These results only include the 250 GB 960 Evo, which is the bottom of the line for the 960 series. IIRC the controller is kneecapped due to having a minimum number of NAND chips available and has no parallel processing ability... hence why reviews like this are interesting!
Yep. Our initial review of the 960 EVO only included results from the 1TB model, because our first 250GB sample died during testing. The replacement has been working fine, but its performance profile is very different from the 1TB.
The relationship between performance and capacity was the biggest reason I wanted to review this drive; it was the first 240GB Phison E7 sample offered to us.
It's shocking how much better than 950 Pro is over the 960 EVO a lot of the time. Other reviews show the EVO has issues with steady state performance even at higher capacities. It's why I bagged a lightly used 950 Pro 512GB recently; noticed someone else no doubt delighted at getting another for 130 UKP BIN. :D And of course, the 950 Pro has its own boot ROM (why the heck did Samsung ditch that? Such a useful feature for older chipsets).
There's an inherent performance and latency difference between MLC (Pro) and TLC (EVO) NAND. Even with updates, better controllers, etc, it is always there (2 bits per cell vs 3 bits per cell).
More to the point, they can get enough free (donation/loan) hardware to keep their reviewers all busy; why should they buy out of pocket instead. AFAIK most exceptions fall under the category of the reviewer writing about something they bought for personal use.
MyDigitalSSD is a rebrander, they slap their sticker on drives made by an OEM, quite often ADATA. I've taken a look at the model you mentioned and it looks like a PHISON E7 reference design, as such I can't really guess which OEM made it or the real model name.
But if you're thinking of buying one, any review of a PHISON E7 reference design should be relevant.
That's easy, just sell a lower performance product at a competitive price. Certainly Samsung has some good SSDs out there, but the seat-of-the-pants feel between one of their top performing drives and a budget SSD will be small or, in some cases, not noticed outside of benchmarks since the rest of the system becomes a factor in acutal usage. These other competitors can just knock a few percent off the sales price and a lot of people will happily purchase drive that is slower.
Seriously, who decides "Yeah I'll trust my data to a Team Group Team T-Force Cardea, as it's tuppence cheaper than a drive from Samsung/Intel/Crucial/Some other proper company?
Storage is one area I would really not recommend going for off brand tat to save a few dollars.
It's not like any of the important bits are actually designed or built by TeamGroup. This is a Phison drive wearing a Team heatsink. Phison is hardly "off-brand", though they're certainly not the premium brand. They account for a huge portion of the consumer SSD market.
Phison sell them the controller IC, someone else makes the NAND (and the grade will depend on what they are paying the manufacturer for it), but assembly, validation, final testing, and support are all from Frangpai Magic SSD Friend or whatever they are called. My point still stands.
Team Group has been in the DRAM business for 20 years, which is roughly identical to the extent of Corsair's involvement in that market. Your ignorance does not make them "off brand." It's a shame that your attitude is all too common these days among novice builders who think they know it all.
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MajGenRelativity - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
While this drive doesn't seem too interesting, I'm very interested in your upcoming review on M.2 Thermal Throttling!Pinn - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
You should see it by using ~10G files and a ram drive. The Intel card SSD is much more consistent than the M.2 sticks I've tried.Dr. Swag - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
Did you guys change some things? Because it feels like some of the results are different, as I remember the 960 evo doing a lot better before...evilspoons - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
These results only include the 250 GB 960 Evo, which is the bottom of the line for the 960 series. IIRC the controller is kneecapped due to having a minimum number of NAND chips available and has no parallel processing ability... hence why reviews like this are interesting!Billy Tallis - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
Yep. Our initial review of the 960 EVO only included results from the 1TB model, because our first 250GB sample died during testing. The replacement has been working fine, but its performance profile is very different from the 1TB.The relationship between performance and capacity was the biggest reason I wanted to review this drive; it was the first 240GB Phison E7 sample offered to us.
mapesdhs - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
It's shocking how much better than 950 Pro is over the 960 EVO a lot of the time. Other reviews show the EVO has issues with steady state performance even at higher capacities. It's why I bagged a lightly used 950 Pro 512GB recently; noticed someone else no doubt delighted at getting another for 130 UKP BIN. :D And of course, the 950 Pro has its own boot ROM (why the heck did Samsung ditch that? Such a useful feature for older chipsets).CheapSushi - Sunday, October 1, 2017 - link
There's an inherent performance and latency difference between MLC (Pro) and TLC (EVO) NAND. Even with updates, better controllers, etc, it is always there (2 bits per cell vs 3 bits per cell).Dr. Swag - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
Ah I see. Interesting to see such a large performance gap, though I guess it makes sense.Gasaraki88 - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
I wonder why you guys never reviewed the MyDigitalSSD BPX. It's one of the fastest Phison E7 controller SSDs and the cheapest.DanNeely - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
MyDigitalSSD would have to send one in for review...MajGenRelativity - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
Yep. Anandtech doesn't have the money to purchase a lot of their own review samples, so it is up to the company to provide them.DanNeely - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
More to the point, they can get enough free (donation/loan) hardware to keep their reviewers all busy; why should they buy out of pocket instead. AFAIK most exceptions fall under the category of the reviewer writing about something they bought for personal use.MajGenRelativity - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
That also makes senseFlunk - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
MyDigitalSSD is a rebrander, they slap their sticker on drives made by an OEM, quite often ADATA. I've taken a look at the model you mentioned and it looks like a PHISON E7 reference design, as such I can't really guess which OEM made it or the real model name.But if you're thinking of buying one, any review of a PHISON E7 reference design should be relevant.
willis936 - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
How can anyone compete against samsung in the consumer SSD space?MajGenRelativity - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
64 layer NAND and new controllers should allow other companies to do so. The Intel 545s puts up a stiff fightBrokenCrayons - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
That's easy, just sell a lower performance product at a competitive price. Certainly Samsung has some good SSDs out there, but the seat-of-the-pants feel between one of their top performing drives and a budget SSD will be small or, in some cases, not noticed outside of benchmarks since the rest of the system becomes a factor in acutal usage. These other competitors can just knock a few percent off the sales price and a lot of people will happily purchase drive that is slower.davidedney123 - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
Seriously, who decides "Yeah I'll trust my data to a Team Group Team T-Force Cardea, as it's tuppence cheaper than a drive from Samsung/Intel/Crucial/Some other proper company?Storage is one area I would really not recommend going for off brand tat to save a few dollars.
Billy Tallis - Thursday, September 28, 2017 - link
It's not like any of the important bits are actually designed or built by TeamGroup. This is a Phison drive wearing a Team heatsink. Phison is hardly "off-brand", though they're certainly not the premium brand. They account for a huge portion of the consumer SSD market.davidedney123 - Friday, September 29, 2017 - link
Phison sell them the controller IC, someone else makes the NAND (and the grade will depend on what they are paying the manufacturer for it), but assembly, validation, final testing, and support are all from Frangpai Magic SSD Friend or whatever they are called. My point still stands.chrnochime - Monday, October 2, 2017 - link
Why bother asking when you're made up your mind already. Stick with your Samsung if you like it that much. We know how SK can use your support now LOLetamin - Friday, September 29, 2017 - link
Team Group has been in the DRAM business for 20 years, which is roughly identical to the extent of Corsair's involvement in that market. Your ignorance does not make them "off brand." It's a shame that your attitude is all too common these days among novice builders who think they know it all.