SSD by stefan @ 2014-07-28
Corsair has developed another great product in the name of the LX 256GB SSD, which has a very accessible price point and offers very decent performances all over the board. Regarding the internal construction, we could remind the Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller, 128MB of DDR3 buffer, but also 8 MLC NAND Flash chips with 32GB capacity each.
At first I would like to thank Corsair for sending a sample of their Force LX 256GB SSD for testing and reviewing.
Meeting Performance Computing Demands since 1994
"Corsair is a global company bringing innovative, high-performance components to the PC gaming market. Specializing in very high performance memory, ultra-efficient power supplies, and other key system components, our products are the choice of overclockers, enthusiasts, and gamers everywhere.
Founded as Corsair Microsystems in 1994, Corsair originally developed Level 2 cache modules for OEMs. After Intel incorporated the L2 cache in the processor with the release of its Pentium Pro processor family, Corsair changed its focus to DRAM modules, primarily in the server market. In 2002, Corsair began shipping DRAM modules that were specifically designed to appeal to computer overclocking enthusiasts. From its roots in high-performance memory, Corsair has expanded its award-winning product portfolio to include ultra-efficient power supplies, builder-friendly cases, ground-breaking CPU coolers, blazing-fast solid-state drives, and other key system components.
Corsair has developed a global operations infrastructure with extensive marketing and distribution channel relationships. Corsair’s products are sold to end users in over sixty countries worldwide, primarily through leading distributors and retailers."
Solid-state storage that’s fast, compatible, and easy to install
Replacing your mechanical hard drive with fast, reliable solid-state storage is a smart performance upgrade, and Force Series LX SSDs help make it easy. They have a slim 7mm form factor for compatibility with thin and light notebooks as well as standard desktop systems. SATA 3 support provides optimal speed on the latest systems, and backward compatibility with SATA 2 also makes them ideal for upgrading older PCs.
Driver-free installation helps you get up and running faster, too. And, it includes Corsair SSD Toolbox, our exclusive software for managing your Corsair solid-state drive and maintaining its performance.
SATA 3 speed, SATA 2 compatible
The performance of Force Series LX is optimized for the SATA 3 standard. Haven't yet moved to SATA 3? No problem. Like all Corsair components, Force Series LX SSDs are designed to last through several system upgrades. Adding a Force Series LX today means that you'll still get fast and dependable storage performance now, and your SSD will be ready for your next upgrade.
7mm height for broad PC and laptop compatibility
Force Series LX has a height of 7mm, so it will fit into the latest generation of thin and light notebook PCs. Of course, it works in standard desktop PCs, too.
TRIM support
Force Series LX SSDs feature support for the TRIM command under Windows® 7 and later. This allows them to store only the data they need and perform memory optimization to ensure the fastest possible write speeds.
High reliability
Because SSDs have no moving parts, they can handle shock, vibration and temperature changes far in excess of traditional hard drives. That's important for desktop PCs, and essential for notebooks and laptops.
Cool and quiet, with low power consumption
Traditional mechanical hard drives spin at thousands of revolutions per minute. This takes power, and generates noise and heat. Since SSDs have no moving parts, there's no noise or vibration, and the lower power consumption helps keep things cool inside your PC.
Corsair SSD Toolbox
Corsair SSD Toolbox is our exclusive software for managing your Corsair solid state drive and maintaining its performance. It's a free download for owners of Corsair SSDs, and it works under Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
For budget-conscious people, Corsair has launched the Force LX SSD series, which provides enough capacity and decent speeds at very good price points. The product is shipped inside a cardboard enclosure which shows some of the main highlights:
A small product description is available on the back and here we will be also able to see the product bar code right though a small plastic window:
Besides the SSD, which sits inside a transparent plastic mold, we will also get a “Warranty against defects” leaflet:
Despite the low price point, the chassis looks top-notch with a brushed-aluminum finish; on the top side Corsair has placed information regarding the total drive capacity along with the product serial numbers:
On the back side of the SSD we won’t get to see any other inscriptions:
The left side also comes with the warranty sticker:
After opening the enclosure, we will get to see that the PCB is only half-size:
Each PCB side holds four 20nm MLC NAND Flash ICs:
On the opposite we will also get to see the main controller, along with the DDR3 cache:
This time we are dealing with a Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller, which is a low-power 4-channnel type:
The cache is composed from a single 128MB Nanya DDR3 1600MHz chip:
The 20nm NAND Flash chips do not feature any branding, but only a product code:
CPU : Intel I5 3750K Retail
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
Motherboard : ASRock Z77 Extreme6
RAM :GeIL PC3-17000 2133MHz 8GB EVO Leggera
Video : Sparkle X560 Calibre
Power Supply : Cooler Master 850W
HDD : OCZ Vector 150
Case: Cooler Master ATCS 840
The drive is shipped unformatted:
Here is the total free space reported by Windows 7:
With the help of AIDA64, we can extract more information regarding the drive:
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Blank SSD
Filled SSD
Alright then, the tests are over and it is time to draw up the conclusions; not a long time ago we have reviewed an affordable SSD from KingFast, (F8) which was bringing to the table decent performances while keeping the sell price to very low levels. When Corsair has decided to release a product at the same price point, they have literally left that one in the dust meaning that for about the same price we are getting quality from a proven brand but also better read/write performances. The performance difference may not be too noticeable in regular usage environments, but it was visible in the benchmarks we ran.
The PCB turns out to be half-size of the regular SSDs and Corsair have succeeded to fit in here eight MLC NAND Flash modules, along with the 128MB DDR3 cache and the Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller.
Coming back to the sale price, we can say that the Corsair LX 256GB can be found online for about 110 Euros; a 512GB variant is also available now, for a total value of 259 Euros.
We would like to thank again to Corsair for making this review possible!