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Intel Optane 32GB Memory Module Review

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
12,840
Location
Montreal
To say Intel’s Optane technology is a new idea would be a fallacy. The thought of accelerating a system’s overall performance through a combination of high capacity storage alongside a more targeted low latency secondary solution has been around for decades now. As you might remember Intel themselves has been doing this for years with their Smart Response SSD Caching while AMD took another approach with their RAMDisk technology and others went the same route. However, what Optane hopes to do is bring that synergy to the next level by offering a lightning fast, affordable and adaptable medium that should drastically increase a system’s responsiveness.

In a recent article we discussed the ramifications of Intel's Optane technology on the enterprise market and alluded to a more consumer-friendly option. Well that option has now arrived in the form of the first Intel Optane Memory modules. Code Named 'Stony Bench' these $44 (16GB) and $77 (32GB) devices are meant to lead the charge into non-Enterprise markets and quickly gain the awareness of home users. Only later will Intel release their mainstream / enthusiast crossover device.

The best way to describe these Optane Memory modules is “Smart Response Caching on steroids” since their intent is the same as Intel’s older implementation but the underlying technology is much more advanced. Launched years ago, Intel’s SSD caching utilized their Rapid Storage Technology (or RST) backend to harness the power of lower-capacity SSDs to effectively cache key pieces of information needed to accelerate load times of frequently-used programs. Back then it was a great way to attain SSD-like performance without spending a small fortune for higher-capacity SSDs.

While the landscape has since changed and SSDs are more affordable than ever, Intel believes their combination of blazing fast 3DXpoint memory and a thoroughly updated version of the RST caching algorithm could bring higher level system performance to almost everyone. That even includes folks who are currently using an SSD.

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As with previous versions of RST, there are some limitations when it comes to Optane compatibility. While it will work as a complementary device to any HDD or SSHD, you’ll need a Z270 motherboard and a 7th generation Core series processor since those devices hold the necessary microcode updates for communication with an Optane module. Take note that even if you have a Z270 motherboard and older 6th generation processor (IE: 6xxx-series CPU), Optane won’t work; Kaby Lake is an absolute necessity.

There are a few other notable limitations as well, some of which will likely make Optane a less than optimal solution for gamers. First and foremost, Optane will only be able to accelerate data coming from your primary boot drive and not a secondary drive. That means if you store your game library on a secondary high capacity volume, none of those applications will benefit from improved load times.

Another thing to note is that much like traditional RST caching, Optane Memory isn’t meant to replace or even be complementary to traditional SSDs. Rather, it is very much meant to address the performance shortfalls associated with traditional spindle-based media. The SSD market will be effectively targeted by the upcoming Optane SSD which we will cover a bit later this year.

As we have mentioned many times in the past the 'upcoming' Optane technology is a major reason for people to upgrade from even last generation Z170 based systems to Z270 based systems. Without Optane the 'double tock' Kaby Lake refresh is arguably less than over-brimming with justifications to upgrade. With the PC market in a rather long period of stagnation Intel may not be betting the bank on Optane Memory but it success will play a large part in whether or not Intel can hold market share against AMD and their recently released X370 + Ryzen 3/5/7 combination.

2.png

One of the key differentiators here is the previously-mentioned pricing structure for Optane Memory but that can also be its Achilles heel as well. At $44 for the 16GB module and $77 for 32GB, they don’t seem to be that expensive but Intel has put that 32GB model in a precarious position. For about that same price you can grab a Corsair Force LE 120GB or PNY CS1311 120GB stand-alone drive. On the other hand, the 16GB Optane module really stands without peer right now.

But will this be enough to convince buyers to go with Optane? From the way we see it, Optane seems to be an excellent way to affordably boost performance of lower-end systems and budget notebooks. For system integrators it represents a method by which they can decrease BOM costs while also adding a key bullet point for their marketing materials. Over the course of this review, we’ll explore exactly what Optane can bring to the table and whether or not it is truly beneficial over the alternatives.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>
 
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SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
12,840
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A Closer Look at the Optane Memory Module

A Closer Look at the Optane Memory Module


As I’ve already mentioned the idea behind the new Optane Memory module is rooted firmly in Intel's Smart Response Technology. Much like this circa 2006 technology the Optane Memory module is not an all in one device. Instead it is part of an ecosystem that boosts performance beyond what is capable with Hard Disk Drives and even Solid State Hybrid Drives.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


To do this Optane relies upon four parts. The actual Optane Memory module, the Peripheral Controller Hub (PCH), motherboard and OS level drivers, and special software. All five of these critical components are necessary as the Optane Memory module is in simplest terms a M.2 form-factored, NVME PCIe 3.0 SSD. While it can be utilized to mount an OS, Intel does not expect it to be configured as a stand-alone storage device. Instead it is designed to act as a read / write cache storage device that resides between the SATA controller and a system's existing non-volatile storage device.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


At this time only Intel PCH's capable of allowing the Optane Memory module to do its indented job are the 2-series chipsets. These include the entry level Q250 and Q270, the more mainstream B250 & H270, and upper tier Z270. Thus, owners of everything from Intel Z170 and X99 chipset based motherboards need not apply – as their controller is not capable of accomplishing what the 2-series chipset does natively.

The motherboard not only needs to be equipped with a 2-series chipset, and a free PCIe x2 M.2 slot, but also its BIOS must be Optane aware. At this time almost all are, but before anyone tries to configure their Optane Memory module they are advised to update to the latest firmware. For example the ASUS Prime Z270-A requires the latest 0906 firmware to work. So check your motherboard manufacturer's website first.

On top of all these caveats, users must also install the latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) drivers. The version used for this review is 15.5.0.1051 and it is what Intel recommends. This driver is critical for Optane since it not only helps make the memory module 'invisible' to the OS but also redirects the necessary IO requests.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/soft7.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


The last piece of the puzzle is the Intel Optane Memory software application. This software not only allows owners to enable or disable caching but also does scheduled house-cleaning of the Optane Memory module's 3DXPoint cells. This is critical as TRIM commands are not necessarily being sent to the OS – as the OS will only see the hard disk drive installed.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


At this time Optane Memory modules come in two sizes: a small 16GB for more basic systems (web surfing, basic word-processing, etc.) and a larger 32GB model more capable of handling the requirements which a modern system places on the long-term storage subsystem. Both models use the exact same single sided M.2 2280 form-factor and require two PCIe 3.0 lanes to work. Put in laymen’s terms the Optane Memory module is a small 22mm wide by 80mm long 'stick' that only has components on one side.

To be a bit more precise the 32GB Optane Memory Module consists of three main components: a next generation Intel NVMe controller, and two 3DXPoint ICs. As we discussed in our previous article in greater detail, 3DXPoint is considered non-volatile memory so there is no need for expensive capacitors on the M.2 for data-loss protection. Basically, this cutting edge Single Level Cell memory technology is not only faster and denser than NAND but it doesn’t suffer from data corruption due to unexpected power loss. Instead, when power is restored the data is in the exact same state as it was when the power was lost.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Very little is known about the second-generation Intel NVMe controller used in the Optane Memory series, but as this device can – if you so choose – be used as a standalone SSD some inferences can be made based on empirical data. In testing the 32GB Optane Memory module performed admirably well for its size. It does however suffer from a few design issues that were necessary in order to make it work in everything from low-power Q250 systems to high performance Z270 motherboards.

Basically, by opting for a two dual PCIe 3.0 lane instead of a four lane one, overall throughput is reduced compared to four lane NVMe solid state drives. Also, due to the single sided 80mm form-factor the number of 3DXPoint ICs is also limited. This combines to create a device that has decent -if not amazing for a PCIe drive- sequential performance but rather lackluster small file queue depth throughput.

The most concerning impact of these design decisions is the write speed which is a mere 300MB/s and 60,000 IOPS. This is significantly lower than what even SATA based solid state drives can offer. We will go over the real-world impact in the following pages, but it is significant and does have far reaching implications.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Joined
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Messages
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Setup and Installation

Setup & Installation


It should come as no surprise that the Optane Memory module is not a plug and play device. This is because the motherboard, the OS, and even software all play important roles in transforming the module from a small M.2 solid state drive into a relatively high performance cache accelerator.

The first step is to ensure your motherboard is running the latest firmware revision. For most 2-series motherboards only the latest firmware will allow the motherboard to understand what the Optane Memory module is.

The next step is to install the latest Intel RST drivers. Earlier RST drivers will also not be able to properly harness the Optane Memory module and are critical to your success. At this time Intel has not updated their RST download page to version 15.5.0.1051 though by the time you are reading this review this should be corrected.

With these two pieces of software installed, the last is to install the Optane Memory application and have it ready to go once you physically install the module.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/optane1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


With the above steps completed, and confirmed to be installed, the next step is to actually install the Optane Memory M.2 module. This is fairly straightforward as it installs just like any other M.2 device. However, you need to insure it is installed in the right M.2 slot if your motherboard has multiple M.2 slots. Check your manual first as not every motherboard is configured to use Optane in more than one specific M.2 port. For example, while the ASUS B250-Plus comes with two M.2 slots, only M2_2 (i.e. the bottom-most M.2 slot) supports Optane Memory modules.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/bio1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Once that is completed power the system back up and immediately enter the BIOS. In all likelihood, the BIOS will recognize the Optane Memory module and configure it properly but you may have to do this manually. If it is not configured properly your system may actually crash and issue a lovely BSOD during OS initialization – so double and triple check.

On ASUS-based systems you simply have to navigate to the Advanced BIOS mode, then the Advanced page, and finally to the SATA and RST configuration page. The actual name of this section may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model, but the idea is the same: get to the SATA config section of the BIOS. Here you will find the SATA Mode Selection and M.2 PCIE Storage RAID support.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/bio2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


The SATA Mode Selection dropdown box needs to be set to Intel RST with Intel Optane System and Acceleration and not AHCI. If it is set to AHCI change it.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/bio5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


The M.2 PCIe Storage and RAID Support dropdown needs to be set to RST Controlled.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/bio4.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


The other option – not RST controlled – tells the motherboard that you wish to use the Optane Memory module as a standalone device and will be seen by the OS as a secondary drive. Due to its lack of capacity and rather high asking price per Gigabyte, this is not recommended.

<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/soft1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


With this done save the BIOS and exit. When the OS finishes loading simply open the previously installed Optane Memory application, navigate to the Setup section on the right and press Enable. After a few moments of initialization this process will be complete and you will be prompted to reboot the system. When complete the Optane Memory cache will start its work.

In the next few days it will learn your habits and insure that what needs to be on the Optane Memory cache will be. You will however notice a nice bit of extra system responsiveness almost right away. If you wish to speed up this learning process can you open and then close your most used applications a few times to point the Optane Memory caching algorithms in the right direction.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
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Test Systems and Testing Methodology

Testing Methodology



Testing a drive is not as simple as putting together a bunch of files, dragging them onto folder on the drive in Windows and using a stopwatch to time how long the transfer takes. Rather, there are factors such as read / write speed and data burst speed to take into account. There is also the SATA controller on your motherboard and how well it works with SSDs & HDDs to think about as well. For best results you really need a dedicated hardware RAID controller w/ dedicated RAM for drives to shine. Unfortunately, most people do not have the time, inclination or monetary funds to do this. For this reason, our testbed will be a more standard motherboard with no mods or high-end gear added to it. This is to help replicate what the end-user’s experience will be like.

Even when the hardware issues are taken care of, the software itself will have a negative or positive impact on the results. As with the hardware end of things, to obtain the absolute best results you do need to tweak your OS setup. However, just like with the hardware aspect, most people are not going to do this. For this reason, a standard OS setup is used.

For synthetic tests, we used a combination of the ATTO Disk Benchmark, HDTach, HD Tune, Crystal Disk Benchmark, IOMeter, AS-SSD, Anvil Storage Utilities and PCMark 7.

For real world benchmarks, we timed how long a single 20GB rar file took to copy to and then from the devices. We also used 20gb of small files (from 100kb to 200MB) with a total 12,000 files in 400 subfolders.

All tests were run 8 times and average results of the last 4 runs are represented.

In between each test suite runs the drives are cleaned with either HDDerase, SaniErase or a manufacturers 'Toolbox', and then quick formatted to make sure that they were in optimum condition for the next test suite.

Test Systems Used:

System 1:
<div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/proof1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

This system represents a more entry level system.

Processor: Core i5 7500
Motherboard: Asus Prime B250-Plus
Memory: 16GB (2x8GB) Kingston Value Ram DDR4-2400 (17-17-17)
Graphics card: MSI GeForce GTX 980Ti Lightning
Hard Drive: Intel 750 1.2TB, 1TB WD Black
Power Supply: Corsair RMi1000

System 2: <div align="center">
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/proof2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

This system represent a more mainstream system.

Processor: Core i7 7700K
Motherboard: Asus Prime Z270-A
Memory: 64GB (4x16GB) HyperX Fury DDR4-2400 (15-15-15)
Graphics card: MSI GeForce GTX 980Ti Lightning
Hard Drive: Intel 750 1.2TB, 1TB WD Black
Power Supply: Corsair AXi860
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Messages
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Read Bandwidth / Write Performance

Read Bandwidth


<i>For this benchmark, HDTach was used. It shows the potential read speed which you are likely to experience with these hard drives. The long test was run to give a slightly more accurate picture. We don’t put much stock in Burst speed readings and thus we no longer included it. The most important number is the Average Speed number. This number will tell you what to expect from a given drive in normal, day to day operations. The higher the average the faster your entire system will seem.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/read.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Write Performance


<i>For this benchmark HD Tune Pro was used. To run the write benchmark on a drive, you must first remove all partitions from that drive and then and only then will it allow you to run this test. Unlike some other benchmarking utilities the HD Tune Pro writes across the full area of the drive, thus it easily shows any weakness a drive may have.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/write.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


A bit of explanation is in order for those who were expecting Optane to produce a massive boost in read and write performance. Basically, this module is only 32GB in size and while it does indeed create 'blips' in the performance curve, that all gets lost in the noise when dealing with 1TB of sequential file read and writes. We naturally expect the Real World tests to show significant impact.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
12,840
Location
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ATTO Disk Benchmark

ATTO Disk Benchmark


<i>The ATTO disk benchmark tests the drives read and write speeds using gradually larger size files. For these tests, the ATTO program was set to run from its smallest to largest value (.5KB to 8192KB) and the total length was set to 256MB. The test program then spits out an extrapolated performance figure in megabytes per second. </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/atto_w.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/atto_r.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

In order to show both the SSD and HDD based Optane Memory acceleration results we have had to make one of the bars above completely "hollow" since the results are the same. What this tells us is that the Optane Memory module is being used regardless of what it is paired with. For the most part this is more than acceptable as a hard disk drive will always be the weakest link, but since there is no customization to the caching setup it does appear that pairing Optane with even a SATA SSD is a waste of resources. More on this later.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Joined
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Messages
12,840
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Crystal DiskMark / PCMark 7

Crystal DiskMark


<i>Crystal DiskMark is designed to quickly test the performance of your drives. Currently, the program allows to measure sequential and random read/write speeds; and allows you to set the number of tests iterations to run. We left the number of tests at 5 and size at 100MB. </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/cdm_w.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/cdm_r.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


PCMark 7


<i>While there are numerous suites of tests that make up PCMark 7, only one is pertinent: the HDD Suite. The HDD Suite consists of numerous tests that try and replicate real world drive usage. Everything from how long a simulated virus scan takes to complete, to MS Vista start up time to game load time is tested in these core tests; however, we do not consider this anything other than just another suite of synthetic tests. For this reason, while each test is scored individually we have opted to include only the overall score.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/pcm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

As we suspected the read performance of Optane Memory is indeed very good, but the write performance is downright abysmal when compared to similarly priced SATA solid state drive options.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Joined
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Messages
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AS-SSD / Anvil Storage Utilities Pro

AS-SSD


<i>AS-SSD is designed to quickly test the performance of your drives. Currently, the program allows to measure sequential and small 4K read/write speeds as well as 4K file speed at a queue depth of 6. While its primary goal is to accurately test Solid State Drives, it does equally well on all storage mediums it just takes longer to run each test as each test reads or writes 1GB of data.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/asd_w.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/asd_r.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Anvil Storage Utilities Pro


<i>Much like AS-SSD, Anvil Pro was created to quickly and easily – yet accurately – test your drives. While it is still in the Beta stages it is a versatile and powerful little program. Currently it can test numerous read / write scenarios but two in particular stand out for us: 4K queue depth of 4 and 4K queue depth of 16. A queue depth of four along with 4K sectors can be equated to what most users will experience in an OS scenario while 16 depth will be encountered only by power users and the like. We have also included the 4k queue depth 1 results to help put these two other numbers in their proper perspective. All settings were left in their default states and the test size was set to 1GB.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/a_w.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/a_r.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>

Once again, the weak link of Optane Memory – in its current form – is the lackluster write performance. When compared against even value orientated Solid State Drives Optane Memory does come up short. However as this new device is meant for the value orientated consumer these results are still pretty darn good. Both SSHD and HDDs simply cannot compare to what it has to offer.
 

SKYMTL

HardwareCanuck Review Editor
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Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
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Location
Montreal
Windows 10 / Adobe Photoshop CS6 Load Time

Windows 10 Start Up w/ Boot Time A/V Scan Performance


<i>When it comes to hard drive performance there is one area that even the most oblivious user notices: how long it takes to load the Operating System. We have chosen Windows 10 64bit Pro as our Operating System with all 'fast boot' options disabled in the BIOS. In previous load time tests we would use the Anti-Virus splash screen as our finish line; this however is no longer the case. We have not only added in a secondary Anti-Virus to load on startup, but also an anti-malware program. We have set Super Anti-Spyware to initiate a quick scan on Windows start-up and the completion of the quick scan will be our new finish line. </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/boot.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Adobe Photoshop CS6 Load Time


<i>Photoshop is a notoriously slow loading program under the best of circumstances, and while the latest version is actually pretty decent, when you add in a bunch of extra brushes and the such you get a really great torture test which can bring even the best of the best to their knees. Let’s see how our review unit fared in the Adobe crucible! </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/adobe.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Thanks in large part to much higher sequential read performance the Optane Memory does indeed post some generally good numbers. So much so that those interested in Optane Memory will have to look towards higher end SSDs find better boot times. Even then it does appear to be a very tight with it coming down to what is most important: boot time or application load time.
 

SKYMTL

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Messages
12,840
Location
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Firefox Load / Real World Data Transfers

Firefox Portable Offline Performance


<i>Firefox is notorious for being slow on loading tabs in offline mode once the number of pages to be opened grows larger than a dozen or so. We can think of fewer worse case scenarios than having 100 tabs set to reload in offline mode upon Firefox startup, but this is exactly what we have done here.

By having 100 pages open in Firefox portable, setting Firefox to reload the last session upon next session start and then setting it to offline mode, we are able to easily recreate a worst case scenario. Since we are using Firefox portable all files are easily positioned in one location, making it simple to repeat the test as necessary. In order to ensure repetition, before touching the Firefox portable files, we have backed them up into a .rar file and only extracted a copy of it to the test device.</i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/ff.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


Real World Data Transfers


<i>No matter how good a synthetic benchmark like IOMeter or PCMark is, it cannot really tell you how your hard drive will perform in “real world” situations. All of us here at Hardware Canucks strive to give you the best, most complete picture of a review item’s true capabilities and to this end we will be running timed data transfers to give you a general idea of how its performance relates to real life use. To help replicate worse case scenarios we will transfer a 20.00GB contiguous file and a folder containing 400 subfolders with a total 24,000 files varying in length from 200mb to 100kb (20.00 GB total).

Testing will include transfer to and transferring from the devices, using MS RichCopy and logging the performance of the drive. Here is what we found. </i>

<div align="center"><img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/copy_lg.jpg" border="0" alt="" />
<img src="http://images.hardwarecanucks.com/image/akg/Storage/Optane_Memory/copy_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></div>


As with all the other test results the Optane Memory module offers value orientated buyers excellent read performance but less than stellar write performance. It is also obvious that Optane Memory has been fine tuned for shallow queue depth performance as the Firefox results are merely decent. Needless to say this iteration of Optane Memory will not be worrying Solid State Drive manufacturers all that much. However, it can provide an excellent solution for someone who is using a traditional hard drive.
 

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