What about Windows 7? Isn't the Intel Toolbox useful for Windows 7?

Windows 7 has TRIM. XP does not.

I thought the toolbox does a lot more than merely stand in for TRIM.

It does do a lot more but the biggest significance is just what HFat pointed out. The lack of TRIM in XP could lead to the drive slowing down significantly. The toolbox can be setup to run weekly, daily, whatever schedule you like to keep your SSD in proper form.

All the other things it does are nice in their own way but it's the restoration of performance that it provides that can't be replicated by simple manual labor or other software utilities.

Doesn't it tell you how close you are to using up its lifetime reserve of writes? That is how much wear and tear it has accumulated? I would find that very valuable.

It does indeed provide that information. 2,000 hours later and mine seems to not be even 1% worn out yet.

In other news, after a conspicuous silence from AT:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4202/the- ... 510-review

Who is "AT"?

You can do that from any program that has SMART support. The information is readily available in dozens if not hundreds of programs.

Speedfan
HDTune
CrystalDiskInfo

you name it. And that isn't an Intel only thing. All the SSD manufacturers have wear/lifetime write indicator in the SMART values.

Anand Lal Shimpi aka AnandTech.com

Intel 510 Performance is a real disappointment. X25-M G2 loads windows and programs faster than the new 510. A whole lot faster.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd ... 881-9.html

Intel 510 Performance is a real disappointment. X25-M G2 loads windows and programs faster than the new 510. A whole lot faster.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd ... 881-9.html

I am looking at three SSDs at Microcenter. I think they are all three Intel generation 2 SSDs, but there are so many Intel model variations, I am uncertain as to what the differences are other than capacity. The 120GB version seems disproportionately less expensive. Does anyone know why?

1. Intel X25-M SSDSA2MH080G2K5 80GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
SKU: 158550 $189.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... id=0352900

2. Intel X25-M SSDSA2MH120G2K5 120GB SATA 3.0Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
SKU: 152264 $229.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... id=0352605

3. Intel X25-M 160GB SATA (3.0Gb/s) 2.5" Solid State Drive - Gen2
SKU: 546184 $399.99
http://www.microcenter.com/single_produ ... id=0327004

I just see no reason to upgrade to generation 3 Intel. Any thoughts? Any comments? Any advice?

It was introduced later than the other models after competitors had released cheaper products. I guess Intel priced it lower to keep up. But maybe the Flash is also cheaper.

The bigger drives are faster.

These are the consumer drives with the best reliability record on the market.

I guess there will soon be much faster and cheaper drives on the market but buying new products in an immature market is risky. At least you know where you stand with those.

Think maybe these older drives might be going on sale?

There will be 25nm G3 drives in coming months which will push the capacity/price envelope further. Clearly Intel is letting Sandforce have the performance market mostly to itself. Not sure exactly when the new G3 will be arriving as they keep on delaying its launch.

The 120GB G2 is a value sweet-spot in the meantime.

+1. Couldn't help but wish I bought more of them during Black Friday when they were going for $200 ($165 after MIR) a piece. I only bought two (the limit for the rebate) as I was expecting the G3 drives to arrive February. Now, we're already into March and still no signs of cheaper 25nm G3 SSD's and I need 4 more of these things.

120GB review at TechSpot.

The upside is they include a Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB for comparison. The downside is most of the other SSD's are 256GB.