ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 Review

By Olin Coles

Manufacturer: ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.
Product Name: Ultimate SU800 2.5″ SATA 6Gb/s SSD
Part Number: ASU800SS-512GT-C (512 GB)
UPC: 4712366967267
Price As Tested: $134.99 (Amazon | Newegg)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by ADATA.

If you keep up with technology news, you might be mislead into believing that the SATA 6Gb/s interface was made obsolete by M.2 2280 form factor on the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) 3.0 interface. With countless computer systems still utilizing Serial ATA as the primary storage device interface, you can count on seeing it around for a years to come. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state drive technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago.

The ADATA SU800 SSD is a 2.5″ solid state drive for the ever-popular SATA 6Gb/s interface found on mainstream desktop and notebook PCs. ADATA promises 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds with their new 3D NAND technology, allowing Ultimate SU800 to deliver higher storage density and reliability than ever before. SU800 also features intelligent SLC caching, a DRAM cache buffer to boost transfer performance, and Low-Density Parity Check ECC. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 512GB ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 against the competition.

SSD Ultimate SU800 Specifications

Capacity	128GB – 1TB
Form Factor	2.5″
NAND Flash	3D TLC
Controller	SMI
Dimensions (L x W x H)	100.45 x 69.85 x 7mm
Weight	47.5g
Interface	SATA 6Gb/s
Sequential R/W performance (max)	Up to 560/520MB/s *Actual performance may vary due to available SSD capacity, system hardware, software components, and other factors.
Operating temperature	0°C-70°C
Storage temperature	-40°C – 85°C
Shock resistance	1500G/0.5ms
Total Bytes Written	128GB: 100TB 256GB: 200TB 512GB: 400TB 1TB: 800TB
MTBF	2,000,000 hours
Warranty	3 years

Bandwidth Speed vs Operational Performance

Solid State Drive performance revolves around two dynamics: bandwidth speed (MB/s) and operational performance I/O per second (IOPS). These two metrics work together, but one may be more important than the other depending on the workload. Consider this analogy: bandwidth determines how much cargo a ship can transport in one voyage, and operational IOPS performance is how fast that ship moves back and forth. By understanding this and applying it to SSD storage, there is a clear importance set on each variable depending on the task at hand.

For casual users, especially those with laptop or desktop computers that have been upgraded to use an SSD, the naturally quick response time is enough to automatically improve the user experience. Bandwidth speed is important, but only to the extent that operational performance meets the minimum needs of the system. If an SSD has a very high bandwidth speed but a low operational performance, it will take longer to load applications and boot the computer’s Operating System than another SSD that offers higher IOPS performance.

Closer Look: SSD Ultimate SU800

The ADATA SU800, for SSD Ultimate 800, is a mainstream 2.5″ SATA 6Gb/s solid state drive that builds upon 3D NAND flash technology that provides higher storage density, efficiency, and reliability than traditional 2D NAND. It features intelligent SLC caching, and a DRAM cache buffer to aid read/write performance. SU800 includes LDPC ECC and Device Sleep technologies. ADATA’s 512GB SU800 SSD is available online for $134.99 (Amazon | Newegg).

Solid state storage devices have gained quick popularity with performance-minded consumers because they work equally well in PC, Linux, or Apple computer systems. Likewise, these drives install quite easily into both desktop and notebook platforms without any modification necessary. The SU800 SSD is designed for the mainstream performance consumer segment, and gives personal computers a much faster response time that can help boost productivity.

The ADATA SU800 offers a different TBW rating (total bytes written) for each capacity: 128GB = 100TB, 256GB = 200TB, 512GB = 400TB, and 1TB = 800TB. Ultimate SU800 is designed for 2,000,000 hours MTBF, and backed with a 3-year limited ADATA SSD warranty.

Unlike fragile Hard Disk Drive (HDD) magnetic storage products, SSDs are not nearly as sensitive to impact damage and do not require (or benefit from) any kind of special vibration dampening or shock-proof enclosures.

The Ultimate SU800 SSD features a 7mm thick chassis that comes with an matte black metal finish. ADATA utilizes a standard two-piece metal enclosure for the Ultimate SU800 SSD, with product branding at the top panel and product information label on the bottom. Internal components are revealed by removing a small counter-sunk screw located along the side of this solid state drive.

ADATA-SU800-SSD-3D-Solid-State-Drive-Back

Standard 2.5″ drive bay mounting points are pre-drilled into the SSD chassis with fine screw threading, allowing this drive to fit directly into notebook computers that use SATA connections. For older notebooks that fit a 9mm drive, users should purchase a plastic adapter that fits atop this 7mm SSD. The threaded mounting positions matched up to the drive bracket on my notebook computer, and after only a few minutes of migrating my system quickly booted-up.

ADATA SU800 SSDs are available in 2.5″ form factor only, as they’re intended for the mainstream consumer market. ADATA offers their SU800 series in four capacities for the SATA 6Gb/s interface: 128GB, 2456GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

In the next few sections we’ll test the Ultimate SU800 SSD, and compare this solid state drive to other retail storage products intended for notebook and desktop installations. For reference, ADATA advertises 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds for Ultimate SU800.

SSD Testing Methodology

Early on in our SSD coverage, Benchmark Reviews published an article which detailed Solid State Drive Benchmark Performance Testing. The research and discussion that went into producing that article changed the way we now test SSD products. Our previous perceptions of this technology were lost on one particular difference: the wear leveling algorithm that makes data a moving target. Without conclusive linear bandwidth testing or some other method of total-capacity testing, our previous performance results were rough estimates at best.

Our test results were obtained after each SSD had been prepared using DISKPART, or similar proprietary tools such as Samsung Magician. As a word of caution, applications such as these offer immediate but temporary restoration of original ‘pristine’ performance levels. SSDs attached to TRIM enabled Operating Systems will benefit from continuously refreshed performance, whereas older O/S’s will require a garbage collection (GC) tool to avoid ‘dirty NAND’ performance degradation.

It’s critically important to understand that no single software tool for the Microsoft Windows platform can accurately measure comprehensive SSD performance in a comparable fashion. Synthetic benchmark tools such as ATTO Disk Benchmark and Iometer are helpful indicators, but should not be considered the ultimate determining factor. That factor should be measured in actual user experience of real-world applications. Benchmark Reviews includes both bandwidth benchmarks and application speed tests to present a conclusive measurement of product performance.

Test Results Disclaimer

This article utilizes benchmark software tools to produce operational IOPS performance and bandwidth speed results. Each test was conducted in a specific fashion, and repeated for all products. These test results are not comparable to any other benchmark application, neither on this website or another, regardless of similar IOPS or MB/s terminology in the scores. The test results in this project are only intended to be compared to the other test results conducted in identical fashion for this article.

Test System

Motherboard: ASUS P8P67 EVO (Intel P67 Sandy Bridge Platform, B3 Stepping)
Processor: Intel Core i7-2600K 3.4 GHz Quad-Core CPU
System Memory: 4GB Dual-Channel DDR3 1600MHz CL6-6-6-18
SATA 6Gb/s Storage HBA: Integrated Intel P67 Controller
- AHCI mode – Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver 11.7.0.1013
SATA 3Gb/s Storage HBA: Integrated Intel P67 Controller
- AHCI mode – Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver 11.7.0.1013
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate Edition 64-Bit with Service Pack 1

Storage Hardware Tested

The following storage hardware has been used in our benchmark performance testing, and may be included in portions of this article:

Test Tools

AS SSD Benchmark 1.6.4067.34354: Multi-purpose speed and operational performance test
ATTO Disk Benchmark 2.46: Spot-tests static file size chunks for basic I/O bandwidth
CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1a by Crystal Dew World: Sequential speed benchmark spot-tests various file size chunks
Iometer 1.1.0 (built 08-Nov-2010) by Intel Corporation: Tests IOPS performance and I/O response time
Finalwire AIDA64: Disk Benchmark component tests linear read and write bandwidth speeds
Futuremark PCMark Vantage: HDD Benchmark Suite tests real-world drive performance

Test Results Disclaimer

AS-SSD Benchmark

Alex Schepeljanski of Alex Intelligent Software develops the free AS SSD Benchmark utility for testing storage devices. The AS SSD Benchmark tests sequential read and write speeds, input/output operational performance, and response times.

AS-SSD Benchmark uses compressed data, so sequential file transfer speeds are reported lower than with other tools using uncompressed data. For this reason, we will concentrate on the operational IOPS performance in this section.

Beginning with sequential transfer performance, the 512GB Ultimate SU800 solid state drive produced speeds up to 525.56 MB/s for reads and 497.07 MB/s writes. These speeds were near the top results recorded, and compare well against high-performance SSDs. Single-threaded 4K IOPS performance tests delivered 33.36 MB/s reads and 111.65 MB/s writes, while the 64-thread 4K read test recorded 321.58 MB/s with write performance at 318.48 MB/s.

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD AS-SSD Results

AS-SSD 64-thread 4KB IOPS performance results are displayed below, comparing several enthusiast-level storage products currently on the market. In the 64-thread 4KB IOPS performance tests, the 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD offering respectable performance, nestled among other SSDs of similar capacity. The chart below is sorted by total combined performance, which helps illustrate which products offer the best operational input/output under load:

In the next section, Benchmark Reviews tests transfer rates using ATTO Disk Benchmark.

ATTO Disk Benchmark

The ATTO Disk Benchmark program is free, and offers a comprehensive set of test variables to work with. In terms of disk performance, it measures interface transfer rates at various intervals for a user-specified length and then reports read and write speeds for these spot-tests. There are some minor improvements made to the 2.46 version of the program that allow for test lengths up to 2GB, but all of our benchmarks are conducted with 256MB total length. ATTO Disk Benchmark requires that an active partition be set on the drive being tested. Please consider the results displayed by this benchmark to be basic bandwidth speed performance indicators.

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD ATTO Benchmark Results

Our bandwidth speed tests begin with the Ultimate SU800 solid state drive attached to the Intel P67-Express SATA 6Gb/s controller operating in AHCI mode. Using the ATTO Disk Benchmark tool, the test drive performs basic file transfers ranging from 0.5 KB to 8192 KB.

The 512GB model provided to Benchmark Reviews for testing produced 565 MBps maximum read speeds that plateau from around 256-8192 KB file chunks, and 525 MBps peak write bandwidth that plateaus from 256-8192 KB. These results slightly outperform ADATA’s specifications of 560/520 MBps for the 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD model, and secures a spot near the top of our test results:

In the next section, Benchmark Reviews tests sequential performance using the CrystalDiskMark 3.0 software tool…

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 Tests

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 is a file transfer and operational bandwidth benchmark tool from Crystal Dew World that offers performance transfer speed results using sequential, 512KB random, and 4KB random samples. For our test results chart below, the 4KB 32-Queue Depth read and write performance was measured using a 1000MB space. CrystalDiskMark requires that an active partition be set on the drive being tested, and all drives are formatted with NTFS on the Intel P67 chipset configured to use AHCI-mode. Benchmark Reviews uses CrystalDiskMark to illustrate operational IOPS performance with multiple threads. In addition to our other tests, this benchmark allows us to determine operational bandwidth under heavy load.

CrystalDiskMark uses compressed data, so sequential file transfer speeds are reported lower than with other tools using uncompressed data. For this reason, we will concentrate on the operational IOPS performance in this section.

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 reports sequential speeds reaching 550.4 MB/s reads and 507.7 MB/s writes. 512K test results reached 387.4 MB/s read and 504.7 MB/s write performance. 4K tests produced 36.30 read and 129.1 write performance. The CrystalDiskMark results for the 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD placed performance in the upper half of results for SATA-based solid state drives.

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD CrystalDiskMark Results

Maximum 4KB IOPS performance results at queue depth 32 are reported in the chart below. These values represent the performance levels for several enthusiast-level storage solutions, and illustrates which products offer the best operational performance under load:

In the next section, we continue our testing using Iometer to measure input/output performance…

Iometer IOPS Performance

Iometer is an I/O subsystem measurement and characterization tool for single and clustered systems. Iometer does for a computer’s I/O subsystem what a dynamometer does for an engine: it measures performance under a controlled load. Iometer was originally developed by the Intel Corporation and formerly known as “Galileo”. Intel has discontinued work on Iometer, and has gifted it to the Open Source Development Lab (OSDL). There is currently a new version of Iometer in beta form, which adds several new test dimensions for SSDs.

Iometer is both a workload generator (that is, it performs I/O operations in order to stress the system) and a measurement tool (that is, it examines and records the performance of its I/O operations and their impact on the system). It can be configured to emulate the disk or network I/O load of any program or benchmark, or can be used to generate entirely synthetic I/O loads. It can generate and measure loads on single or multiple (networked) systems.

To measure random I/O response time as well as total I/O’s per second, Iometer is set to use 4KB file size chunks over a 100% random sequential distribution at a queue depth of 32 outstanding I/O’s per target. The tests are given a 50% read and 50% write distribution. While this pattern may not match traditional ‘server’ or ‘workstation’ profiles, it illustrates a single point of reference relative to our product field.

All of our SSD tests used Iometer 1.1.0 (build 08-Nov-2010) by Intel Corporation to measure IOPS performance. Iometer is configured to use 32 outstanding I/O’s per target and random 50/50 read/write distribution configuration: 4KB 100 Random 50-50 Read and Write.icf. The chart below illustrates combined random read and write IOPS over a 120-second Iometer test phase, where highest I/O total is preferred:

With an unspecified expected IOPS rating for this mainstream SSD, the ADATA SU800 did well enough for itself. Producing 70,887 IOPS, Ultimate SU800 wasn’t far off from some of the best-performing SSDs we’ve tested, and quite a ways off from the middle of the pack.

It should be noted that nearly all modern SSDs deliver I/O far beyond the needs of multi-tasking power users and hardcore gamers, and would be ideal for workstation systems running utilizing virtual machines.

In our next section, we test linear read and write bandwidth performance and compare its speed against several other top storage products using EVEREST Disk Benchmark. Benchmark Reviews feels that linear tests are excellent for rating SSDs, however HDDs are put at a disadvantage with these tests whenever capacity is high.

AIDA64 Disk Benchmark

Many enthusiasts are familiar with the Finalwire AIDA64 benchmark suite (formerly Lavalys EVEREST), but very few are aware of the Disk Benchmark tool available inside the program. The AIDA64 Disk Benchmark performs linear read and write bandwidth tests on each drive, and can be configured to use file chunk sizes up to 1MB (which speeds up testing and minimizes jitter in the waveform). Because of the full sector-by-sector nature of linear testing, Benchmark Reviews endorses this method for testing SSD products, as detailed in our Solid State Drive Benchmark Performance Testing article. However, Hard Disk Drive products suffer a lower average bandwidth as the capacity draws linear read/write speed down into the inner-portion of the disk platter. AIDA64 Disk Benchmark does not require a partition to be present for testing, so all of our benchmarks are completed prior to drive formatting.

Linear disk benchmarks are superior bandwidth speed tools in my opinion, because they scan from the first physical sector to the last. A side affect of many linear write-performance test tools is that the data is erased as it writes to every sector on the drive. Normally this isn’t an issue, but it has been shown that partition table alignment will occasionally play a role in overall SSD performance (HDDs don’t suffer this problem).

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD Read Results

The high-performance storage products tested with Lavalys AIDA64 Disk Benchmark are connected to the Intel P67-Express SATA 6Gb/s controller and use a 1MB block size option. Charted above, read performance on the 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD measured average speeds of 522.8 MB/s. As evidenced by the wave form, the average read speed was virtually identical to this drives maximum peak speeds of 528.2 MB/s across nearly the full range of capacity. AIDA64 linear write-to tests were next…

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD Write Results

The waveform chart above illustrates how Ultimate SU800 managed file write-transfers, indicating linear write performance speeds that appear troubled. The 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD recorded an average linear write-to speed of only 201.9 MB/s, but only after performing at around 490 MB/s for 1/3 of the test before plummeting to a mere 64 MB/s. Unfortunately, this test pattern repeated itself many times, even after refreshing the NAND with sanitary erase using the ADATA utility, so it could not be dismissed as an anomaly.

The reduced write-to performance really hurt SU800 in comparison to other SSDs. The chart below shows the average linear read and write bandwidth speeds for a cross-section of storage devices tested with AIDA64:

Linear tests are an important tool for comparing bandwidth speed between storage products – although HDD products suffer performance degradation over the span of their areal storage capacity. Linear bandwidth certainly benefits the Solid State Drive, since there’s very little fluctuation in transfer speed. This is because Hard Disk Drive products decline in performance as the spindle reaches the inner-most sectors on the magnetic platter, away from the fast outer edge.

In the next section we use PCMark Vantage to test real-world performance…

PCMark Vantage HDD Tests

PCMark Vantage is an objective hardware performance benchmark tool for PCs running 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows 7. PCMark Vantage is well suited for benchmarking any type of Microsoft Windows Vista/7 PC: from multimedia home entertainment systems and laptops, to dedicated workstations and high-end gaming rigs. Benchmark Reviews has decided to use the HDD Test Suite to demonstrate simulated real-world storage drive performance in this article.

PCMark Vantage runs eight different storage benchmarks, each with a specific purpose. Once testing is complete, results are given a PCMark score while and detailed results indicate actual transaction speeds. The 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD produced a new all-time high total PCMark Vantage (secondary) HDD Test Suite score of 89238, with specific benchmark speeds reported below:

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD PCMark Vantage Results

Our tests were conducted on an Intel P67-Express Sandy Bridge motherboard using the onboard native SATA 6Gb/s controller with 64-bit Windows 7. This test is not comparable to other PCMark tests, and may not be fairly compared to storage devices attached to other computer systems.

In the next section, I share my review conclusion and final product rating.

ADATA SU800 SSD Conclusion

IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes occurring after publication which might render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on this conclusion, as it represents our rating specifically for the item tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.

Our first rating is performance, which compares how effective the ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 performs in benchmark operations against competing SATA-based solid state drive storage solutions. For reference, ADATA specifications suggest 560 MB/s maximum reads and 520 MB/s write speeds from this mainstream SSD. In our storage benchmark tests SU800 validated the published speed rating. ATTO Disk Benchmark tests proved the 512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD was good for delivering 565/525 MBps peak read/writes speeds, placing it among the top performers. Linear testing with AIDA64 Disk Benchmark produced 523 MB/s reads,ahich is the fastest we’ve seen, but performance dropped to 202 MB/s for the later 2/3 of the write testing. Sequential read/write speed tests with AS-SSD Benchmark produced 526/497 MBps, and 550/508 in CrystalDiskMark tests.

The ADATA Ultimate SU800 solid state drive sent to us for testing does not have any advertised IOPS rating, but even mainstream users might want to know where this storage device settles in comparison. Using Iometer operational performance tests configured to a queue depth of 32 outstanding I/O’s per target across 100% of the drive, our benchmarks produced a noteworthy 70,887 combined IOPS performance. This places operational I/O performance well ahead of many other SSDs, with exception to branded ‘high performance’ SSDs. Looking at 4K 32QD test results using AS-SSD and CrystalDiskMark, this point was further reinforced.

Performance for SU800 SSD is best summarized as very fast, and very capable of heavy I/O tasks.

ADATA-SU800-SSD-3D-Solid-State-Drive-Top

Solid State Drive storage devices are low-visibility products: you see them just long enough to install and then they’re usually forgotten. Like their Hard Disk Drive counterparts, the Solid State Drive is intended to place function before fashion. Anything above and beyond a simple metal shell is already more than what’s expected in terms of the appearance. ADATA has created a sleek 7mm profile with a dark painted finish on the Ultimate SU800 series.

Construction is probably the strongest feature credited to the entire solid state product segment, allowing ADATA to stand behind the quality of their product with a three-year warranty. SSDs are by nature immune to most abuses, but add a hard metal shell and the chance for failure is reduced to internal component defects. If there are ever any problems with a Ultimate SU800 SSD during the warranty period, end-users may submit and RMA request.

As of March 2017, the 512GB ADATA Ultimate SU800 SSD tested for this review was available online for $134.99 (Amazon | Newegg). This price settles into the average for budget solid state storage at this capacity. 128GB, 256GB, and 1TB versions are also available from these same retailers, and typically with rebate incentive.

In conclusion, Ultimate SU800 delivered impressive transfer speeds with benchmark results often near the top end. While ADATA’s Ultimate SU800 is marketed to the mainstream user, operational IOPS performance still meets the demanding needs of enthusiasts. That being said, Ultimate SU800 should not be used for server installations. Benchmark Reviews recommends the Ultimate SU800 to those gamers and enthusiasts with a need for speed.

Pros:

+ Impressive 565/525 MBps read/write speed with ATTO
+ SATA 6Gb/s controller supports TRIM and NCQ
+ 3-Year ADATA product warranty support
+ Offered in 128/256/512GB/1TB storage capacities
+ Lightweight compact storage solution
+ Resistant to extreme shock impact
+ Low power consumption may extend battery life

Cons:

– Less impressive continuous linear write performance
– Some manufacturers offer 5+ years of warranty support

Ratings:

Performance: 8.75
Appearance: 8.75
Construction: 9.25
Functionality: 8.75
Value: 9.00

Final Score: 8.9 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.

COMMENT QUESTION: Which brand of SSD do you trust most?

ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 Review

By Olin Coles

SSD Ultimate SU800 Specifications

Bandwidth Speed vs Operational Performance

Closer Look: SSD Ultimate SU800

SSD Testing Methodology

Test Results Disclaimer

Test System

Storage Hardware Tested

Test Tools

Test Results Disclaimer

AS-SSD Benchmark

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD AS-SSD Results

ATTO Disk Benchmark

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD ATTO Benchmark Results

CrystalDiskMark 3.0 Tests

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD CrystalDiskMark Results

Iometer IOPS Performance

AIDA64 Disk Benchmark

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD Read Results

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD Write Results

PCMark Vantage HDD Tests

512GB Ultimate SU800 SSD PCMark Vantage Results

ADATA SU800 SSD Conclusion

Pros:

Cons:

Ratings:

Final Score: 8.9 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.

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Samsung SSD 970 PRO Solid State Drive Review

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