S-M-R-T, I am so smart. Intel's new Z68 with SRT is faster than a Homer

Subject: Motherboards | May 11, 2011 - 03:17 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: z68, ssd, srt, msi, Intel

The wait is finally over and we can talk about the high end Sandy Bridge chipset which goes by the moniker Z68.  Finally you can use the GPU present in your Intel CPU and a discreet GPU at the same time and be able to overclock as well, which puts the H67 and P67 firmly back into the mid-range where they were intended to be.  That is not the only thing that has had enthusiasts waiting, Intel's Smart Response Technology, aka SRT but mostly known as SSD caching which implements cached I/O in a new way.  Check out [H]ard|OCP's full review to see what the impact of this technology has on your computing experience while you are waiting for the X79 to arrive.

You can see our coverage here.

"Cache I/O isn't a new advancement in storage technology but does play a large role in the future of storage on many Intel systems. Today we look at Intel's new Smart Response Technology and give our thoughts while keeping an eye on the future of consumer storage advances."

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• Z68 Express motherboards from Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI @ The Tech Report
• Intel Z68 Chipset & Smart Response Technology (SSD Caching) @ AnandTech
• ASUS P8Z68-V PRO Review: Our First Z68 Motherboard @ AnandTech
• The Intel Z68 Chipset and What It Means To You @ Hardware Secrets
• GIGABYTE Z68X-UD7-B3: Z68 Chipset With Smart Response @ Bjorn3D
• Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 Motherboard Feature Preview @ Ninjalane
• ASRock Z68 Extreme4 @ Tweaktown
• Intel Z68 Chipset & Smart Response Technology @ Legit Reviews
• Intel Z68 Chipset Launch Review Featuring Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3 and ASUS P8Z68-V Pro @ HardwareHeaven
• Intel Z68 Review - The Sandy Bridge Platform Expands @ Hardware Canucks
• MSI Z68A-GD80 Review @ OCC
• Gigabyte Z68X UD5 B3 Motherboard Review @ eTeknix
• ASUS P8Z68V PRO Intel Motherboard @ Benchmark Reviews
• ASUS P8Z68-V PRO Z68 Sandy Bridge Motherboard Review @ Hardware Canucks
• ASUS P8Z68-V Pro Motherboard Review @Hi Tech Legion
• MSI P67A-GD80 (B3) Review @ Neoseeker
• Gigabyte G1.Assassin Socket 1366 Motherboard @ Pro-Clockers

OCZ Technology Announces the Agility 3 and Solid 3 SATA III Solid State Drives

Subject: Storage | May 10, 2011 - 11:28 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ssd, solid, sata, ocz, agility, 6gbps, 3

SAN JOSE, CA—May 10, 2011—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ), a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today unveiled the Agility 3 and Solid 3 SATA III SSD product lines. The Agility 3 and Solid 3 are designed to cater to speed-seeking enthusiasts in search of the best value for performance. Using the latest technology, these new series deliver nearly double the performance of the previous generation and offer a more cost-effective alternative to current SATA 6Gbps SSDs on the market.

“With increased availability of SATA III platforms, the demand for the latest generation SSDs has grown rapidly,” said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ technology Group. “We are addressing this demand with new products that offer both the best performance and value for consumers. The new Agility 3 and Solid 3 SSDs make it easier than ever for consumers take advantage of the new SATA III interface. When coupled with the speed and reliability benefits that our SSDs offer over traditional hard drives, it makes the two new series the ideal choices for mobile and desktop applications.”

Agility 3 and Solid 3 SSDs feature the leading-edge SandForce® SF-2200 SSD processor and help improve the overall computing experience compared to traditional mechanical hard drives and SATA II SSDs. The Agility 3 delivers up to 525MB/s reads, 500MB/s writes, and up to 60,000 4KB random write IOPS while the value-oriented Solid 3 features 500MB/s reads, 450MB/s writes, and 20,000 4KB random write IOPS.

Available in a new boot-drive size 60GB capacity as well as 120GB and 240GB options, Agility 3 and Solid 3 SSDs feature TRIM support to optimize performance over the drive’s lifespan. Both solutions come backed by a 3-year warranty for ultimate customer satisfaction and peace of mind.

Very colourful and extremely fast; meet OWC's Mercury Extreme Pro 6G

Subject: Storage | May 5, 2011 - 04:29 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: owc, ocz, ssd, 120gb, sata 6Gps, sandforce

OWC appeared on the SSD scene in partnership with Apple, though they sold drives to PC users as well.  Their current generation uses SandForce's Release Candidate firmware for the SF-2281 controller as opposed to OCZ's official firmware that is present in the Vertex 3 SSDs.  That is not the only difference, OCZ rolled their own PCB while OWC went with a design that caused a few raised eyebrows at AnandTech.  Read their full review to see how the performance evened out.

"I still don't get how OWC managed to beat OCZ to market last year with the Mercury Extreme SSD. The Vertex LE was supposed to be the first SF-1500 based SSD on the market, but as I mentioned in our review of OWC's offering - readers had drives in hand days before the Vertex LE even started shipping.

I don't believe the same was true this time around. The Vertex 3 was the first SF-2200 based SSD available for purchase online, but OWC was still a close second. Despite multiple SandForce partners announcing drives based on the controller, only OCZ and OWC are shipping SSDs with SandForce's SF-2200 inside."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Audio Corner

• OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD Review @ Hardware Canucks
• Corsair Performance 3 2x128GB SSD RAID Report @ Tweaktown
• OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G 240GB SSD Review - 500MB/s Sets The New Standard @ The SSD Review
• Intel SSD 320 Series (25nm) - 300Gb @ Funky Kit
• Intel SSD 510 Series 120GB @ TechSpot
• OCZ Technology Vertex 3 120GB Retail Solid State Drive @ Tweaktown
• Kingston SSDNow V+100 vs. Samsung 470 Series 256 GB SSD @ Hardware Secrets
• Icy Dock MB991IK-B @ Hardware Bistro
• Netgear Stora Home Media Network Storage Review @ Legit Reviews
• Icy Dock SSD 4 in 1 SSD RAID Cages and SSD Conversion Kits - A Quick Look @ The SSD Review
• ICY DOCK MB974SP-B Internal 4-bay Enclosure Review @ ThinkComputers
• LSI 9265-8i 6Gbps MegaRAID Card RAID 5 Tested! - Just The 9265 & 8 Micron C300 SSDs @ The SSD Review
• Patriot LX Pro 32GB Class 10 SDHC Memory Card @ Hi Tech Legion
• Patriot 32GB Supersonic USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review @ Madshrimps

What is AIDA64 Extreme Edition? Only the new improved replacement for the Everest benchmarking tool

Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Systems, Storage | May 4, 2011 - 06:43 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ssd, everest, benchmarking, benchmark, aida64, aida

BUDAPEST, Hungary - May 04, 2011 - FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme Edition 1.70 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business Edition 1.70 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises.

The new AIDA64 release further strengthens its solid-state drive health and temperature monitoring capabilities, and implements support for the latest graphics processors from both AMD and nVIDIA.

New features & improvements

• LGA1155 B3 stepping motherboards support
• Preliminary support for AMD “Bulldozer” and “Llano” processors
• Intel 320, Intel 510, OCZ Vertex 3, Samsung PM810 SSD support
• GPU details for AMD Radeon HD 6770M, Radeon HD 6790
• GPU details for nVIDIA GeForce GT 520, GT 520M, GT 550M, GT 555M, GTX 550 Ti, GTX 590

Pricing and Availability
AIDA64 Extreme Edition and AIDA64 Business Edition are available now at www.aida64.com/online-store. Additional information on product features, system requirements, and language versions is available at www.aida64.com/products. Join our Discussion Forum at forums.aida64.com.

AIDA64 license renewal is now available. For more information, visit www.aida64.com/aida64-renewal.
A migration program is available for all EVEREST customers at www.aida64.com/everest-upgrade.

More on the Z68's love affair with SSDs

Subject: Motherboards, Storage | April 28, 2011 - 06:49 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: z68, ssd, ssd caching, Intel

Since it would be cruel to leave you only with the leaked SSD family from Intel and a few hints from ASRock about the performance increase from even a 20GB SSD, here is some more information from VR-Zone.  Bear in mind we are still in the territory of leaked info and informed guessing but the topic is one worth keeping up with.

"Intel plans to officially launch Z68 Express chipset on May 18th but you will be able to see reviews online from 12th onwards. Of course, those who can't wait for the official launch can already purchase the Gigabyte Z68X-UD7-B3 board from the retail market, first available in Taiwan and then the rest of the world in the coming weeks. Other brands like ASUS and ASRock are set to hit the retail next. Those enthusiasts hoping they can overclock their Sandy Bridge better on Z68 than the P67 will probably be disappointed but there is one important feature of Z68 that matters, and that is the SSD caching."

Here are some more Storage reviews from around the web:

Storage

• The Kingston SSDNow V+100 96GB SSD Upgrade Bundle @Hi Tech Legion
• Kingston SSDNow V+ 100 @ Hardwarebistro
• Kingston Technology DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive @ Mod Synergy
• Mach Extreme MX-GX 16GB USB 3.0 @ Overclockers Online
• Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 1 TB Portable (USB 3.0) Hard Disk Drive @ TechARP
• Crucial Unleashes the M4 SATA 3 SSD To The Public @ The SSD Review
• Cubitek Magic Cube 8HDD Review @ OCC
• Synology DiskStation DS411+ @ Legion Hardware
• OCZ Vertex 2 (E) 120 GB Solid State Drive @ TechARP
• Crucial m4 Solid State Drive Tests @ Benchmark Reviews
• Zalman N128 128 GB SSD @ techPowerUp
• ineo NA316N1 All-in-One NAS Server Review @ BayReviews
• SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS –I Card 8GB @ t-break
• LaCie XtremKey Thumb Drive @ Metku.net

OCZ Technology Announces VeloDrive PCI-Express Solid State Drive

Subject: Storage | April 28, 2011 - 06:35 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ssd, PCIe SSD, enterprise

SAN JOSE, CA—April 27, 2011—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ), a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of high-performance solid state drives (SSDs), today unveiled the VeloDrive PCI-Express SSD. Designed to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), enterprise clients and system integrators, the VeloDrive optimizes high-performance computing and storage applications, providing unparalleled versatility and simplified integration.

“The VeloDrive is the latest addition to our comprehensive lineup of PCIe SSDs. A truly configurable solution, it helps a range of customers accelerate their application performance,” said Daryl Lang, VP of Product Management, OCZ Technology Group. “The ability to run the VeloDrive in multiple modes provides clients with the freedom to use the raid stack of their choice. This maximizes performance and creates faster, more seamless deployments with RAID stacks that may already have been qualified for their unique usage model.”

The VeloDrive can be run in either hardware or software RAID mode and can be deployed in half-height or full-height system requirements. When compared with competing PCIe flash-based solutions, the highly-efficient VeloDrive has a minimal impact on system resources including CPU utilization and the system’s DRAM footprint.

Eliminating the SATA/SAS bottleneck, the PCIe-based VeloDrive has the ability to delivers transfer speeds of up to 1GB/s and 130,000 4KB random write IOPS, and features SandForce® SF-1565 SSD processors for enhanced reliability and power loss data protection. The VeloDrive utilizes MLC NAND flash and will be available in 300GB, 600GB, and 1.2TB configurations.

Intel's Z68 SSD caching revealed

Subject: General Tech | April 28, 2011 - 12:52 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: leak, ssd, Intel, 720, 710, 520, z68, larson creek

ASRock made a bit of a mistake which enthusiasts everywhere are grateful for. We have been given a sneak peek at the upcoming SSD families, the 720, 710 and 520 series.  As if that wasn't good enough for those keeping an eye on the development of SSDs, we also get a peek at what even a small SSD can do for a system built on a Z68 board and using a traditional platter based HDD.  Check out The Inquirer for more information on this very interesting leak.

"Chipzilla recently updated its popular range of SSDs with the 320 Series of drives based on 25nm NAND flash memory modules, but it looks like the chipmaker will release another, smaller capacity drive to interface with the Z68 chipset for its Sandy Bridge line of processors. At the launch of the 320 Series, Intel announced capacities ranging from 40GB to 600GB, however a new 20GB drive codenamed Larsen Creek was spotted when Asrock sent out some marketing material about Intel's upcoming Z68 chipset."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Guess what is ready for tape out @ SemiAccurate
• IDE bus sniffing and hard drive password recovery @ Hack a Day
• Ubuntu 11.04, Slackware 13.37 @ Slashdot
• Google Docs app lands on Android @ The Register
• DirectX Video Acceleration For MPlayer @ Linux.com
• TSMC meets 1Q11 guidance, sees no Japan disruption @ DigiTimes
• Cisco Linksys E1500 Wireless-N Router Review @ TechReviewSource
• Microsoft Office for Mac 2011 @ Tweaktown
• Weekly Giveaway: Kingston 32GB USB 3.0 Drive, 96GB SSDNow SSD, HyperX blu and Genesis RAM @ Tweaktown