Crucial M4 128GB SSD Review
Consistency and Conclusion
Published: 19th August 2011 | Source: Crucial | Price: £156.98 |
Consistency
The image below is from the AIDA64 Buffered Write. However all of our testing showed similar consistency in both read and write testing. If it was any flatter we'd have to build Windmills and wear clogs.
Conclusion
When we reviewed the Kingston Hyper X earlier in the month we found it to be an absolutely blistering performer with a suitably enthusiast price-tag. The Crucial M4 is obviously cheaper in this 128GB guise, but also crucially (ahem) in the 256GB version it's nearly £100 less expensive.
However this lower price-point doesn't mean you're losing a whole hill of performance.
Certainly at the absolute limit the SandForce controller is capable of producing gaudier numbers than the Micron-equipped M4, but this is damn close in most of our tests and in the important PC Mark Vantage benchmarks it's neck and neck.
Thankfully unlike the C300 the write speeds haven't been compromised to give such excellent performance for such a decent amount of money. The consistency in all of our tests was exemplary with no weak links at all. The uniformity of the graphs produced by all of our test applications mirror the AIDA64 one shown above, in both read and write formats.
Priced at around £150 this is on a par with decently priced SATA II SSDs, yet delivers comprehensive performance improvements. In fact the only real fly in the ointment is if you're after truly extreme performance the Micron can't keep up with a SandForce drive.
Even still, the consistency of the Crucial M4 coupled to the very attractive price make it a deserving winner of our OC3D Silver Award.
Thanks to Crucial for supplying the M4 for review. Discuss in our forums.
Most Recent Comments
where my tissues
issues fixed AND affordable!
i am lurved up with this
definitely a contender for my future mammoth-BD built, RAID'd
well....i suppose it could be a hyperX.......
Great drive, great speeds, and that's even when the drive fills up.
PS I updated mine (before I installed anything on it) to firmware 0002, and I've not had a single issue yet, and that's with RST running.
oh and fairly well priced as you said one thing to add to the review i dont recall reading it but the usb cable and disk arent included in the normal m4 pack you have to pay 10 quid extra or so for it. however i couldnt use it to sucseffuly clone my old os / programs. but its also useful if you want to copy some data old an old drive/ broken pc ect
Any chance of a quick retest with this firmware in place? Would be very interested to see how it fairs.
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Originally Posted by Ljs
Worth nothing to all that Crucial has released some new firmware which improves this drives performance. Any chance of a quick retest with this firmware in place? Would be very interested to see how it fairs. |
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