I can attest to the quality and support. I have a original BP3 from 2011 and see no reason to upgrade or change. These drives are BulletProof as the name suggests. Also followed lots of posts on Notebookreview about the drives and whenever there was a problem they fixed it. For example there was a bug with the W500 and EP121 that was pointed out and it was fixed within 4 weeks. Also they had a problem with the FW of the BP3 in early 2012 that only effected the 64GB mSATA SSD and that got fixed as well. And as far as drives dieing in the filed you will be hard pressed to find anyone who has had one brick on them. 2 thumbs up for MyDigitalSSD.
I've had a mSATA BP3 in my Elitebook Folio 9470 for about a year. Haven't had any problems...sometimes a simple controller design is better. Sandforce is ridiculously complex with a lot of things that can go wrong. With the exception of the Intel SSD 330, every Sandforce drive I've ever owned has given me problems.
Samus, I too have had problems with my SF based SSDs earlier. But since I have started using Intel 5xx series of SSDs, my opinion about SF has changed ridiculously. I think only the first generation of their SSDs had some compatibility issues across SSD manufacturers. I am excited to hear about their yet to be launched 3rd gen controllers :D
Hi all Matt from MyDigitalSSD here. Thanks you for the great review. I would like to let everyone know there is a large shortage of flash in the market right now and it may be 2-3 weeks until inventory on this items is flowing again. So whatever you find on the market right now is it for about 2-3 weeks. Not the best timing for such a thing but just wanted to give a heads up for those of you wondering why you cannot find stock readily available.
So, would you say that mSATA drives are generally proportional to their 2.5" counterparts? It sounds like they use the same controller, and the same flash chips (albeit fewer).
For example, looking at 4KB random writes, the Intel 525 is third in performance. Would that also presumably mean that the mSATA variety of the Intel 525 would be one of the top mSATA performers?
My guess is that no, you can't assume that, but with so few sites with extensive mSATA benchmarks (and even here, there's only a couple that have been tested) it's hard to determine which is best and it'd be nice to have some way to figure it out other than guessing.
Intel 525 is mSATA only, so the scores there are for mSATA version ;)
It really depends on the firmware and hardware you're using. For example, Intel 525 is actually slightly faster than the 520 or 335, which may be due to newer firmware or higher quality NAND, but Plextor M5M is a bit slower than its 2.5" counterpart. A lot depends on the controller/firmware design and how much that relies on parallelism. SandForce does have a minor advantage there because they write less to the NAND due to compression, so you can get away with less (or slower) NAND.
The overall problem with mSATA is that there really aren't that many drives available, especially in the retail market. Most drives are OEM only (like Samsung's) so getting them in for testing is harder.
"Most drives are OEM only (like Samsung's) so getting them in for testing is harder."
Sounds like you just need to start voiding warranty stickers on review ultrabooks to stick the drives into the benchmark box after taking pictures of what's inside the shell.
1. Manufacturers don't usually like laptop review samples to be taken into pieces. Having good connections with manufacturers is one of the most important things in this field, so we can't just do what we wish -- we also have to respect manufacturers' requests. Legally all review samples are property of the sender/manufacturer.
2. Laptop and SSD reviews aren't done in the same place; in fact I'm not even on the same continent as the others. Thus it's not possible (or worthwhile) to send the SSD to me for testing, especially as most laptops only have a few week review period. On the other hand, Jarred/Dustin/Vivek could test the drive, assuming they have a modern desktop, but I'm not sure if that's worth it because dealing with different setups always represents some potential issues when it comes to consistency and they already have tons of work to do.
Lets put this in another way: What mSATA SSDs would you like to see tested? I can always ask if the manufacturers can give us review samples, even though the drive may not be available for retail.
I am contemplating buying mSATA drives 240GB-256GB range. It is really becoming confusing to purchase a drive considering so many different specs. My options are 1) Crucial m4 mSATA 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
I have not been able to get a head to head comparison of the drives anywhere. Most of the tech spec shootouts are of these drives against SSDs or older models. Could you please advise which of these drives in your opinion would be the most eligible buy in a real world consumer scenario..
I would pick either Crucial or Plextor. The Plextor one is a bit faster and Plextor also has very good reputation when it comes to reliability, although in this case the Crucial is "more proven" as it's been out longer. Both are good choices, so this is a matter of personal preference.
I got one of the 256GB Samsung 830 SSDs for $160. It was a great price for a drive on sale. I'm very happy to see retail starting at that price for a comparable drive. Time to wait and see what BP4's reliability will be like before I jump in on a nicely priced ~500GB.
Well, the availability in Europe seems crappy (only one UK shop 35% higher priced than the Samsung 840). I don't understand why the mSATA version is so under performing either. All-in-all, not something I would buy.
mSATA uses 4 channels (can only fit 4 chips on board) on an 8 channel controller while the 2.5" uses all 8 channels. You will never notice a difference in daily use.
"The Samsung SSD 840 has really been the only budget drive without any serious drawbacks."
HardOCP's review of the 120 GB TLC drive found that its read speed plummeted because of testing, indicating that the low lifespan of the TLC NAND can be a problem. That is in addition to not very impressive write speed.
Good point. We only use the best Toshiba MLC toggle (synch) flash. Our BP4 performance over time will not deteriorate at all. This drive is a great alternative to Samsung for sure.
i find it very annoying to see that modern ssds seem to consume as much power as 5400rpm mechanical HDD...Why no classic HDD listed as reference in power consumption chart ?
I have a 128 GB MyDigitalSSD that was purchased in October-2012. Its performed with no issues .. I suspect battery performance might not be ideal, or speed either.. I beat up on this system every day.. use it with Linux on my Lenovo T430s. Reading this review wants me to upgrade - especially since I did not have any issues with this manufacturer.. The low price helps too.
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CoryS - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Everyday I check for the HTC One review, and frown :(epoon2 - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
supply chain issue lolMadMan007 - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Anandtech seems to have one though, they've included it in recent Android graphics benchmark charts.thesavvymage - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
they have one for sure, anand posted his thoughts on it. In that article theyve said that they are working on their reviewalexvoda - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Unfortunately I lost all my interest in the HTC One ofter this:http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/HTC+One+Teardown/13...
I find such construction method inexcusable.
SSDuser101 - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
I can attest to the quality and support. I have a original BP3 from 2011 and see no reason to upgrade or change. These drives are BulletProof as the name suggests. Also followed lots of posts on Notebookreview about the drives and whenever there was a problem they fixed it. For example there was a bug with the W500 and EP121 that was pointed out and it was fixed within 4 weeks. Also they had a problem with the FW of the BP3 in early 2012 that only effected the 64GB mSATA SSD and that got fixed as well. And as far as drives dieing in the filed you will be hard pressed to find anyone who has had one brick on them. 2 thumbs up for MyDigitalSSD.Samus - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
I've had a mSATA BP3 in my Elitebook Folio 9470 for about a year. Haven't had any problems...sometimes a simple controller design is better. Sandforce is ridiculously complex with a lot of things that can go wrong. With the exception of the Intel SSD 330, every Sandforce drive I've ever owned has given me problems.Johny12 - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Samus, I too have had problems with my SF based SSDs earlier. But since I have started using Intel 5xx series of SSDs, my opinion about SF has changed ridiculously. I think only the first generation of their SSDs had some compatibility issues across SSD manufacturers. I am excited to hear about their yet to be launched 3rd gen controllers :DMyDigitalSSD - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Hi all Matt from MyDigitalSSD here. Thanks you for the great review. I would like to let everyone know there is a large shortage of flash in the market right now and it may be 2-3 weeks until inventory on this items is flowing again. So whatever you find on the market right now is it for about 2-3 weeks. Not the best timing for such a thing but just wanted to give a heads up for those of you wondering why you cannot find stock readily available.jhoff80 - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
So, would you say that mSATA drives are generally proportional to their 2.5" counterparts? It sounds like they use the same controller, and the same flash chips (albeit fewer).For example, looking at 4KB random writes, the Intel 525 is third in performance. Would that also presumably mean that the mSATA variety of the Intel 525 would be one of the top mSATA performers?
My guess is that no, you can't assume that, but with so few sites with extensive mSATA benchmarks (and even here, there's only a couple that have been tested) it's hard to determine which is best and it'd be nice to have some way to figure it out other than guessing.
Kristian Vättö - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Intel 525 is mSATA only, so the scores there are for mSATA version ;)It really depends on the firmware and hardware you're using. For example, Intel 525 is actually slightly faster than the 520 or 335, which may be due to newer firmware or higher quality NAND, but Plextor M5M is a bit slower than its 2.5" counterpart. A lot depends on the controller/firmware design and how much that relies on parallelism. SandForce does have a minor advantage there because they write less to the NAND due to compression, so you can get away with less (or slower) NAND.
The overall problem with mSATA is that there really aren't that many drives available, especially in the retail market. Most drives are OEM only (like Samsung's) so getting them in for testing is harder.
jhoff80 - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Aaah, right, I got it confused with the 520. My mistake.DanNeely - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
"Most drives are OEM only (like Samsung's) so getting them in for testing is harder."Sounds like you just need to start voiding warranty stickers on review ultrabooks to stick the drives into the benchmark box after taking pictures of what's inside the shell.
Kristian Vättö - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Two problems with that:1. Manufacturers don't usually like laptop review samples to be taken into pieces. Having good connections with manufacturers is one of the most important things in this field, so we can't just do what we wish -- we also have to respect manufacturers' requests. Legally all review samples are property of the sender/manufacturer.
2. Laptop and SSD reviews aren't done in the same place; in fact I'm not even on the same continent as the others. Thus it's not possible (or worthwhile) to send the SSD to me for testing, especially as most laptops only have a few week review period. On the other hand, Jarred/Dustin/Vivek could test the drive, assuming they have a modern desktop, but I'm not sure if that's worth it because dealing with different setups always represents some potential issues when it comes to consistency and they already have tons of work to do.
Lets put this in another way: What mSATA SSDs would you like to see tested? I can always ask if the manufacturers can give us review samples, even though the drive may not be available for retail.
msahni - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Hi there,I am contemplating buying mSATA drives 240GB-256GB range. It is really becoming confusing to purchase a drive considering so many different specs.
My options are
1) Crucial m4 mSATA 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
2) Plextor M5M 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
3) Intel SSD 525 240GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
4) Mushkin Enhanced Atlas 240GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...
I have not been able to get a head to head comparison of the drives anywhere. Most of the tech spec shootouts are of these drives against SSDs or older models.
Could you please advise which of these drives in your opinion would be the most eligible buy in a real world consumer scenario..
Cheers....
MyDigitalSSD - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Visit Amazon and search bp4 240gb mSATA there are a few still left in stock. Best deal on one right now.Kristian Vättö - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
I would pick either Crucial or Plextor. The Plextor one is a bit faster and Plextor also has very good reputation when it comes to reliability, although in this case the Crucial is "more proven" as it's been out longer. Both are good choices, so this is a matter of personal preference.LouisPR - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Happy to see a review about the BP4. I own it since mid February if I'm not mistaken and it's awesome!Vepsa - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
I really like the price of $160 for the 240GB drive. Seriously considering getting one now and a second later for RAID0.jamyryals - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
I got one of the 256GB Samsung 830 SSDs for $160. It was a great price for a drive on sale. I'm very happy to see retail starting at that price for a comparable drive. Time to wait and see what BP4's reliability will be like before I jump in on a nicely priced ~500GB.watersb - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Excellent. I shall purchase the 512GB!Death666Angel - Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - link
Well, the availability in Europe seems crappy (only one UK shop 35% higher priced than the Samsung 840). I don't understand why the mSATA version is so under performing either. All-in-all, not something I would buy.MyDigitalSSD - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
mSATA uses 4 channels (can only fit 4 chips on board) on an 8 channel controller while the 2.5" uses all 8 channels. You will never notice a difference in daily use.Oxford Guy - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
"The Samsung SSD 840 has really been the only budget drive without any serious drawbacks."HardOCP's review of the 120 GB TLC drive found that its read speed plummeted because of testing, indicating that the low lifespan of the TLC NAND can be a problem. That is in addition to not very impressive write speed.
MyDigitalSSD - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Good point. We only use the best Toshiba MLC toggle (synch) flash. Our BP4 performance over time will not deteriorate at all. This drive is a great alternative to Samsung for sure.pcrusan - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Where is the 240GB BP4 at $160? I find it at $180 and $200.MyDigitalSSD - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
Low stock is causing the temporary pricing fluctuations. There is a serious flash shortage right now.MyDigitalSSD - Thursday, April 4, 2013 - link
They are in stock at MyDigitalDiscount.com at 159.99!AKFlyerFan - Friday, April 5, 2013 - link
I just ordered one of the last two reported in stock there, so we'll see how good they are when it comes in and I get it up and running..pcrusan - Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - link
Now $179.99.MyDigitalSSD - Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - link
240GB mSATA is $179.99 240GB 2.5" SATA is $159.99kallogan - Friday, April 5, 2013 - link
i find it very annoying to see that modern ssds seem to consume as much power as 5400rpm mechanical HDD...Why no classic HDD listed as reference in power consumption chart ?vol7ron - Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - link
Is there any talk about how compliant this is cross-platform?Samsung had firmware issues that pretty much required Windows to update. Do these play nicely with *nix and Mac?
MyDigitalSSD - Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - link
At this time we have had no issues on any platform with the current FW 4.6.MyDigitalSSD
VjRao - Sunday, February 16, 2014 - link
I have a 128 GB MyDigitalSSD that was purchased in October-2012. Its performed with no issues .. I suspect battery performance might not be ideal, or speed either.. I beat up on this system every day.. use it with Linux on my Lenovo T430s. Reading this review wants me to upgrade - especially since I did not have any issues with this manufacturer.. The low price helps too.