Random Read Performance

The random read test requests 4kB blocks and tests queue depths ranging from 1 to 32. The queue depth is doubled every three minutes, for a total test duration of 18 minutes. The test spans the entire drive, which is filled before the test starts. The primary score we report is an average of performances at queue depths 1, 2 and 4, as client usage typically consists mostly of low queue depth operations.

Iometer - 4KB Random Read

The random read performance of the CS1311 is surprising. The 120GB outperforms most other planar TLC drives, and the larger capacities clearly outperform the OCZ Trion 150. The performance of the CS2211 is mediocre by MLC standards but still significantly better than the planar TLC drives.

Iometer - 4KB Random Read (Power)

The PNY drives show a clear pattern to the power consumption: reading from more flash chips takes more power, and since read operations aren't much more power-hungry on TLC than MLC, the higher performance of MLC leads to higher power consumption.

The 120GB CS1311 scales better in both power and performance than its larger counterparts, while the relation between the 240GB and 480GB is more typical. The CS2211 demonstrates significantly higher power consumption for the 480GB across the board for little performance benefit.

Random Write Performance

The random write test writes 4kB blocks and tests queue depths ranging from 1 to 32. The queue depth is doubled every three minutes, for a total test duration of 18 minutes. The test is limited to a 16GB portion of the drive, and the drive is empty save for the 16GB test file. The primary score we report is an average of performances at queue depths 1, 2 and 4, as client usage typically consists mostly of low queue depth operations.

Iometer - 4KB Random Write

On the random write test, the 120GB CS1311 again shows higher performance than its higher capacity counterparts, but by a very slim margin. The CS2211s are quite close in performance to each other and to other mid-range MLC drives. PNY's MLC drive sustains more than twice the throughput of their TLC drive.

Iometer - 4KB Random Write (Power)

Power consumption during random writes is very similar across all the PNY drives, showing that the higher per-operation power cost on TLC is roughly matched by the higher throughput of MLC.

The CS1311 shows little to no performance scaling with higher queue depths, although power consumption does increase slightly. The CS2211 plateaus once the queue depth reaches eight.

AnandTech Storage Bench - Light Sequential Performance
Comments Locked

43 Comments

View All Comments

  • alexdi - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    I read this with only one question in mind: does it beat the 850 Evo? Save for a few ticks in power usage, apparently not. The Evo is perpetually on sale. I've yet to see a compelling reason to opt for anything else on a desktop.
  • ingwe - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    Completely agree. I am not tied to it, but I don't see any reason to recommend pretty much anything else.
  • fierywater - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    The CS1311 gets marked down from time to time; I picked up my 480GB one for $100 while the Evo 850 500GB usually doesn't get marked down below $130 (and it was $150 everywhere when I picked up the CS1311). It's plenty fast for real world use, especially as a drop-in replacement for an HDD. I think there's a place for drives like it, although that applies less to the CS2211.
  • lilmoe - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    For the performance and value you're getting with the EVO, $30 is well worth the extra, and hardly an amount worth saving going for the CS1311, or any other TLC drives at that. In the matter of fact, lots of the current consumer MLC drives don't compare to the value, performance, or in some cases, the endurance and features you're getting with the EVO.
  • ATC9001 - Monday, April 18, 2016 - link

    I agree from most "prosumers" which are frequent to read this article, but for the mainstream user, I don't think its worth it (spending the $30+). Any SSD is better than a HDD, but some garbage bargain bin SSDs aren't worth the cheap price (this being the first exception). I know most people (including myself) think the same thing alexdi posted when reading this....is this going to beat the evo? It doesn't, but at the same time it's not far off from it, and $30 bucks can cause it to break a price plane for some mid range users.

    Each person has there own utility curve or price performance idea, and for me, this is the first drive since the 840 EVO was released in which I would say it's not worth the x dollars to just get the evo!
  • Stuka87 - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    Having a quality, reliable drive is not reason enough for you? If you want to buy a drive that has a much shorter life span, go for it. But Anybody that cares about data, is not going to by a TLC drive over a MLC drive.
  • lilmoe - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    FYI, TLC VNAND has better endurance than most 15nm MLC drives...
  • Impulses - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    Define much shorter...

    You're talking in broad strokes about a bunch of different things in the same breath. Life span and reliability aren't necessarily the same thing, unless you need drives to be reliable for 15yrs...

    15yrs ago I was wondering if I'd ever fill my 75GB Deathstar, I'm not sure I'd even keep a drive 5+ years. My 2x 850 EVO have been nothing but reliable since I bought them last year.
  • DanoSpumoni - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    Same here. the M.2 850 EVO 500GB is my go to SSD right now. They are in all my computers either in M.2 slots or M.2-> SATA sleds. The performance and reliability is hard to beat. I only buy M.2 SSDs now for future compatibility because they last so long I know they'll outlive the computers they inhabit right now. When the 1TB version drops to ~$150 I'll grab some more...
  • Impulses - Friday, April 15, 2016 - link

    I'm sitting on 2x 1TB, bought at like $310 & $330 IIRC, seen them for $260 lately... Waiting for the 2TB to drop lower and I might add one of those. :D

Log in

Don't have an account? Sign up now