Testing (continued):

Performance Test:

The 64-Bit version of PassMark's Performance Test version 7.0 was the first benchmark suite used to test the drives on hand. While it offers some quick tests for drives, the data below was taken from tests found on the "Advanced" tab. For this round of tests we will see three different advanced disk tests that may simulate some real world usage, each of which provides results in units of MB/s (where higher scores are better).

The first test (Database), is a 90/10 split of reads/writes, where 90% of the transactions are random. While we don't see the Vertex 2 reaching anywhere near it's maximum rated speeds, none of the other drives can either. What we do see is that the Vertex 2 is able put up the best numbers with ease.



The second test (File Server), is a 80/20 split of reads/writes, where 100% of the transactions are random. In this test the Vertex 2 expands its margin of victory, making drives I previously considered to be fast look anything but.



The third test in this section (Work Station), is a 70/30 split of reads/writes, where 80% of the transactions are random. Once again no drive gets anywhere close to the maximum transfer rates, but the Vertex 2 dominates the field.



While the advanced tests from PassMark's Performance Test may not appeal to those looking for confirmation of the top speed a drive can offer, I chose to lead off with this set of tests because it shows a good sampling of what you might expect to see in real world use. With that said, the early indications are that the Vertex 2 has what it takes to be a great choice for an SSD upgrade.