Crystal Disk Mark Benchmark Results

Website: Crystal Disk Mark

We've chosen to drop ATTO Disk benchmark from our SSD reviews in place of Crystal Disk Mark. ATTO's highly compressible data pattern gave an unrealistic view of drive performance, and including a 'best case' benchmark for the benefit of SandForce drives was becoming less relevant as SSD partners move away from the SandForce platform.

Crystal Disk Benchmark is similar to AS-SSD in its use of incompressible data files, performing sequential, 512KB and 4KB random read and write tests. it also tests with a more realistic 32-queue-depth as opposed to AS-SSD's 64-queue depth, a load that's less relevant for a home-user.

Sequential Speeds

Looking to the alternative Crystal Disk Mark storage benchmark, the SSD 840 Pro again impressed when it came to sequential read speeds. A 538MB/sec result is the quickest we’ve ever seen, with the SSD 840 a little behind at 524MB/sec. The Vector managed a marginally slower 520MB/sec, while the Neutron GTX was worryingly slow here with a speed of just 429MB/sec. Sequential write speeds saw the Vector and SSD 840 closely matched with speeds of 505MB/sec and 504MB/sec respectively, while the Neutron was much more competitive here with a speed of 434MB/sec. The SSD 840 was predictably slower, with a speed of 256MB/sec.

Random Performance

When it comes to 4K random performance the SSD 840 Pro again demonstrated its single queue-depth advantage with a speed of 36MB/sec, with the other three new drivers achieving 28-29MB/sec. That mightn’t sound much, but it’s a 20 per cent advantage in favour of the SSD 840 Pro in this particular test. Again, single queue-depth 4K random write speeds doesn’t seem to be the priority for any of these four driver, with none near the top previous score.



32-queue depth random performance however sees all our drives dominate those that have come before. Random read speeds of 406MB/sec for the SSD 840 Pro are a huge increase over the 243.6MB/sec of the previous best drives. Random write speeds are similarly improved, with the OCZ Vector proving the quicker here thanks to a write speed of 373MB/sec, just ahead of the SSD 840 Pro.