TELVM

^ Sounds too good to be true, we're speaking of MS after all. I'll believe it if and when I can see it.

There are obvious benefits from cache cascading, that's why some CPUs have level four caches nowadays. Think of a 840 EVO like a subordinated mini-computer for storage: ARM Cortex R4 < DRAM ("L1") < Turbowrite ("L2") < NAND. Spinner makers are trying to delay the inevitable integrating SSDs for caching into hybrid HDDs, example. Yep.

That benchmark was on a 4670K / Z87 Maximus VI Extreme, nothing to write home. But the guy who posted it knows a couple things about SSD optimisation. The 840 EVO uses of a couple tricks (larger DRAM cache, "turbowrite") that in some situations give it the edge on the Pro. (BTW Samsung is about to launch a new SSD model that sounds interesting, stay tuned ...)

Samsung 840 EVO (single 250GB SATA-III SSD): ^ Those "supersonic" 43 MB/s @ 4K random read QD1, that's the stuff I like the most in a SSD .

I happen to cordially disagree , and would dare to say: Don't focus so hard on the mesmerizing sequential numbers. " ... Fast sequential speeds allow for quick file copies and smoother performance when working with large files, like videos. However, it is random performance, measured in Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS) that is, perhaps, the most important performance metric for SSDs. A large portion of storage activity is made up of 4K random writes, a metric that measures how well a drive will perform when writing small chunks of random data (e.g. changing a small piece of a Word or text file and then saving the changes). Users spend a majority of their time not copying large files or installing applications, but multitasking (e.g. email, web-surfing, listening to music, etc.) and working with various work and media files - tasks influenced by IOPS ..." Why SSDs Are Awesome - An SSD Primer

One of the latest iterations on the "fast consumer SATA III SSD" theme, the Sandisk Extreme Pro: http://www.thessdreview.com/our-reviews/sandisk-extreme-pro-ssd-review/4/ (^ Again the "sonic wall" at ~36MB/s in 4K random QD1 read) These things cost almost double than a MX100, while in the real consumer world we'll be hard pressed to notice any difference in speed between the two models. - ADDENDVM - Very interesting ongoing experiment about real world SSD longevity: The SSD Endurance Experiment: Casualties on the way to a petabyte

2x MX100 256GB RAID0: ^ Notice that 4K random QD1 speeds don't improve and even drop a bit in RAID0 ...

AS SSD of the MX100 256 & 512GB: ^ 256 ^ 512 http://www.thessdreview.com/our-reviews/crucial-mx100-ssd-review-256-512-gb/4/ The 256 drops Seq write speed, but manages to keep the same 4K random write. For ~$100 and ~$200 respectively these SSDs are a bargain nowadays (summer 2014).

^ Thanks Jaclaz.

The Ruby ZL are inferior to the Panny FJ for this application . I'd try to get Nichicon HN or, even better, Nichicon HZ. While we're at it I'd replace all the lytic caps on that mobo, or at least the most mission critical ones (CPUs VRMs, Northbridge VRMs, RAM VRMs). If the comp is ~2005 vintage they must be tired after a decade. It's my pleasure, I like tinkering with comps .

Beware that those caps are filtering the VRM output to the Northbridge, which is mission critical for stability, and that's why top-notch and expensive Ruby MCZs were used there. They shouldn't be replaced with just any cap of same uF and voltage, they need to be of same or better ripple tolerance and ESR (higher ripple is better, lower ESR is better). Can't find specs of Illinois caps 'JWT' series. The Panny FJ 2200uF 6.3V 10x20 are 2550 ripple / 0.013 ESR => might work OK, but they are inferior to the MCZs (lower ripple, higher ESR => badder). On Precision 470 cooling: Do these Northbridge caps benefit from the flow inside the green ducts? Or do they remain outside the ducts? From these pics it looks like they are in a dead zone right between the ducts:

^ Not a very common sight to watch Ruby MCZs (one of the best ever brands and series of lytics for mobos) puking their guts that way. Guess they must have been subjected to tons of heat. I'd suggest improving case ventilation radically with more fans, and placing DIY heatsinks on those three mosfets close to the damaged caps to unload heat from the area: Ruby MCZ 2200uF 6.3V are 2770 ripple / 0.011 ESR (specs, bottom of pdf below the MBZ series)Ruby MCZ 1500uF 6.3V are 1960 ripple / 0.016 ESRIt might be difficult to get brand new Ruby MCzs nowadays. A good replacement would be Nichicon HN (specs) Nichicon HN 2200uF 6.3V 10x20: 2900 ripple / 0.010 ESRNichicon HN 1500uF 6.3V 10x16 (bit taller than the 10x12.5 MCZs): 2280 ripple / 0.011 ESR^ Both have slightly higher ripple tolerance and slightly lower ESR than the Rubys, which is good.

^ Got a pic of the culprits showing the brand and specs (cap series, uF, V)?

^ This. The narrower the Δtemp between idle and full burner, the lesser the punishment on the electronics. Also most components' life expectancy is shortened dramatically by higher temps, lytic caps are a good example: 105C rated: @ 105C - 1000hr @ 95C - 2000hr @ 85C - 4000hr @ 75C - 8000hr @ 65C - 16,000hr @ 55C - 32,000hr 85C rated: @ 85C - 1000hr @ 75C - 2000hr @ 65C - 4000hr @ 55C - 8000hr One of the best articles I've ever read about cooling comps by air: The Big Air Cooling Investigation

Our fingers. Case makers don't like law suits such as "your case fan chopped my pinkies!", and most people don't know how nocive grilles are for airflow and hence don't give a ****. The best cases for airflow have raised concentric rings grilles (the less damaging type), which are also easily detachable:

^ Yep that'd improve case ventilation a lot. If there must be a grill, it's better to place the fan upstream of it. Grilles are less nocive when they are in the relatively higher pressure zone downstream of the impeller blades. But the only good grill is a dead one, no mercy .

Long story short, I'd never defrag an SSD. In fact I want it heavily fragmented, to capitalise on multichannel parallelism and optimise wear levelling. Merciless destruction is exactly what grilles deserve . Look at the damage they inflict on airflow: Me, I make no prisoners amongst grilles:

Why not? "You should never defrag an SSD. Don't even think about it. The reason is that physical data placement on an SSD is handled solely by the SSD's firmware, and what it reports to Windows is NOT how the data is actually stored on the SSD. This means that the physical data placement a defragger shows in it's fancy sector chart has nothing to do with reality. The data is NOT where Windows thinks it is, and Windows has no control over where the data is actually placed. To even out usage on its internal memory chips SSD firmware intentionally splits data up across all of the SSD's memory chips, and it also moves data around on these chips when it isn't busy reading or writing (in an attempt to even out chip usage.) Windows never sees any of this, so if you do a defrag Windows will simply cause a whole bunch of needless I/O to the SSD and this will do nothing except decrease the useful life of the SSD."

Interesting relic, looks like BTX form factor: To prevent the plastics from melting and the lythic caps from busting I'd enforce cooling by laying a 92~120mm (the larger that fits) extractor fan at the rear grill, cutting the grill inside its swept area to maximize flow. Something like this:

Happens in the best of families.

Warning! Don't try to calculate the cost per GB at home :

The same ramdisk software runnig on machines of diverse ages :

Yep good idea, also if you let pass some time you'll get a more polished firmware. The 512GB one is the sweet spot. The 256 & 128 have less dies per channel and slower write speeds, down to just 150MB/s Seq in the 128GB. @ Jaclaz, with draconian liposuction Se7en can be kept reasonably well trimmed:

No you're not.

I also own OCZ SSDs and they keep working fine, but facts are tough: Now that Toshiba has acquired OCZ after its bankrupcy I expect reliability will increase. On price drop, the 120GB Vertex 2 in the first page cost me about US$200 in late 2010. Today for the same price we can get a 512GB Crucial MX100 of four times the capacity @ double the speed. I don't even contemplate booting a system from a spinner anymore.