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The SSD Review uses PCMark 8’s Storage test suite to create testing scenarios that might be used in the typical user experience. With 10 traces recorded from Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office and a selection of popular games, it covers some of the most popular light to heavy workloads. Unlike synthetic storage tests, the PCMark 8 Storage benchmark highlights real-world performance differences between storage devices. After an initial break-in cycle and three rounds of the testing, we are given a file score and bandwidth amount. The higher the score/bandwidth, the better the drive performs.
PCMARK 8 STORAGE RESULTS
In PCMark 8 the MyDigitalSSD scored 5082 points and averaged 555.03MB/s in bandwidth.
This score beats out the 1TB Samsung 960 EVO by a hair and puts it in line with the other E7 powered SSDs we have tested.
PCMARK 8 EXTENDED STORAGE WORKLOAD CONSISTENCY TESTING
For our last benchmark, we have decided to use PCMark 8 Extended Storage Workload in order to determine steady state throughput of the SSD. This software is the longest in our battery of tests and takes just under 18 hours per SSD. As this is a specialized component of PCMark 8 Professional, its final result is void of any colorful graphs or charts typical of the normal online results and deciphering the resulting excel file into an easily understood result takes several more hours.
There are 18 phases of testing throughout the entire run, 8 runs of the Degradation Phase, 5 runs of the Steady State Phase and 5 runs of the Recovery Phase. In each phase, several performance tests are run of 10 different software programs; Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop Heavy and Photoshop Light, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word, as well as Battlefield 3 and World of Warcraft to cover the gaming element.
- PRECONDITIONING -The entire SSD is filled twice sequentially with random data of a 128KB file size. The second run accounts for overprovisioning that would have escaped the first;
- DEGRADATION PHASE – The SSD is hit with random writes of between 4KB and 1MB for 10 minutes and then a single pass performance test is done of each application. The cycle is repeated 8 times, and with each time, the duration of random writes increases by 5 minutes;
- STEADY STATE PHASE – The drive is hit with random writes of between 4KB and 1MB for 45 minutes before each application is put through a performance test. This process is repeated 5 times;
- RECOVERY PHASE – The SSD is allowed to idle for 5 minutes before and between performance tests of all applications. This is repeated 5 times which accounts for garbage collection; and
- CLEANUP – The entire SSD is written with zero data at a write size of 128KB
In reading the results, the Degrade and Steady State phases represent heavy workload testing while the recovery phase represents typical consumer light workload testing.
As you can see, performance is recorded in terms of Bandwidth and Latency. Bandwidth (or throughput) represents the total throughput the drive is able to sustain during the tests during each phase. Latency, at least for the purposes of PCMark 8, takes on a different outlook and for this, we will term it ‘Total Storage Latency’. Typically, latency has been addressed as the time it takes for a command to be executed, or rather, the time from when the last command completed to the time that the next command started. This is shown below as ‘Average Latency’.
PCMark 8 provides a slightly different measurement, however, that we are terming as ‘Total Storage Latency’. This is represented as being the period from the time the last command was completed, until the time it took to complete the next task; the difference of course being that the execution of that task is included in ‘Total Storage Latency’. For both latency graphs, the same still exists where the lower the latency, the faster the responsiveness of the system will be. While both latency charts look very similar, the scale puts into perspective how just a few milliseconds can increase the length of time to complete multiple workloads.
For a more in-depth look into Latency, Bandwidth, and IOPS check out our primer article on them here.
AVERAGE BANDWIDTH (OR THROUGHPUT)
These results show the total average bandwidth across all tests in the 18 phases. In this graph the higher the result the better.
AVERAGE LATENCY (OR ACCESS TIME)
These results show the average access time during the workloads across all tests in the 18 phases. In this graph the lower the result the better.
Over the course of its PCMark 8 Extended run, the MyDigitalSSD BPX displayed enthusiast class performance that mirrored that of other E7 powered SSDs. It is nearly neck and neck with both the Corsair Force MP500 and Patriot Hellfire. It delivered fairly consistent performance during the steady state and recovery rounds. It averaged just under 500MB/s during the recovery section, which is the same as the Patriot Hellfire, but the extra cache on the Corsair Force MP500 gave it an advantage over it. Just as we have seen before, the latency profile is well managed, but not quite as good as Intel 750, OCZ RD400, or Samsung PCIe SSDs.
Great to see a review of this by you.
Did you conduct any tests for throttling?
My main beef with M.2s in general is how they heat up and drop down to 2x speeds.
I’ve only used Samsung XP / 950Pro and Plextor.
Have seen this in Towers and 1U/4U chassis.
I buy them for smaller footprint builds, but even 2x speeds allow the higher random iops.
Hoping somebody makes one that doesn’t slow down from streaming.
Thanks
Team Group is announcing a gaming M.2 SSD called the T-FORCE CARDEA. It has a cooling module atop the drive that they claim reduces temps by at least 15% and mitigates throttling. TSSDR should be posting press release coverage of this in the next day or so.
Excellent to hear. The MSI X270s address this but that Dog won’t hunt…
Your 30 GB transfer test is a bit of a giveaway-looks like a Toshiba built-possibly
My Digital firmware.
If they’re willing to sell at lower margins than the other clones-They’re the one
to buy…………………………………….
So is it good compare to other ssds ? I like the sound of the enterprise support modules
Please read the report as many of the tests are direct comparison with other SSDs.
Hi, the ssd is faster when the data is compressable, because of the nature of the controller?
SSDs compress data when it is being stored which provides higher write speeds than data that is not easily compressed.
this ssd is much better value compare to 960 evo?
Largely due to this review, I chose the 240GB MyDigitalSSD BPX over a Corsair using the same controller that was on promo on Newegg. While I was about to pull the trigger on the latter, switched to Amazon & thankfully found this one.
Performance wise, on a ASRock Z97 Extreme6 MB, although using a Sintech PCIe adaptor with a small fan for extra cooling, and would had purchased the Lycon or Addonics one w/out the fan if the Sintech model weren’t available. Because in the native Ultra M.2 slot (just as mSATA), these SSD’s will get toasty then begin to throttle. Oddly for me, I first forgot to turn the knob for the fan controller on, and HWMonitor was reporting 73C, opened the case, the fan wasn’t spinning, once that was fixed, temps nosedived by 21C!
Speeds are close to what my 512GB Samsung 950 PRO on my main PC produces, although comed up a bit short on reads. Yet look at the price difference, that NVMe SSD was $309.99 plus express shipping, whereas this one (although half the capacity) has just over a third of the price tag, and had I been looking at the 480GB version, would had saved a third. The 5 year warranty & long TBW was also a sweet addition, however as technology evolves, this will be in a secondary build before either of these arrives, in reality, few consumers are going to reach 700 TBW on a 240GB SSD of any type, let alone 5 straight years as their ‘main’ SSD.
My only gripe, and it’s small, the popular UserBenchmark site knocks my score down for ‘insufficient samples’. Furthermore, one cannot find any MyDigitalSSD product on the site, hopefully consumers will cache onto this as word passes, and believe me, having been a member of the Tech community for 10 years as of this year, word will indeed spread. I simply wasn’t about to drop an extra $25 for a Samsung 960 EVO, when I had issues with two of the Samsung SSD’s of that line, they used a software patch (read restoration tool) to address a hardware issue. So purchasing another wasn’t in my plans, even had the price for the 250GB Samsung 960 EVO been the same or a bit less.
Packaging was also acceptable, there was no way that this NVMe SSD was going to be damaged by shipping, unless it was ran over. probably would had survived a pallet of packages falling w/out any damage. However, the way it had to be opened would make a return for a refund to Amazon or Newegg hard, although most all would swap if DOA & the only thing I’m docking the corporation (not the drive) over. Note that when rating, the complete package must be figured in, while this may not be a con for some (one won’t get an ‘open box’ that won’t be noticed as such), I’d prefer it to open just as any other SSD & know how to check for prior usage at first boot, a spec that a retailer can’t cover up.
My final verdict of the MyDigitalSSD BPX (price for quality the main factor), 4.8 on a scale of 5. Which by chance, is slightly higher than I rated the 512GB Samsung 950 PRO less than a year back.
Except for true diehard enthusiast, or one who insists on ‘prosumer’ NVMe SSD’s (am normally of the latter myself), I recommend this truly outstanding drive to the majority of the user market. Very few will second guess the purchase once up & running, and if moving from a HDD, I recommend to gather all of your license keys, drivers, software installers beforehand & perform a clean install. Just be sure to install the drive first, and boot while on the old one, so that the drive will be discovered in the UEFI (or BIOS), this will make the new install easier.
If installing Windows 7, be sure to have the update for it, plus any instructions on how to install, as I’ve only used NVMe SSD’s with Windows 8.1, 10 & Linux Mint 17/18 64 bit. Unfortunately, the update cannot be slipstreamed into the Windows 7 ISO, I guess that would be too easy.;-)
Have fun with the MyDigitalSSD BPX, as I am!
Cat
My first one was so good…..that I had to get another of the 240GB version, was priced the same. Wanted the larger, although pricing jumped by $25. In reality, don’t need that large of an OS drive, have many high performance HDD’s & various models of 120-128GB SATA-3 SSD’s awaiting action again.
Just felt that any extra unallocated space (minimum of 10% recommended for most) would had boosted performance & drive longevity by the controllers having lots of unused space to work with. Note that some SSD’s (not limited to NVMe) has inaccessible space for this purpose, so manual over provisioning may be unnecessary. Still, it’s good not to fill to more than 70% tops, this makes it hard for TRIM & GC to do it’s job, unless logged off & left running overnight, which I do once monthly anyway. This can also be accomplished by booting into the UEFI (or BIOS) & leaving on that screen for 8-12 hours, being sure to turn any external monitor off to avoid damage by a bright, still image.
While for now, have the new stored in my safe, no doubt will be placed into service at some point this year. Have an ASRock Z97 Extreme6 MB, need to RMA to repair the CPU socket (bent pins), from there, no more needs to be stated……..
A short follow-up review on my original MyDigitalSSD 240GB, it’s running great as ever with consistent benchmarks, otherwise surely wouldn’t had purchased a 2nd & then store for who knows when.
Cat
Muito bom …..