Final thoughts and rating
Intel's 520 Series SSD is undoubtedly a good match for any high-end PC; it's lightning-quick in various scenarios, and if you're coming from a traditional hard disk, it'll provide a jolt in performance that few other components can offer. But it's important to put the drive's capabilities into context.
Second-generation SandForce solutions have been available for the best part of a year, and Intel's woefully-late arrival on the scene doesn't push the envelope in terms of performance. A custom firmware that we suspect will remain exclusive to Intel helps eke out an additional drop of speed, but the real kicker here is the manufacturer's promise of "obsessively high reliability."
For all the concerns that have been raised over SandForce stability in recent months, Intel's adoption of the technology could act as a seal of approval that alleviates the few lingering doubts. Only time will determine exactly how robust the 520 Series drive really is, but a five-year limited Intel warranty is very reassuring.
Bottom line: the 520 Series demands attention from anyone in the market for a high-performance SSD.
The Good
Sequential throughput in excess of 500MB/s
Strong performance at high queue depths
Comes with a five-year warranty
It's got Intel's name on it
The Bad
Performance takes a hit with certain data types
Pricier than rival SandForce solutions
HEXUS Rating
Intel 520 Series (240GB)
HEXUS Awards
Intel 520 Series (240GB)
HEXUS Where2Buy
The reviewed 240GB Intel 520 Series SSD is available to purchase from scan.co.uk*.
HEXUS Right2Reply
At HEXUS, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If any company representatives for the products reviewed choose to respond, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.
*UK-based HEXUS community members are eligible for free delivery and priority customer service through the SCAN.care@HEXUS forum.
