Intel 335 Series 180GB SSD Review

As the name implies, AS SSD is a nifty little program written exclusively for solid-state drives. It can still be run on a mechanical hard drive just for fun, but be warned: what takes a few minutes on an SSD will require the better part of an hour on an HDD! It is freely available for download here.

This handy tool measures sequential reads and writes in addition to the important 4KB random reads and writes, then ranks the results with a final score for quick comparison with other SSDs. In addition to the main test there is a secondary benchmark that simulates the type of data transferred for ISO, Program, and Game files. We selected this program for its precision, ability to generate large file sizes on-the-fly, and because it is written to bypass Windows 7’s automatic caching system.

Second only to Iometer, AS SSD is one of the best tools for distinguishing between multiple SSDs while providing a scoring system for easier, quick comparisons that anyone can run for themselves.

In the read tests, the 335 does fine sequentially in the 4KB test. But in typical Intel fashion, at higher queue depths 4KB read performance climbs significantly and is able to easily slip ahead of the m4. We say “typically” because Intel has always optimized its firmware to perform best at a queue depth of 32.

In the write tests the 335 doesn’t offer any surprises, but does deliver solid performance across all three data patterns. It also does well in the three file tests.

The final score is based primarily on the four corners of SSD performance (sequential reads & writes, and random reads & writes) and is split into individual read and write scores as well as a final overall score, with the Intel drive able to deliver solid, even levels of performance.