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Typically, we see a lot of 2.5″ 7mm, M.2, and mSATA SSDs for review on our site, but rarely do we see 1.8″ SATA SSDs. As a matter of fact, our first and only 1.8″ SSD review was the Mushkin Chronos GO Deluxe, that we reviewed back in May 2013. Now, nearly two years later we finally have another with the Edge Boost Pro Micro SSD.
If you haven’t heard of Edge Memory before, they are a US-based manufacturer and have been in the memory and storage industry for nearly 30 years. Their products are mainly focused on the enterprise market and corporate-level projects. As a matter of fact, we had taken a closer look at another one of their SSDs last year, their 240GB Boost Server 7mm SSD.
The Edge Boost Pro Micro SSD has been designed for laptops that are compatible with 1.8” SSDs, as well as servers and white box solutions. The smaller capacities of this SSD line contain a SandForce controller, however with the adaption of a Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller, they have been able to expand their capacity range up to 1TB!
SPECIFICATIONS, PRICING, AND AVAILABILITY
The EDGE Boost Pro Micro is a SATA 6Gb/s, 1.8″ form factor SSD (78.5mm (L) x 54mm (W) x 5mm (H)). Models utilizing the Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller are available in 800GB (28% provisioning), 960GB (7% provisioning), and 1TB (0% provisioning) capacities. The varying capacity options allow purchasers to choose a model with a suitable amount of default over-provisioning for their workload needs. More over-provisioning allows for more scratch space to extend the lifespan of the SSD. The 1TB model we are reviewing today utilizes synchronous MLC NAND and should provide sequential speeds of up to 560MB/s read and 460MB/s write. IOPs are rated for up to 74K read and 76K write. The 120GB, 240GB, and 480GB capacities feature a SandForce SF-2281 controller and are rated for similar speeds.
The Edge Boost pro Micro SSD supports DevSleep and software encryption, as well as the ability to be secure erased. On the NAND maintenance side of things, early bad block retirement helps to improve the lifespan of the SSD by ensuring that weak blocks are retired. TRIM and NCQ are also supported for improved performance throughout its use. The built-in BCH ECC helps to avoid memory errors and promotes stability during reads and writes, up to 66 bits correctable per 1024 bytes.
The MTBF rating for this 1TB Boost Pro Micro is 1.5 million hours and it is also RoHS, FCC, and CE compliant. To top everything off, it comes with a 5-year warranty.
Currently these SSDs are available through their key partners’ websites such as CDW, PCC, Synnex, and Ingram as well as through Amazon. The pricing for the 800GB/960GB/1TB capacities is currently $835.00.
PACKAGING AND COMPONENTS
The glossy packaging is a black and silver color theme with blue accent. The front has a viewing window to the SSD itself. Besides the SSD, the packaging is void of any accessories or documents, however documents are available for digital download via their website.
Once removed from the packaging, we are able to get a better look at the SSD, the exterior featuring a light metal shell. The label indicates capacity, model number and serial number as well as stating that it was “Assembled in USA.” The backside is free of any labels or markings.
A CLOSER LOOK
If you didn’t notice at first, this 1.8″ SSD has a microSATA connector. This is due to the 1.8″ form factor and this connector allows for a more compact power connector. As this SSD will be tested in our test bench, we will be utilizing an adapter for system connectivity.
Disassembled we can see that, rather than using a thermal pad to transfer heat to the shell, this SSD has a dab of thermal paste for the task.
The overall design features four NAND packages and a DRAM chip on each side of the PCB. After clearing away most of the thermal paste we can take a better look at the SATA controller, it is indeed the Silicon Motion SM2246EN.
By using the Micron FBGA Decoder, we can identify the NAND product number for this 1TB drive as being MT29F1T08CUCABH8-6:A. This NAND flash is Micron’s 20nm L85A synchronous MLC. Each package is 128GB in capacity. The usable storage space is 931GB once formatted. We can also see that they have gone with 1GB Samsung DDR3 1600MHz for DRAM cache.
If you’re after 1.8″ drives, it would make more sense (from price perspective) to just buy a msata to 1.8″ sata converter card . You can get them for a few dollars off ebay. Much cheaper than buying 800$+ part.
Otherwise its nice to see more manufacturers going away from sandforce to something more respectable like siliconmotion.
Whether 1TB mSATA product of 2bit MLC is cheaper than this?
In sandforce2281, it is not put out 1TB of capacity.
You have 840evo for 360€ using TLC.
Or if you for some reason cant have TLC (you would _really_ need a good reason not to take TLC) apperently there is a M6PRO msata, thats also 1TB (cant find it on their website, but i see it selling for 600€).
840Evo I will exclude from a short life.
MSATA of M6Pro is suspicious information of 1TB product.
Number basis of memory chips, 1TB in 2bit MLC will feel like difficult.
But if M6Pro mSATA 1TB can buy at 600 euros, I likely can rest assured prefer over there.
>Number basis of memory chips, 1TB in 2bit MLC will feel like difficult.
Its not. 256GB MLC packages (so 4 of them makes 1TB) are not that uncommon. 128Gbit dies and 16 of them in a single package is perfectly achieveable with MLC.
>840Evo I will exclude from a short life.
Where are you getting the idea, that 840evo has short life ?
>Where are you getting the idea, that 840evo has short life ?
I’m sorry.
The life was short, it’s a 840.
Certainly I was life test in the Japanese site.
Like 840Evo is, SMART value becomes trough by writing to 171TB position in 120GB. It’s much longer lasting likely to if 1TB.
At 1TB, you’re likely gonna get 1PB of writes, before you even reach smart at 0%. But even when you do reach 0%, its still gonna work just fine, because its just a predetermined value for segmentation purposes.
And you have to have a really good reason to write soo much data.