Published work
Technical Analysis
More than 500 reviews, articles, guides and white papers, written to make storage technology legible and useful. 425 carry my byline and are listed below. The rest are white papers, press releases and technology-trend posts I wrote for enterprise SSD and server makers.
The archive
Every byline, 2011–2022
425 bylined pieces from Tom’s Hardware, The SSD Review, TechnologyX and Overclock.net, 40 of them Editor’s Choice reviews. Every card opens the original.
Stories 351 to 400 of 425, newest first.
Samsung 850 EVO SSD Review (1TB) – Differing Series Controllers ComparedThe Samsung 850 EVO is a third generation TLC NAND SSD, second 3D V-NAND product on the market, and the first SSD in the industry to feature 3-bit 3D V-NAND. At first people were weary of TLC NAND, due to the issues it presents. TLC NAND has much lower endurance and slower performance when compared to MLC and SLC.
Samsung Magician 4.5 RAPID Mode – Evaluated With Demonstrated Speed IncreaseOver the years, consumers have demanded and pushed manufacturers to develop SSD toolboxes to use when they install an SSD in their system. Offering a SSD toolbox has become almost a necessity in today’s SSD market.
SSD of the Week – OCZ Arc 100Our SSD of the Week series became a little side tracked over the past few weeks. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals going on, almost any SSD was a good buy. Now however, prices are back where they should be and the holidays are just around the corner.
Mushkin Reactor SSD Review (1TB) – High Value High Capacity SSDs Become the NormIt has been quite a while since Mushkin has released a new SSD product. Our last Mushkin product review was in 2013 where we ripped apart their Scorpion Deluxe PCIe SSD which utilizes multiple SandForce controller based SSDs on a single PCIe card.
Samsung 850 EVO SSD Review (120/500GB) – Showing Off 3D TLC V-NANDAt the end of June, Samsung released the 850 Pro which was the successor to the 840 Pro. With it came their brand new 32-layer MLC 3D V-NAND flash, and this flash allows for greater durability, lower power consumption, improved performance and a 10 year warranty.
Thermaltake Core V51 Mid-Tower PC Case ReviewEstablished in 1999, Thermaltake has been in the computer case industry for years. Being a part time computer tech, I built plenty of rigs with their products. They typically offer plenty of value combining a high level of user convenience with their designs at low prices. Their new Core series of cases are no exception.
Top Cyber Monday SSD Deals 2014Don’t miss out on a chance to upgrade your PC on the cheap. If this Thanksgiving and Black Friday wasn’t enough, there is still time to get some great deals on new SSDs this Cyber Monday. SSDs speed up everything from system boot time, to application loading. We’ve seen dramatic differences in old systems with just a simple SSD upgrade.
Top SSD Thanksgiving Sales 2014It’s that time of the year again, when online retailers are dropping prices on products left and right. Over the past few days there have been some okay deals when it comes to SSDs in anticipation of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
SSD of the Week – The Plextor M6eWhen building a gaming PC, the first thing you think of is speed.
SanDisk’s Fusion ioMemory Accelerates High Energy Physics ResearchTo speed up the potential discovery of new particles and forces that will help explain the building blocks of the universe, physicists need supercomputers with the fastest storage solutions. Today, SanDisk announced that the University of Michigan and University of Victoria (CA) are utilizing SanDisk’s Fusion ioMemory solutions.- SSD of the Week – SanDisk Ultra IIIn the most recent SSD of the Week we went over the top performing Samsung XP941 as our highlight. It offers speeds that are twice that of the SATA 6Gb/s limit in a M.2 form factor. Now, we are going to focus back on the mainstream market. This week we are looking at the SanDisk Ultra II.
Intel Expands DC S3500 Series SSD Family – Higher Capacity and M.2 OptionsIntel’s DC S3500 Series SSDs for data centers and cloud computing are designed for fast consistent read performance with strong data protection in mind. Intel puts their drives under 5000 unique tests to ensure quality and a low .44% failure rate.
SSD of the Week – Samsung XP941 M.2 PCIe 2.0 X4Last week we went over the top SATA based SSD on the market, the Samsung 850 Pro. Today, we are going to take a look at the top M.2 drive on the market…which also happens to be by Samsung, the XP941! Most manufacturers have been releasing SATA based M.2 drives recently. These drives have a 6Gb/s interface limit.
Transcend MTS800 M.2 2280 SATA SSD Review (128GB)We have been seeing more M.2 SSDs lately, a lot of which are companies’ first steps into the market since the form factor is so new. They have been designed to meet strict size requirements and allow for greater flexibility in product development. They are the perfect fit for mobile devices with their compact size and light weight.
SSD of the Week – Samsung 850 ProSamsung has had a strong track record with SSDs. Their drives offer high reliability as well as high performance for those with a need for speed. They are one of the few manufacturers that designs and manufacturers every major SSD component in their drives. That alone should tell you about their expertise and strength in the industry.
KINGMAX M.2 2242 SATA SSD Review (128GB)KINGMAX started off back in 1989 and has been committed to becoming a leader in global memory technology since. They manufacture an array of memory products from DRAM to USB drives to SSDs. They have been offering 2.5″ SSDs since 2008 and the release of their M.2 2242 and M.2 2280 SATA SSDs marks their first step into the M.2 world.
SSD of the Week – Crucial M550 M.2 SATA SSDCrucial has been a leader in delivering value to their customers, whether it be in their SSDs or their great customer support. A few weeks ago we dubbed their new MX100 one of the best budget 2.5″ SSDs out. It follows in the footsteps of their M550.
IronKey Workspace W700 Secure Flash Drive ReviewThe International Data Corporation reported that there are over 1 billion workers in the mobile workforce today. With the increased use of mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops, the fact is that the mobile workforce continues to grow.
SSD of the Week – RevoDrive 350Focused on the SanDisk Extreme Pro, last week’s SSD of the Week was aimed towards high end SATA performance at a cost that wouldn’t break the bank. This week, we will be following a similar trend, however this time, we are focusing on the PCIe interface. When working with large media files, speed is king.
Micron M600 mSATA SSD Review (256GB)M.2 SSDs were developed to replace the mSATA form factor, however these devices are still in their infancy and the demand for mSATA SSD still exists. mSATA SSDs are mainly deployed in mobile devices such as tablets, laptops, and Ultrabooks because they allow for lighter and thinner designs.
Micron M600 M.2 SATA SSD Review (256GB)M.2 SSDs are starting to gain traction. The Samsung XP941 is starting to become more available and Plextor won Best of Show with their M6e at FMS this year. Both LiteOn and Hynix displayed some 1TB M.2 SSDs and LSI showed off some M.2 reference designs with their latest SF37000 controller.
SSD of the Week – SanDisk Extreme ProLast week we stepped it down a bit for the SSD of the Week with the value oriented Crucial MX100. This week, we decided to step it back up and focus on the enthusiast class 2.5″ drives. This week’s SSD highlight is the SanDisk Extreme Pro.
SanDisk Announces X300 SSD and STAR Services for Corporate EnvironmentsThis morning, SanDisk announces the X300 SSD and its SanDisk Tech Assisted Refresh services. The 24/7 mobile workforce continues to grow in the corporate world. HDDs are becoming too slow and unreliable. Corporations demand storage solutions with higher performance and reliability. SanDisk’s the release of the new X300 SSD and STAR program are the perfect solutions for these issues.
Micron M600 SSD Review (256GB/1TB)As a reader on our site, you should be very familiar with Crucial and their highly regarded consumer SSDs. Most recently recently, they announced their newest drive the MX100.
SSD of the Week – Crucial MX100Last week we kicked it up a notch for the SSD of the Week with the enterprise Intel NVMe PCIe DC P3700. However, this week we are on the opposite spectrum with the budget SSDs. The highlight of this week is the Crucial MX100.
Kingston SM2280S3 M.2 SATA SSD Review (240GB)The introduction of the SM2280S3 M.2 SSD last June marked Kingston Technology’s first entry to the M.2 SSD arena. For those new to M.2 SSDs, M.2 marks the standardization of smaller form factor SSDs to sizes smaller than what we have seen in mSATA.
RAIDON Runner GR2660 SSD/HDD RAID Enclosure ReviewExternal enclosures offer users many options and benefits from storage expansion to redundancy and speed. RAIDON Technology Inc. has been in the storage industry since 2000. They focus on high quality and unique product designs to provide professionals with reliable data storage solutions.
The SSD Review SSD of the Week – Intel NVMe P3700 SSDLast week we started off the SSD of the Week series with the value oriented the Samsung 840 EVO. This week we are focusing on pure performance. Where else could we look besides the first NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD on the market? Intel is a big name in the SSD world and are known for their performance and reliability.
Micron Announces M600 Client SSD Family To Include Notebook, M.2 and mSATA Form FactorsMicron Technology, Inc., a global leader in storage technology, is announcing their next generation SSD, the M600. The M600 is a client-class SSD that sets the bar for high performance, high power efficiency, and robust endurance.
SanDisk Ultra II SSD Review (240GB) – TLC Memory Goes MainstreamSanDisk is a world leading producer in NAND flash and NAND flash products. From consumer SD cards and USB drives to OEM flash storage, SanDisk is everywhere in this market. Just a few months ago, they released their highest end, enthusiast class SSD, the Extreme Pro.
Angelbird SSD2go Pocket External SSD Review (512GB)We are always on the go and the safe transport of our data is of high importance, especially for media professionals such as myself. Whether it is travel from home to office or offsite to remote regions for a new project, I need to make sure my data is safe and backed up as it is created.
The SSD Review SSD of the WeekLast week we looked throughout the flash memory market to find what we thought were the Top SSD Picks for Fall 2014. In response to the unexpected response to that article, we have decided to post a new weekly article that identifies the best SSDs, and SSD prices, found each week.
Top SSD Picks for Fall 2014Summer has come and gone, and over the past few months, there have been quite a few SSDs released into the market, and the question of, “Which SSD should I buy?” seems to still come up a lot around forums. Usually, there are some predetermined recommended favorite in each.
Func KB-460 Keyboard ReviewA few years ago, an era of change came to Func, and with it came a desire to redefine the gaming experience once again. In order to do this, they had to look beyond just cosmetics, and find a way to bring performance and functionality to its peak in one place. That’s where the KB-460 mechanical keyboard comes from.- OCZ ARC 100 SSD Review (240GB) – Consistency in a Value SSDIt has been quite a while since we have seen a value oriented SSD from OCZ. Their last two releases where the Vector 150 and the Vertex 460, the latest updates to their enthusiast and mainstream drive lines.
Plextor PlexTurbo Demo and M6 Pro Release Imminent- FMS 2014 UpdateWell, things have been very busy here at FMS over the past few days and now it is finally drawing to a close. Before we left, we stopped by the Plextor booth to see what was going on with them and their product line. There we saw a demonstration of their new PlexTurbo.
LiteOn Shows Off 2TB 2.5″ SATA and 1TB M.2 Enterprise SSDs – FMS 2014 UpdateFrom the many things we have seen at FMS this year, we were surprised to see two things from LiteOn. One being their 1TB P1P M.2 form factor enterprise drive and the other being their 2TB 7mm 2.5″ N9S drive.
LSI SandForce SF3700 Displays 1.3GB/s in Mixed Workloads – FMS 2014 UpdateAs much as the LSI SF3700 speaks to 1.8GB/s performance as a spec high data transfer, this year at FMS they are focusing more on real-world performance and endurance. Currently, we are seeing the SF3700 controller reaching 1300MB/s in mixed 80%/20% read/write workloads in this demonstration.
Toshiba Shows Off OCZ Acquisition and Also Displays 15nm NAND & New SSDs – FMS 2014 UpdateThose familiar to FMS might have noticed a bit of a change this year; the conference was missing that all too familiar OCZ flair around the entrance that so many had become accustomed to.
Hynix Presents 1TB M.2 SSDs and 3D NAND – FMS 2014 UpdateWalking around the booth floor of FMS, we found Hynix displaying some new products. What happened to catch our eye was a 1 TB M.2 SSD on display. Advertised performance for the PCIe Gen 2 M.2 drives comes in at 1.4GB/s reads and up to 930MB/s writes and 120k/100k read/write IOPS for the 1TB model.
Phison Intros Strong SATA 3 SSD controller – FMS 2014 UpdateAfter a quick briefing with Phison’s Michael Wu, we learned of their new SATA 3 based controller. Designed from the ground up by Phison, the PS3110 is a 32-bit quad-core 8 channel controller that supports SLC, MLC, and TLC NAND flash. It offers capacity support for up to 2TB. It also offers external DDR3L memory support from 256MB-2GB.
Samsung EVO SDHC UHS-1 U1 Card Review (32GB)Segmented into three series are Samsung’s newest line of SD cards; their naming scheme following their SSD offerings with the Pro and EVO designations. We recently reviewed the 64GB microSDXC version of their highest end Pro and were very impressed with its market leading performance. Following their Pro series, Samsung released the EVO series and Standard series cards.
Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM Telephoto Lens ReviewTypically when you go to buy a DSLR and you don’t have any lenses already, you would opt to buy one with what is called a kit lens. It is called a kit lens because with DSLRs, there are two main parts to the camera. The body and the lens.
Samsung Pro microSDXC UHS-1 U1 Card Review (64GB)A few months ago Samsung launched their new series of SD and microSD cards. They are segmented into three categories. The lowest being their Standard series for the typical every day, non-performance oriented consumer. Next up is their EVO series, marketed towards those who want a little more performance out of their storage with transfer speeds up to 48MB/s.
Kingston Mobilelite Wireless G2 ReviewAlmost everyone have mobile phones and tablets these days. They help to run our chaotic lives and store photos, videos, and documents now just as our PCs do. However, with more powerful devices and larger media and document files comes the need for more battery power and capacity.- Samsung 850 Pro SSD Review (128GB) – 3D V-NAND Creates a New Playing FieldIntroducing the world’s first consumer SSD with Samsung’s second generation of 3D NAND called V-NAND, the new and improved Samsung 850 Pro! Yes, that is right, 3D NAND. Oh, and do I even need to mention that it is fast? Finally, we are making break throughs in engineering and moving on to better NAND design.
Patriot Supersonic Phoenix Flash Drive Review (256GB)While HDDs are great for storing personal documents and offer us high capacity at a decent price, they do have their cons. When constantly on the run, consumers want fast and reliable external storage in a very portable form factor. Portable external HDDs are usually able to meet those needs, but not always.
ADATA Premier Pro SDXC UHS-1 U3 Card Review (128GB)Higher quality media requires greater data rates to capture it. This means that storage requirements call for greater speed and capacity. The newest DSLRs are able to take high speed continuous bursts at 20 megapixels+ per image, resulting in 20-50MB per RAW image taken.- Crucial MX100 SSD Review (256/512 GB) – Crucial Strikes a Victory For ValueCrucial has been making reliable cost effective mainstream SSDs for years now. Each new product release striving for better performance, reliability, and value. The recent release of the M550 built upon their M500, offering even better performance, but at a higher price point per GB. Because of this, Crucial needed to release a more modern lower budget drive.
ADATA XPG SDXC UHS-1 U3 Card Review (64GB)With all the new Ultra HD (4K2K) video cameras coming out to the market such as the Canon 1-D C and Panasonic Lumix GH4, media professionals need faster writing and larger capacity memory cards.
From my author pages at Tom’s Hardware and The SSD Review, as of November 4, 2026. TechnologyX is offline, so its cards open the Internet Archive copies.
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