Kingston SSD Now V+ 256GB Review
Conclusion
Published: 14th September 2010 | Source: Kingston | Price: £525.46 |
Conclusion
At the start we wondered if the increased capacity of the 256GB version of the Kingston SSD Now V+ would lead to an increase or a decrease in performance over the 64GB capacity V+ we tested in December 09.
Clearly throughout our testing it shows a marked increase. Whether, as all drives perform better when they aren't full to the gunwales, this is due to the sheer available space or to tweaks to the firmware it cannot be denied that in all of our tests the SSD Now V+ performed admirably.
Two things most definitely left an impression upon me. Firstly how consistent the V+ is regardless of the task you are performing. Some extreme performance drives hit their numbers in a very limited environment, but the Kingston was rock solid doing everything from loading Windows, via shifting huge PSDs around, to game playing. It was all fast, all the time.
There definitely is a drop off with tiny blocks as we saw in the ATTO and Crystal Disk Mark tests, although this isn't replicated in the IOMeter tests or PC Mark Vantage and certainly isn't noticeable in daily use. Nonetheless if you work with billions of icons or tiny tiny text documents then it might be worth noting. It is a curiosity.
We test because first-hand impressions are unreliable between a long time span. This is especially true when you're dealing with tiny differences. However the Kingston definitely doesn't feel sluggish in the least with either large or small file sizes.
The second thing is how much of a boon the extra capacity is. Those of us on limited budgets are used to having an SSD as perhaps a OS drive with maybe one or two important applications installed too, and using a standard drive for games and storage etc. The increase in capacity allows all of those daily tasks to also see the benefit of such a instantaneous data retrieval system.
The fact that this is so fast, and it's basically memory, is also something that you have to keep in mind when you look at the pricing. Sure compared to a HDD it's expensive, but try and buy 256GB of super-fast DDR3 and see how much it is in comparison. Despite this being a storage device for price reasons think of it as memory and suddenly it's exceptional value. Logically at least.
Sadly we don't live in a logical world and we can't explain to our other half/parents/dog why we're eating beans on toast for the next year just because, logically, this was a bargain. No, out here in the real world this is eye-wateringly expensive at a touch over £500.
However for your money you get a drive that will hold pretty much anything you want it to, be as reliable as your dog and is faster than a march hare chasing a particularly cute bunny. It's an easy winner of our Bronze award. Just a shame about that price which, whilst on a par with its peers, is still a boat load of cash in anyones book.
Thanks to Kingston for providing the SSD Now V+ for todays review. Discuss in our forums.
Most Recent Comments
The fact that this is so fast, and it's basically memory, is also something that you have to keep in mind when you look at the pricing. Sure compared to a HDD it's expensive, but try and buy 256GB of super-fast DDR3 and see how much it is in comparison.
From the review.
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Originally Posted by steve30x
I hope SSD's start getting cheaper soon. I know its basically memory but at their current price its not a good choice to buy an SSD. I am waiting for SSD's to become affordable to upgrade. |
Ive actually got one of these drives in my own rig, I had to stop at 256 because the missus would have been eating poridge for a month if Id got the 512 I wanted! Perhaps I should have done this review eh Veebs, you lucky bugger
As with all new tech prices will fall in the end. But there will always be something new(er) to take the expensive slot for us all to moan about
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Originally Posted by steve30x
I need a 120 for my OS and 256 for my games. I can deal with the standard HDD's for my backups. But at the price of two of those its over half the price of the upgrade hardware I should have any day soon. Some time next year I will find the money for two SSD's. |
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Originally Posted by steve30x
I didnt know there was a way to do that. |
Apparently Intel have managed to squash the NM of the NAND chips and have stuffed double the ammount of storage on the same chips. If that's the case then theoretically some time soon we could be seeing drives that are double the size yet the same price as their half sized counterparts.
They are expensive. However, given that they are one of if not the best upgrades you can buy now for a raw speed boost they are more than worth it. Seeing is believing with these things.
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Originally Posted by tinytomlogan
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It will have to wait though because I have new parts ordered and I am paying out through my a** for them because I am paying for the parts weekly and I am unemployed. The guy I get my parts from marked up the price by 25% so Instead of the parts costing 1100 euro its costing me 1357 euro. I should have the parts paid for by june next year lol. Everey spare cent I have every week is going on the new computer parts.
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Originally Posted by AlienALX
SSD are getting cheaper as the days pass now. I got a 64gb for £70 recently and even the good high end ones are now cheaper than ever. Apparently Intel have managed to squash the NM of the NAND chips and have stuffed double the ammount of storage on the same chips. If that's the case then theoretically some time soon we could be seeing drives that are double the size yet the same price as their half sized counterparts. They are expensive. However, given that they are one of if not the best upgrades you can buy now for a raw speed boost they are more than worth it. Seeing is believing with these things. |
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Originally Posted by silenthill
Yes because no one is buying them remember (law of supply & demand) they remind me of the huge stock of 3d TV’s in CURRYS and every month I go in there I find they have dropped 100£, fact is that no matter how advanced the technology is if no one buys them the prices come tumbling down. |
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Originally Posted by silenthill
Yes because no one is buying them remember (law of supply & demand) they remind me of the huge stock of 3d TV’s in CURRYS and every month I go in there I find they have dropped 100£, fact is that no matter how advanced the technology is if no one buys them the prices come tumbling down. |
The reason parts have shot through the roof is that companies want/have to make the same ammount of money. This means when people are buying things get cheap (due to bulk shifting) and when things go quiet (during a recession like the one we're in) they sell less so have to sell them for more.
It's daft, because before I could get 2gb OCZ plat DDR2 for £16. Now it's £48. So because of that I have simply dug in my heels and refused to go to DDR3. But the prices still haven't come down, only difference is OCZ are about to go bust. TBH if these companies didn't waste so much money so frivolously they wouldn't get into trouble like that in the first place. Nvidia have spunked away millions on Physx CUDA and silly 3D glasses and Gamestop (USA) are in trouble and have been closing stores, yet send all of their management on a drinking holiday in Vegas once a year in a top hotel.
It makes so much sense ! honestly !
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