Crucial MX300 Review

👤by Tim Harmer Comments 📅16-06-16
Features

NAND:- Micron 3D TLC NAND
Form factor:- 2.5 inches, 7mm thick (7 - 9.5mm spacer included)
Interface:- SATA III (6Gbps)
Controller:- Marvell 88SS1074
Sequential read:- Up to 530MB / Sec
Sequential write:- Up to 510MB / Sec
4K random read:- Maximum 92,000IOPS
4K random write:- Maximum 83,000IOPS
Mean time to failure (MTTF):- 1.5 million hours
Capacity:- 750GB
Endurance:- 220TB Total Bytes Written
Encryption: Hardware AES 256-bit encryption


Advanced Features

- Redundant Array of Independent NAND
- Multistep Data Integrity Algorithm
- Adaptive Thermal Protection
- Power Loss Protection
- Data Path Protection
- Active Garbage Collection
- TRIM Support
- Self-Monitoring and Reporting Technology (SMART)
- Error Correction Code (ECC)
- Device Sleep Support


On-paper performance, perhaps unsurprisingly, nudges the now-common SATA III limits after encoding overhead is taken into account. It’s no wonder therefore that performance-class SATA drives have focussed on 4k random read/write IOPS in an effort to squeeze out an advantage, but the MX300 may disappoint slightly in this regard.

Once again on paper, raw read speeds and both 4k random read/write IOPs are edged out by the previous generation MX200. The inclusion of Dynamic Write Acceleration may provide real-world parity, but generally the MX300 will need to prove itself in the frame of cost-effectiveness and long-term durability.



Micron 3D TLC NAND

Recently there has been a mini-revolution in SSD NAND: the 3D Revolution. Realising the limits of 2D planar NAND – i.e. worsening reliability as the lithography decreases in size due in part to escaped electrons - semiconductor manufacturers have invested considerable resources into transitioning to their own proprietary 3D NAND technology. Both Samsung and Toshiba have debuted their own 3D NAND technologies, and now Micron are ready to implement theirs in consumer-class storage.

Micron in partnership with Intel are the first to implement floating gate technology in 3D NAND, a technique with well understood ramifications compared to the newer Charge Trap Flash employed by Samsung in their 3D ‘V-NAND’. This first generation of Micron 3D NAND drives are designed to optimise both capacity and cost compared to their planar antecedents, and are incorporated in consumer SSDs alongside other controller and algorithmic improvements.

Scaling for 3D NAND is vertical rather than horizontal, meaning that there is more room to manoeuvre with respect to larger (and hence more reliable) lithographic processes. The MX300 3D NAND technology uses cells stacked in 32 layers for a total size of 384Gb (Gigabits) per die in its TLC configuration.

Additional Proprietary Features

Dynamic Write Acceleration is a feature that uses an adaptable pool of high-speed, single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory to improve the speed of MLC-based drives (like the MX300) without the added cost of more expensive SLC-based drives.

Exclusive Data Defense technology is one of the many layers of data protection included with the Crucial MX300 SSD. This technology minimizes data corruption as it’s moved onto the components, ensuring that the invaluable files or documents you have on your computer are reliably stored on the drive.


Firmware Updates

In common with most SSD manufacturers Crucial offers firmware updates for all of their drive, improving performance or fixing bugs as and when they’re unearthed. Typically Crucial have a very fast turn-around time from bug notification to a fix being issued, and they can be found at http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/support-ssd-firmware.
Support

We’re not typically effusive over support but we should mention that Crucial offer a 3 year limit warranty with a centre of operations in the UK for UK consumers. Should an issue occur that warrants a manufacturer RMA consumers can enjoy short turn-around times and low shipping costs compared to support services based on the Continent.


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