Tested: Intel 520 SSD - 240 GB: quick test

When it comes to SSDs, we are usually in the privileged position that manufacturers typically ship their top-of-the-line, high-end products to us, so most of the time we get drives that we already know will be difficult to get rid of when we receive them. We’re getting to know Intel SSD in person for the first time now, so we’ve been looking forward to meeting the 520GB release of Intel’s current flagship Intel 240 SSD!

Here it is:

Not even the box could deny that it is an Intel child, seeing the design we could suddenly believe that we are dealing with some kind of Core processor. Of course, if we devote some energy to reading after the stupor, we can see the following inscriptions: “Super-fast Hard Drive Replacement”, “High-Performance Intel Solid-State Drive 520 Series”, “For desktop and mobile systems”. These expressions have already revealed the essence, i.e. we are dealing with Intel's latest SSD model, from which the 240 GB unit arrived, which, together with its peers, is recommended for both desktop and mobile use.

In addition, the specimen we visited was a relatively fresh unit manufactured on January 6 (SSDSC2CW240A3K5). If you turn the box over, you will also get a description of its contents:

• Intel 2,5 ″ SSD drive
• 3,5 ″ mounting frame with screws
• SATA 6 Gb / s data and power cable
• Access to free Intel Data Migration software
• Installation guide and installation disc
• Speed ​​Demon matrix 

Thanks to the 2,5 ″ standard, the drive does not hold any major surprises externally, the content is enclosed in the usual demanding aluminum frame, ie it is characterized by a pleasant and high-quality Intel design. We also find a sticker on the cover that tells us everything we need to know about the device. The drive weighs 78 grams and the height can be divided into two parts: the total thickness is 9,5 mm, although this size is due to the plastic frame on the housing, the actual thickness is 7 mm.

This is not a problem for desktop use, but if you run out of space for a notebook, this 2,5mm may decide, but the frame cannot be removed without losing the warranty. If removed, the screws cannot be screwed in to their full depth. The width and height are the standard 2,5 ″ dimensions, i.e. 100 × 70 mm. So the house is practically the same as the previous models, let’s see what we find behind the cover!

To disassemble, all you have to do is remove the four tiny screws, and then you can already see the printed circuit board that makes up the SSD and the components that will take its place. On the top side we find nothing interesting except the memory inserts, but eight of the former. These are already Intel's latest MLC chips with 25nm manufacturing technology, which Micron has something to do with. In addition, Intel is the only one on the market to use a selection of Compute NAND flash memories. The chips each have a capacity of 16 GB. More advanced manufacturing technology is usually an advantage, it is no different for an SSD. On the other side, we can welcome eight more MLC chips, but the already mentioned SandForce SF-2281 controller, which is the other most important part of the SSD in addition to the MLC chips, is finally coming into play.

Since this model is the manufacturer’s current state-of-the-art controller, we can safely say that Intel didn’t leave things to chance and made the right decision when it came to choosing this SandForce product instead of its slightly aging own solution. What’s more, the situation is different from the average in that Intel uses its own firmware for the SandForce controller, which promises further performance gains. This firmware has been tested with more than 900 SSDs on 125 different platforms, guaranteeing reliability and compatibility. The Intel 520 supports 256-bit AES encryption, among other things, SMART and TRIM are still mandatory today, but the drive also uses NCQ, which we may have known from hard drives so far. Of course, there is no head in an SSD that can be optimally controlled and moved, but the use of the technology is similar, the goal is to make the SSD work as efficiently and efficiently as possible (no dead time when the drive is resting), taking advantage of its speed.

The main technological features of the drive in more detail:

SandForce control: The SandForce company was founded in 2006 and has been seriously present on the market since 2009. SandForce does not offer complete SSDs, but manufactures high-quality and capable SSD controller processors, which it then sells to manufacturers, which they use to make the drive. That's why we can find the SandForce logo on the boxes of many brands with this signature: "SandForce driven" - i.e. controlled by SandForce. Those who are more seriously interested in the background of SandForce, for example here you can read back, we wouldn’t go into it very deeply. The bottom line is that having an SandForce control processor in an SSD is a good omen for the future.

Support for SMART and TRIM technologies: The S.M.A.R.T. it is far from new, it has been available in hard drives for years. Abbreviation for "Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology", which in practice means that S.M.A.R.T. capable device can perform analysis, monitoring and logging in relation to itself, which it can also share with the user if necessary. If we have some problem with the drive, it can be useful and help us discover the cause of the problem. The TRIM command already saw the light of day with SSDs, which could be discussed for long pages, but perhaps its essence can be expressed in a few words, that by using TRIM, the SSD also physically removes the data during deletion, which thus prevents the internal data from fragmentation, and the deceleration in speed that can be derived from this. TRIM support is also required at the operating system level.

NAND (P / E 25K) with Intel 5nm technology: The new NAND chips have replaced Intel’s 3K NANDs, which have significantly higher endurance and life expectancy.

DuraClass technology: This is a way of handling the NAND flash chips, which is unique to the SandForce controller and has significant merit in terms of available speed and life expectancy.

User-adjustable “Over Provisioning”: The Intel SSD 520 Series drives allow the "user" to decide how much storage space to allocate to increase the speed of the drive. By sacrificing a larger capacity, the speed can be increased somewhat, while "taking back the space" can result in a slight slowdown.

Advanced Wear-Leveling Technology: This ability is responsible for the even wear of NANDs. It provides an even write load on memory cells, which increases both performance and lifespan.

Full specification compared to previous models:

Now we know everything about the Intel SSD 520 from the inside out, let’s see the test configuration and the tests themselves!