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Patriot Wildfire 120GB Sata 3 SSD
Upgrades all round
Out with the old...
This makes a verdict difficult. I want to love the Wildfire because I don't doubt that it can perform phenomenally well, but I can’t get it to play right with my soon-to-be-replaced hardware comprised of an Intel 3GHz Core2 Duo E6850, a Gigabyte P35-DS3R mobo and a Marvell 88SE9120 Sata controller. Indeed, it seems this storage upgrade demands an upgrade to realise its full potential.
ATTO test results
Still, I’m certainly not saying to stay away from the Wildfire, it remains the overall best performing drive I have tested and if you’ve got the system to handle it, by all means it is one of the best options on the market today and seriously worth considering.
Yet it does appear that what we have here is a dividing point in the SSD market. Before the SATA 3Gb/s barrier was broken, an SSD was considered an excellent upgrade for any older system with a 3Gb/s controller, now we have drives pushing towards the limits of 6Gb/s controllers that are fantastic for new systems, but are wasted on older kit.
Verdict
These ultra-fast drives come at a cost premium, so if you’re cautious about spending £2/GB for a Wildfire to revive your aging PC, perhaps you’re better suited to something a little more tame. However, if you’ve got the cash to burn, the Wildfire would be an excellent purchase. ®
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