Intel SSD DC P3700 800GB and 1.6TB Review: The Future of Storage

[stuckintexas]

With the introduction of its SSD DC P3700, P3600, and P3500, Intel is giving us our first taste of the PCIe-based NVMe specification. We take the flagship P3700 for a drive in its 800 GB and 1.6 TB incarnations. Just how fast is the future of storage?

Intel SSD DC P3700 800GB and 1.6TB Review: The Future of Storage : Read more

 

[blackmagnum]

A large heat sink on an SSD? This thing is too hot to touch!

 

[saturn85]

will this kind of ssd suffer from write wear out/reduce lifespan?

 

[xback]

In the 1st table on page 1, the "4k random write IOPS" are reversed

(3500 scores highest, while the 3700 scores lowest)

 

[redgarl]

OCZ already went there and even made their own connector for providing more bandwith to SSD... just a shame that now Intel try to remove the carpet from beneath the feet of OCZ. Well, old tech is new tech.

By the way, OCZ revodrive was priced similarly, I don't see that big fuzz from Toms here.

 

[Nuckles_56]

"Intel's 2 TB model purportedly needs 650 LFM across the drive"

What the hell is LFM?

 

[JeanLuc]

The active power consumption numbers on first table are wrong (I hope!) 35,000 watts active?

Edit:
It's not actually wrong it might just be my out of date browser I'm using in the office but for me the numbers aren't lining up correctly.

 

[pjmelect]

"Intel's 2 TB model purportedly needs 650 LFM across the drive"

What the hell is LFM?

Linear Feet per Minute of airflow

 

[pjmelect]

"Intel's 2 TB model purportedly needs 650 LFM across the drive"

What the hell is LFM?

Linear Feet per Minute of airflow

 

[Nuckles_56]

"Intel's 2 TB model purportedly needs 650 LFM across the drive"

What the hell is LFM?

Linear Feet per Minute of airflow

Ah that makes sense now

 

[xXXGamesmasheRXXx]

These Expensive Numbers!

 

[WyomingKnott]

Did I misread the charts, or did this drive consistently come in second or third except in consistency?

 

[chewrock]

My OCZ Revo drive is a first generation PCIe model I got on sale from New Egg. No problems. What is iNTEL trying to claim? Nothing. Their new interface spec is just making it possible for low-tech users to install a product that OCZ has been selling for years.

 

[drewriley]

In the 1st table on page 1, the "4k random write IOPS" are reversed

(3500 scores highest, while the 3700 scores lowest)

Fixed - Thanks!

 

[drewriley]

Did I misread the charts, or did this drive consistently come in second or third except in consistency?

You are correct, there are PCIe SSDs that can beat the P3700, but Intel undercuts the price on those SSDs by a wide margin. SSDs that are in the same price ballpark as the P3700 don't come close in most tests.

 

[drewriley]

will this kind of ssd suffer from write wear out/reduce lifespan?

Yes, these SSDs still have a write endurance specification that is listed on the first page. The P3700 can withstand 10 drive writes per day (DWPD) for a full 5 years.

 

[drewriley]

OCZ already went there and even made their own connector for providing more bandwith to SSD... just a shame that now Intel try to remove the carpet from beneath the feet of OCZ. Well, old tech is new tech.

By the way, OCZ revodrive was priced similarly, I don't see that big fuzz from Toms here.

The OCZ RevoDrive's that are similarly priced are more consumer drives and not enterprise like the P3XXX series from Intel. These drives will have more write endurance and greater sustained IOP performance, which is what enterprise customers pay for. Also, NVMe isn't an Intel unique thing. Expect to see all PCIe SSD companies, including OCZ, to follow.

 

[drewriley]

My OCZ Revo drive is a first generation PCIe model I got on sale from New Egg. No problems. What is iNTEL trying to claim? Nothing. Their new interface spec is just making it possible for low-tech users to install a product that OCZ has been selling for years.

I wouldn't say Intel is trying to claim anything. They are following\leading an industry specification that most companies will move to eventually, including OCZ. Native booting is obviously one benefit, but low latency and fewer CPU cycles required are what enterprise customers are happy about.

 

[bin1127]

Wanted to make a joke about the name but, nevermind.

 

[f-14]

Wanted to make a joke about the name but, nevermind.

AKA Megatron ?

i don't see the point in this, it reminds me of the ISA memory storage cards. i can't see this lasting more than 5-10 years as some company already figured out how to do this with RAM (samsung wasn't it?) and is working on the need for storage drives altogether and just have RAM drives that don't lose their data sort of an mpci but in a 304-9 pin dimm slot form factor if i recall properly ?

so these nvmhci might be on the market now but when that company brings their solution to market it's going to eliminate the need for pcie and sata except for optical disc reading and graphics cards. but i am sure those manufacturers will be looking for a way to incorporate gpus into DIMM slot factors to take real advantage of boards with 32+ PCIe lanes like socket 2011/X79/X99 solutions.

it would eliminate the pathway needs for alot of peripherals and decrease the size of M/B tremendously to where you'd only need a PC the size of a 9"x 6"x 8" case which USB 3.1 and display port/thunderbolt/lightning eliminating the need for alot of built ins

 

[saturn85]

will this kind of ssd suffer from write wear out/reduce lifespan?

Yes, these SSDs still have a write endurance specification that is listed on the first page. The P3700 can withstand 10 drive writes per day (DWPD) for a full 5 years.

oh, i see, i think i have miss that part. when NVMe first come to my mind, i thought their storage chips have move to non volatile memory base like PCM, ReRAM and ST-MRAM. but now only i notice their storage chips are still NAND base.

 

[chewrock]

Drew is obviously confused. The whole point of integrating a RAID controller on the OCZ REVO drive was that it could be used as a boot drive. What difference does "native boot" make? None that Adaptec could determine. Every enterprise server I have ever seen has an "outboard" RAID controller. That's what keeps Adaptec in business. Latency? CPU cycles? Go back and read your Adaptec manual, Drew. The whole point of an outboard RAID controller is that is does NOT use CPU cycles. Neither does the REVO drive.

 

[chewrock]

I forgot to mention that my "ancient" REVO drive has consistently maxed out it's Windows Experience Index for hard drive performance since day one until today. Most users of SATA III SSD devices brag about their 8.1 Windows Experience index for their multiple SATA III drives. My REVO has never gotten less than a max score, ever.

 

[chewrock]

I forgot to mention that my "ancient" REVO drive has consistently maxed out it's Windows Experience Index for hard drive performance since day one until today. Most users of SATA III SSD devices brag about their 8.1 Windows Experience index for their multiple SATA III drives. My REVO has never gotten less than a max score, ever.

 

[utomo]

Too expensive and too long. many people will wait for cheaper price