Intel
320 Series
SATA 2.5" · SATA II (3 Gbps) · Intel PC29AS21BA0
SATA 2.5" 2011 5-year warranty 40 GB – 600 GB
Specs & Capacities
Specifications
| Interface | SATA II (3 Gbps) |
|---|---|
| Controller | Intel PC29AS21BA0 |
| NAND Type | MLC (25nm) |
| DRAM Cache | Yes |
| Warranty | 5 years |
| Active Power | 0.15 W |
| Idle Power | 0.1 W |
| Seq Read | 200 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 45 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 30,000 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 3,700 IOPS |
| Seq Read | 270 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 90 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 38,000 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 10,000 IOPS |
| Seq Read | 270 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 130 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 38,000 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 14,000 IOPS |
| Seq Read | 270 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 165 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 39,000 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 21,000 IOPS |
| Seq Read | 270 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 205 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 39,500 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 23,000 IOPS |
| Seq Read | 270 MB/s |
|---|---|
| Seq Write | 220 MB/s |
| Rand Read | 39,500 IOPS |
| Rand Write | 23,000 IOPS |
Editor Notes
Overview
The Intel 320 Series, released in 2011, is the successor to the X25-M. The move from 34nm to 25nm MLC NAND reduced cost per gigabyte and expanded the lineup to include 300GB and 600GB capacities (the X25-M topped out at 160GB). The in-house Intel controller was carried over; full disk encryption (AES-128) was added as a new feature.
Sequential read peaks at 270 MB/s on 80GB and above; the 40GB model is limited to 200 MB/s read. Write scales with capacity: 45 MB/s at 40GB through 220 MB/s at 600GB, within the SATA II (3 Gbps) ceiling. Available in 40GB, 80GB, 120GB, 160GB, 300GB, and 600GB in the 2.5-inch form factor; 1.8-inch versions were also offered in 80GB, 160GB, and 300GB.
External Reviews
Reviews
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“The inclusion of full disk encryption is nice and it's something I hope all controller makers will embrace going forward as well. My biggest issue with the 320 is that it's not very forward looking.”
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“Overall we see the Intel SSD 320 posts a big improvement over the previous generation X25-M on almost all fronts.”
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“The 320 Series SSD could become a very attractive mid-range solution, but as it stands, it's tough to recommend when fundamentally quicker drives are available for less.”