Corsair Nova Series V128 SSD Performance Review

A Closer Look & Test System

Popping the top of the Corsair Nova V128, we find no surprises on the internal layout. Micron NAND arranged in neat rows of four by two while the controller sits next to the cache on the SATA connector end of the PCB.

A nice closeup of the ARM based Indilinx Barefoot controller reveals that it is the newer ECO version that supports the 34nm NAND that we’ll discuss a little further down. This controller supports TRIM for those using Windows 7 or variants of Linux that support that function as well as garbage collection which runs independent of the OS.

Next to the controller is 64MB of cache from Elpida which is found in several other models of SSD’s that also utilize Indilinx controllers.

There are 16 total NAND chips that line the drive on each side with each being 8GB in capacity. A little simple math and the sum comes out to 128GB. Funny how that works.

The NAND itself as mentioned is Micron and 34nm in manufacture. The quality of the NAND used in SSD’s has a lot to do with their longevity and performance and Micron is one of the best in the business.

TEST SYSTEM

All tests were performed on a fresh and up to date install of Windows 7 x64 with no
other applications running using AHCI mode set through the BIOS. The
Asus P6T motherboard uses a ICH10R south bridge chipset which supports
TRIM. In between every test, the drive was wiped completely (written to in all 0’s or FF) and left
for at least 20 minutes to ensure the TRIM function had time to do its job. As such, all results should be indicative of optimal performance. All
components were set to their default speeds. The components used are listed below:

Intel LGA 1366 Test Platform
Component	Brand/Model	Live Pricing
Processor	Core i7 920	Click Here
Motherboard	ASUS P6T Deluxe V1	Click Here
Memory	12GB OCZ Gold DDR3 1600MHz	Click Here
Video Card	ATI Radeon HD 5970	Click Here
Hard Drive	OCZ Vertex 30GB	Click Here
Power Supply	Corsair HX1000	Click Here
Operating System	Windows 7 Pro 64-Bit	Click Here

As you can see from the readout on CrystalDiskInfo, S.M.A.R.T. is enabled, as is NCQ & TRIM. This is a great tool to see what version of firmware the drive is running as well in the event there are updates available.

Intel recently released an update to its Rapid Storage Technology (RST) (version 9.6.0.1014) which is said to increase performance on some drives. I ran all of the benchmarks before and after the update and didn’t see a discernible difference in the outcomes for this drive nor the Sandforce-based Force drive we recently reviewed.

We’ll move to the all important benchmarks so get your geek hat on.