OCZ Technology (OCZ) has been one of my favorite memory manufacturers for around 8 years. While they haven't been around as long as some of the other manufacturers, they are consistently winning awards for their incredible memory. Starting in 2002, they focused on system memory, however in 2008 seeing a change in consumer storage, they released their first SSD, which became very popular and won many awards. Recently OCZ released their fourth generation Vertex SSD. This drive has some impressive specifications, which include up to 560MB/s read speed, between 95,000 and 120,000 IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second), a wide range of capacities, and a 5 year warranty.



Before taking a closer look at the 256GB unit provided for review, let's take a look at some published information on it, as taken from the official product page on the OCZ website.

Features:

» Up to 560 MB/s Sequential Reads
» Up to 510 MB/s Sequential Writes
» Up to 95,000 Random Read IOPS
» Up to 120,000 Maximum IOPS
» Available in 64GB to 512GB Capacities
» Access Latency as low as 0.02ms
» Strong performance at lower queue depths

» No compression-related performance limitations - Better performance with "real world" data streams of varying "compressibility" as well as fully incompressible data such as videos and multimedia files, encrypted data, archive files such as .ZIP files and software.

» Indilinx InfusedTM Everest 2 platform - Leading edge dual-ARM controller architecture enables faster performance like nothing else you've experienced.

» Fast boot times and ultra-low latency - Boot up in as little as 9 seconds, and industry-low latencies of .04 reads and .02 writes enable superior multitasking and flawless performance

» Industry-leading 5 year warranty - Backed by OCZ's renowned service for ultimate peace of mind.

» Ndurance 2.0 Technology - Advanced suite of NAND Flash management to increase durability and reliability to expand the NAND's lifespan

Specifications:

» Usable Capacities (IDEMA) 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
» NAND Components 2Xnm Synchronous Multi-Level Cell (MLC)
» Interface SATA III / 6Gbps (backwards compatible with SATA II / 3Gbps)
» Form Factor 2.5 Inch
» NAND Controller Indilinx Everest 2
» DRAM Cache Up to 1GB
» Dimensions (L x W x H) 99.8 x 69.63 x 9.3 mm
» Power Consumption Idle: 1.3 W Active: 2.5 W
» Operating Temperature 0°C ~ 70°C
» Ambient Temperature 0°C ~ 55°C
» Storage Temperature -45°C ~ 85°C
» Shock Resistance 1500G

Realiability / Performance

» MTBF 2 million hours
» Data Path Protection ECC corrects up to 128 random bits/1KB
» Data Encryption 256-bit AES-compliant, ATA Security Mode Features
» Product Health Monitoring Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) Support
» Performance Optimization TRIM (requires OS support), dynamic and static wear-leveling, background garbage collection, Indilinx nDurance 2.0 Technology to extend SSD lifespan
» Other Performance Features Ndurance 2.0 Technology (Reduced Write Amplification without Compression, Advanced Multi-Level ECC, Adaptive NAND Flash Management)
» Service & Support 5-Year Warranty, Toll-Free Tech Support, 24 Hour Forum Support