The Corsair P256 256GB drive
Corsair's performance-oriented P256 drive ships in an industry-standard 2.5in form factor that's suitable for both desktop and notebook systems. It's part of a three-member family, along with the 64GB and 128GB versions, and all use MLC memory combined with tuned controllers. The smaller-capacity drives have lower performance, however.
The drive is enclosed in an aluminium enclosure and features a SATA interface (3Gbps, NCQ) and power connector.
Featuring 128MB of on-board
cache
memory, Corsair reckons that the drive can hit 220MB/s sequential read
and 200MB/s sequential write, putting it near the very top of the
current performance tree.
No moving parts means that it's silent. NAND-based drives are far more shock-resistant than mechanical hard drives, with Corsair quoting a 1,500g shock and 20g vibration ratings.
Retailing for around £550, the P256 is competitively-priced when compared to rivals with similar capacity and speed. A search shows that OCZ's 250GB Vertex is currently etailing for £650, whilst the slower 250GB Solid just undercuts the Corsair by a few pounds.
Corsair's performance baby is similar to Samsung's own PB22-J 256GB drive. It ships with the same NAND and drive buffer, as well. Carrying on the similarities, it costs roughly the same as the P256, as well.
The P256 is backed up by a five-year warranty that's handled, in the first instance, by the retailer the drive is purchased from. Corsair has a well-deserved reputation for providing excellent customer care, so if you have no joy from the retailer, contacting Corsair directly should resolve any issues.
Summary
Large-capacity SSDs remain the realm of the well-heeled enthusiast as 250GB-plus models currently set you back to the tune of £550. It's all about performance at this end of the sector, so let's find out if the Corsair hits the spot.
No moving parts means that it's silent. NAND-based drives are far more shock-resistant than mechanical hard drives, with Corsair quoting a 1,500g shock and 20g vibration ratings.
Inside, the P256 uses a
total of 16 MLC-based ICs - 10 on the front, pictured, and six
on the back -
interfacing with a
Samsung controller, shown below.
At the time of writing, a firmware update to enable the TRIM function, detailed on the previous pages, wasn't available for the P256.
At the time of writing, a firmware update to enable the TRIM function, detailed on the previous pages, wasn't available for the P256.
Retailing for around £550, the P256 is competitively-priced when compared to rivals with similar capacity and speed. A search shows that OCZ's 250GB Vertex is currently etailing for £650, whilst the slower 250GB Solid just undercuts the Corsair by a few pounds.
Corsair's performance baby is similar to Samsung's own PB22-J 256GB drive. It ships with the same NAND and drive buffer, as well. Carrying on the similarities, it costs roughly the same as the P256, as well.
The P256 is backed up by a five-year warranty that's handled, in the first instance, by the retailer the drive is purchased from. Corsair has a well-deserved reputation for providing excellent customer care, so if you have no joy from the retailer, contacting Corsair directly should resolve any issues.
Summary
Large-capacity SSDs remain the realm of the well-heeled enthusiast as 250GB-plus models currently set you back to the tune of £550. It's all about performance at this end of the sector, so let's find out if the Corsair hits the spot.
