ones launching in the last 6 months, using the basic Marvel or Sandforce controller.

And- I think the side effect of this all is going to be the Vertex4 emerging as the SSD of choice for HTPC. It's been out a while and proving pretty reliable. It's better performance than most SSDs and better 5 year warranty too. Sure you can beat up the company- but that is nothing new to OCZ. I've already seen it for $79 for the 128GB. The VECTOR taking it's flagship spot means the Vertex4 is probably going to slide down to Vertex3 like prices. Under $80 it's hard to hate on that for high performance and high value product. I think as the months continue to tick by with a proven solid track record for the Vertex4 and it's price erodes- This will happen. I'll bump this thread in 6 months if my prediction is right.

Here is your quote:

Well.. Like I said. I'll bump this up in 6 months if I was right. I'll expect a "you told me so"

Sure they have financial problems. There was error in accounting that did not account for rebating, or they gave out double rebates or something. It killed their projected earnings as they issued a warning and the stock crashed. To make it worse- OCZ could not file on time the earnings because of the massive accounting mistake needing to be corrected. This cause consumer confidence to erode- and further decay of the stock prices.

Your quote is exactly right however- As a major merger could turn things around.

Also- it's right when it says " losses are mounting and that management “shake-up” was less than comforting. At $1.31, its 52-week week range is $1.23 to $10.05, and its market value is now only $88 million. What can save OCZ: A turnaround success; a low-ball buyout offer; clarity in its guidance and in its quarterly filings; sudden increased customer attention"

There is a new CEO and MGMT. Check
Filling it's earnings and providing clarity to shareholders. Check,
Sudden increased customer attention. (like in the Vector and Vertex4) Check.

I think buying OCZ stock then selling options against as insurance could be a smart move. If it goes up you make $. If it does down you make $ Basically if it does nothing... you lose a little. Seems almost worth it.
Note: I am not doing it.

lol.

Your partly right. I do love AVS because of this. I am into home theater as much as I am into PC's. There's tons of PC forums, but only one AVS. No theater science forum is close to as good as AVS is.
You'll notice aside from my substantial post count- I have been a member here for 10 years.

I'll +1 your saying this too.

But to your point and back to the VECTOR SSD we are talking about....

It's got a pretty good thread going over at Anandtech: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2285486

I am surprised by the mostly positive reaction it's getting. Anandtech is pretty well known for being ANTI OCZ.

Even the moderators will dish out an infraction if you say something good about OCZ.

SO... I guess times are changing for sure.

Without starting a flame war you know my position on reliability: It's impossible to predict with any accuracy on any PC product.

And- The biggest question mark to me is not the financial health of OCZ but that it's still very new to market and unproven.

The majority of issues with products occurs when they are new to market. Particuarly for very new products rushed to market. I'd say the safe bet is let a few months of end user feeback develop versus adopting a totally new unproven product.

I do however- take some comfort in the extra level of effort OCZ appears to have taken in the product development, beta testing, and quality control of this product. It appears much improved. If everything the reviews say about this SSD remain true and it's reliability is demonstrated with user feedback this beast is going to be a force in the SSD market. Perhaps not in HTPC's- but I think OCZ might have a real winner on it's hands.

And while you consider it a gamble- I think I approach it a bit more easy going.


We are talking about $80 SSDs in most cases around these parts - so keeping in context with HTPC applications I just don't see or feel the "fear" many around here do on the reliability issue.

As a whole- ALL SSD's are about 3.5% defective and rapidly improving. They are currently more reliable than ordinary HDD spinners we have used and lived with for many years. Oh-- they cost less too.

So I think the whole warranty reliability thing gets weighted a bit too much.

Here is worst case scenario. You spend $80 on an OCZ drive like the Vertex4 128GB for your HTPC because it's both cheaper,and faster than most others in it's class- while having a better 5 year warranty. Now- Two improbable things happen. (1) You have bad luck and your SSD dies or fails. (2) OCZ as a company also goes out of business, disappearing from the face of the earth leaving you high and dry in the next few years. What's the worst that happens ??? Your out $80 and you go buy a bigger faster SSD at that time for another $50 that you probably wanted anyways ??? I mean these are PC products we are talking about. My desktop SSD isn't even 12 months old yet and I am interested in a double sized and faster one like this 256GB VECTOR.

Not saying reliability isn't important as it certainly is. Just there is some inherent risk in purchasing any PC product that you just must assume.

The fact that OCZ has some of these question marks around them is a good thing IMO. It allows people like me to continue to purchase their products at below market prices and superior levels of performance. I think that's the best aspect of OCZ. Take that away... I'll probably go search out a better performer or value in another brand. That's just how I roll.
Edited by Mfusick - 11/27/12 at 9:40pm

Lol.

It's ok. I love it too. You know I have posted in your forum

And- it's only one moderator in particular. (he owns a crucial M4 per his signature)

I could post a screen shot or a copy paste PM showing two infractions (undeserved) with an obvious personal bias against the message I was saying- and certainly not for the manner of behavior I was saying it.
It only bothers me because there is constant rampant OCZ bashing that goes unchecked often- which is one of the reasons why I take a little offense to it being a happy OCZ owner of 15 different SSD drives.

Sorry to be unclear or confuse you in anything. Your a great mod over there and most of them are pretty awesome too.

Are you talking about unzipping a winrar file or whatever ???? You would have to download or have located your files on this drive first to see the benefit. The size is the problem here.

I use a dual 1TB in RAID 0 array - it does about 160/MB reads according to my terracopy when pasting to SSD. It's fast enough for me- while providing me a 2TB scratch disk.

I wonder if Intel SSD cache could help or not ?????