Patriot Torqx 128GB MLC SSD Review

Patriot Torqx 128GB SSD

Solid State Drives are becoming more and more affordable along with ever-increasing performance and features. Patriot’s latest entry into the SSD foray is their Torqx line which features the much heralded Indilinx Barefoot controller. We will be having a look at the 128GB version but it is also offered in 64GB & 256GB capacities. Currently, you can score a 128GB Torqx drive for $350 but prices have been fluctuating frequently for SSD’s; be sure to check the latest prices real-time.

Patriot has been in the memory business since 1985 and is headquartered in Fremont, CA. Their mission statement is To be the vendor of choice for the computer and consumer electronic industries with a commitment to service and quality. We’ll see if they meet that goal with their Torqx line.

The specifications for the Patriot Torqx 128GB drive are impressive, especially with the industry leading 10 year warranty.

• Interface: SATA I/II
• Raid Support: 0, 1, 0+1
• Sequential Read: up to 260MB/s Sequential Write: up to 180MB/s
• Shock Resistant: 1500G/0.5ms
• Vibration Resistant: 20G/10~2000Hz with 3 Axis
• Operating Consumption & Power: DC 5V <550mA 2.75W
• Operating Temperature: 0C~70C
• Storage Temperature: -40C~ 85C
• MTBF: >2,500,000 Hours
• Data Retention: 5 years at 25C
• Data Reliability: Built in BCH 8, 12 and 16-bit ECC
• O/S Support: WindowsXP and Vista Linux, and Mac OS X
• Dimensions: 99.88 x 69.63x 9.3 mm
• Weight: 91g
• Certification: FCC/CE/RoHS
• 10 Year Warranty

Curiously absent in the specifications list is the mention of the 64MB of cache the drive utilizes to buffer data. Early SSD drives suffered noticeable stuttering, mostly due to the lack of cache built in so it is an important component to the overall performance of the drive.