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The SSD Review uses benchmark software called PCMark Vantage x64 HDD Suite to create testing scenarios that might be used in the typical user experience. There are eight tests in all and the tests performed record the speed of data movement in MB/s to which they are then given a numerical score after all of the tests are complete. The simulations are as follows:
- Windows Defender In Use
- Streaming Data from storage in games such as Alan Wake which allows for massive worlds and riveting non-stop action
- Importing digital photos into Windows Photo Gallery
- Starting the Vista Operating System
- Home Video editing with Movie Maker which can be very time consuming
- Media Center which can handle video recording, time shifting and streaming from Windows media center to an extender such as XBox
- Cataloging a music library
- Starting applications
If you are new to testing and considering benchmark software, this is the best you can get because the program goes well beyond the results of simulated testing as we have already done. In comparing SATA 2.0 SSDs, we have reached the bandwidth limit and the performance of most new SATA 2 SSDs is as high as it can get with typical high sequential access speeds in the area of 280MB/s read and 270MB/s write. This observation can again be seen with drives of different manufacturers that utilize similar components within and have very similar specifications.
We needed a way to differentiate these drives and to find a method that can actually put one drive above another and this is exactly what Vantage testing does. Its tests combined can provide an accurate comparison between drives and its tests individually can assist a smart shopper in finding the best SSD for their needs. Next to actual true to life testing which can take an insurmountable length of time, PCMark Vantage is the only program that can compare any SSD, side by side, regardless of SATA interface or controller in use.
INTEL 710 SERIES 200GB SATA II SSD
This might be as good an opportunity as any to reiterate that the Intel is an enterprise product, intended for data center and similar enterprise use and, as such, is not fine tuned to compete with similar consumer released SSDs. This is an endurance product and, if we compared simply on that basis alone, there is nothing available that even comes remotely close to the Intel 710.
The Intel 710 PCMark Vantage HDD Suite Total Score was 42762 points which, quite frankly, is an excellent score for a SATA II SSD and has a high transfer speed of 230MB/s when importing pictures.
In comparing it to similar SATA II SSD results we can see that it is in the upper tier of SATA II SSDs. The other highlighted Intel SSDs below the 710 all have the same Intel controller.
