G Skill Falcon II 128Gb SSD Review (Updated SAS Comparisons)

I have to disagree on both points. I have both 2x raptors in raid 0 (used to be my windows drive), and while it was quick, the SSD is a lot quicker.

In regard to the drive 'wearing out', have a look here: http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/9291/36/

Intel says you can write 100GB of data per day for 5 years until the drive may day. As a typical windows drive, it wouldn't be more than a few GB of data of writes per day, in which case, the SSD will long outlive your life, let alone your computers lifetime.

As for small files, the SSD is waaaaaaaay quicker than even a velociraptor at small files and with trim (which your drives have with windows 7), rewrites arn't an issue either.

I just feel that the drives arn't being put to good use just as game drives, you'll certainly notice the difference with the SSD's being windows drives.

 

Download CrystalDiskInfo, it gives you all the S.M.A.R.T data, drive temps, and firmware for all your drives.

 

I'm currently using version 1881, is this a bad firmware?

 

I can't find much info on the 1881 firmware, but here is a shot for comparison, of the speeds I get on the Falcon 128GB with 1819 and AHCI enabled.

Click to view full size!

 

Hmm I'm going to try and update the firmware and do a reinstall with AHCI tomorrow. It needs to be formatted with 4096 bytes (4kb) for best performance right?

 

What are the exact things you need to do to make sure it installs in AHCI and you don't get the errors. I've heard something about choosing RAID and not AHCI to maximize compatibility.

 

Not in my experience, you will never get errors if you have the right controller mode when you install, the only way you get the errors is if you change controller mode post-install. AHCI is the way to go.

 

Ok so then just enable ACHI in the bios and select AHCI when the option comes up?

 

I just enable AHCI in the BIOS and install, what option are you talking about coming up?

 

I can't remember exactly but I did read somewhere of choosing between AHCI and RAID at some stage.

 

Only in BIOS, if you're loading Vista or 7. If you're loading an early XP you may have to install the correct mass-storage driver via a floppy(!).

 

I just reinstalled Windows while formatting to 4096 bytes aligning and setting AHCI on. Still exactly the same results...

I am using an unreleased newer 1881 firmware, I can't seem to find 1819 for the Falcon II drives only for Falcon.

This is really starting to piss me off as everyone is getting at least 80mbps faster results than me. How can I fix this? I can guarantee this is the last time I will ever buy a G.Skill product, $420 is a lot to dish out for results that are beaten by a $250 Vertex drive...

 

got one of these drive the other day (along with an i7-860, UD3R and some ripjaw 2000mhz) and while this new system is infinitely zippier then it was previously, I find that when Im in games they actually run about the same (and in the case of heroes of newerth alot worse) is there any settings or drivers I need to change that wouldnt have been done automatically with a fresh install of win7?

long story short - i7, gtx275, 4gb ram, falcon II 128gb and my games are running anywhere between the same as before and worse than before straight after a fresh install of win7.

 

I've pretty much got the exact same system, i7 860, 2Ghz G.Skill RAM 4GB, 128gb Falcon II, UD3P motherboard etc.

Can you tell me what you get in HD Tune and HD Tach? I'm thinking of RMA'ing my drive

 

*bump*
...

 

Sorry, swapped my SSD for a 5870 last year..

Waiting for SATA 3 SSD's.