OCZ's Vertex Limited Edition SSD: $399 for best-in-class write speeds, only 5,000 ava

[MaxBurn]

Here's an interesting one. OCZ is essentially retailing the never-made-it-to-market Vertex 2 Pro as the Vertex Limited Edition. It runs the SandForce SF-1500 controller, which the Vertex 2 Pro put to such stunning good use in its prototype form, but unfortunately that controller proved to complex and costly for OCZ to mass retail the drive. Instead it's offering the Vertex Limited Edition, 5,000 drives sporting the superfast controller. The drives come in 100GB ($399) and 200GB ($829) flavors, and once they're gone they're gone. It's a better performing drive (particularly on writes) than the similarly priced Intel X25-M G2, but unfortunately the limited quantity isn't the only thing to worry about: there were some issues of failing drives with the Vertex 2 Pro. Only time will tell as to how well the supposedly-improved firmware of the Vertex Limited Edition will hold up, but all 5,000 might be sold by the time some serious reliability testing can be performed. We supposed that's just part and parcel with life in the fast lane.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/19/oczs-vertex-limited-edition-ssd-399-for-best-in-class-write-s/


http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3747

http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=874&type=expert

 

[Handruin]

I'd worry that with limited production that if your drive fails and you need a replacement under warranty...will they have any available?

 

[ddrueding]

I'd worry that with limited production that if your drive fails and you need a replacement under warranty...will they have any available?

They said they would keep some for warranty replacement. But then again, if it fails in a year, I'm sure they will have something equivalent to give you.

 

[LunarMist]

It looks like those clowns are trying to dump a failed product line at premium prices.

 

[MaxBurn]

They point out in anand the reason the product line failed/canceled was because the high end sandforce chip wound up to be too expensive and left that product priced out of the market. They speculate that these chips were had for some sort of lower market test price to get the overall cost DOWN to these levels.

 

[Stereodude]

I'm sure other people will make Sandforce based drives.

 

[udaman]

Crucial supposedly puts the c300 on sale tomorrow @similar pricing/capacities, it's faster still w/SATA 6Gbs, so why bother with the others?

@SD^ et al>Everything U need to know can be found in the recent posts in SSD thread here. runcore is/will be using the SF controller, guess someone forgot to tell them?

 

[LunarMist]

There are so many other drives and new ones in the coming months, I'd certainly not buy an EOL product such as the Vortex.

 

[MaxBurn]

I believe that is what they thing too, hence the marketing "spin" for super incredible limited edition.

 

[Bozo]

That's an awful lot of money for something that might work and might last and might be replaceable...

 

[ddrueding]

That's an awful lot of money for something that might work and might last and might be replaceable...

Not on the bleeding edge

You guys keep saying it is expensive, when it is $100 less than the C300. That is a good deal. It also ships with a 3 year warranty, so I don't know what all this talk about reliability is about.

 

[LunarMist]

I am underwhelmed.

 

[Pradeep]

The C300 128GB model is $499. $100 is not much of a premium for a reputable manufacturer with a stable future, not to mention top end performance.

 

[ddrueding]

What is with all the OCZ hate? "Reputable manufacturer"? Who here has lost an OCZ drive? "Stable Future"? Anyone know anything I don't?

 

[Mercutio]

OCZ isn't Intel. It's not Micron or Samsung or Toshiba. They're a bit player, and sooner or later, if they remain out ahead of the big guys, they'll probably get bought and absorbed.

 

[LunarMist]

What is with all the OCZ hate? "Reputable manufacturer"? Who here has lost an OCZ drive? "Stable Future"? Anyone know anything I don't?

Who are they anyway and what do they do, manufacturing or design?
Has OZC been around over ten years or are they some new flash in the pan that will go under once other established companies develop better/cheaper products?

 

[ddrueding]

Been in business for 10 years. Make their own RAM (among other things), and market their own products.

In my mind, that puts them in the same pile as Micron and Crucial. They don't make their own drive controllers, so Samsung and Intel have a step up there, but I would put them above quite a few of the other companies.

 

[LunarMist]

Interesting. Maybe it's just that I'd never heard of OCZ until 2008 or so. The name is horrid when pronounced, which does not help.

 

[ddrueding]

Interesting. Maybe it's just that I'd never heard of OCZ until 2008 or so. The name is horrid when pronounced, which does not help.

I've never tried to pronounce it...wouldn't it just be spelled out?

 

[LunarMist]

I've never tried to pronounce it...wouldn't it just be spelled out?

I suppose. It pronounces like phlegm.

 

[Handruin]

Like David said, they've definitely been a household name for many years with regards to RAM and PSUs. I'm really surprised that they seem new to you.

I've always said their name as letters...Oh See Zee

 

[Mercutio]

ddrueding, you know that Crucial is part of Micron, right? And that Micron has been researching and manufacturing semiconductors since the '70s?

OCZ sellls hobbyist RAM and only recently bought some legitimacy as a PSU manufacturer by purchasing PC Power and Cooling. They may become a big player if they keep ahead of the game on SSDs, but my immediate association I have to their products is hobbyist trash.

 

[MaxBurn]

That's about my experience with OCZ, they sell more than a bit of remarked ram that was "tested" to work at higher frequencies. I had a couple of bad experiences with them and that never really left me so I rather shun their products though I have some memory sticks from them. Actually they are one of the manufacturers that taught me to value a stable system.

 

[ddrueding]

Didn't know that, Merc. I never bought their stuff before the Vertex, but once they had something that no one else did, I became a regular customer of their drives. I still don't buy their RAM or PSUs, but the Vertex has been stellar.

 

[LunarMist]

The C300 128GB model is $499. $100 is not much of a premium for a reputable manufacturer with a stable future, not to mention top end performance.

It is $479 now. DD probably has a couple on order already.

 

[sechs]

I used to live near their office in Sunnyvale. I've used their non-enthusiast memory for many years without issue. I have four sticks of OCZ ECC RAM in my machine now.

 

[ddrueding]

It is $479 now. DD probably has a couple on order already.

Nope. Either I don't need performance and capacity (Vertex) or I do (Z-Drive). I don't bother with the middle ground that much.

 

[LunarMist]

Nope. Either I don't need performance and capacity (Vertex) or I do (Z-Drive). I don't bother with the middle ground that much.

I was joking.

 

[ddrueding]

...oh, I was actually considering trying some out, but I don't have a use for them.