The update worked flawlessly on our drive, and the already present installation of Windows Vista, the apps and the files were all left intact.
HDTach 3.0.1
Firmware 8610
Click for full-size screengrab
Firmware 8820
Click for full-size screengrab
We tested the X25-M with both firmware versions 8610 and 8820, and were generally impressed by the update. Bizarrely, according to the synthetic HD Tach benchmark, the new firmware slows the read and write speeds by ten per cent.
CrystalDiskMark
Firmware 8610 (top) and 8820
On the other hand, CrystalDiskMark shows that the write speed doubled from 35MB/s to 70MB/s. It was a similar story in ATTO Disk Benchmark, where the write speed also jumped forward. The read speeds evened out where they had previously been a touch erratic.
COMMENTS
Final Graph
Who drew that final graph? Because it completely misrepresents the facts.
It makes it appear as if the OCZ drive is more than twice as fast where as the truth is, in that particular test it's more like 5%
No no no no
TeeCee
I have awarded the 90 percent for the firmware update not for the X25-M i.e. if you have an X25-M I strongly recommend you update it
May this be the first of many
Product and product review aside, top marks to Intel for the firmware design - I'd be happy to install all firmware this way (bootable downloadable .iso). Firmware flashes can be hit and miss, either through finding the right app, finding the right supported OS (linux is quite often overlooked for example) and binary file, or worse still, needing to boot DOS from a floppy.
Firmware updates can be rather nerve-wracking processes - the simplest "plug in, forget" approach works for me!
So.
You've handed that one a 90% rating. The OCZ Vertex comparison unit is either within spit of the performance or honking all over it in most of the benchmarks and all without any tedious poncing around with firmware updates too. A quick not-trying-very-hard search reveals that the 120Gb Vertex comes in at a similar price to that you've got quoted as "from" for the 80Gb Intel.
So, 110% for the Vertex would be fair then? I know where my money would be going.......
