256GB SSD, Very Low Write Speed, Late-2013 Retina 13"

[nhhc]

Just picked up the MacBook Pro Retina Late 2013 model. 2.4GHz, 256GB, 16GB.

Using BlackMagicDesign Disk. Read is on par at 700 mb/s but Write is off by 150 mb/s. I think I may have gotten a defect and am thinking about returning. I still want a MacBook but may choose to place a new order because I am worried that Apple may give me a refurbished one if I ask for an exchange.

Any opinion? Appreciate it!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

That write speed, while atrociously slow for day to day tasks, is correct, as the smaller flash storage modules are simply slower in write tasks. The 512 GB and 1 TB module offer faster speeds.

While not directly related to your discovery: http://blog.macsales.com/20862-2013...isplay-13-and-15-initial-ssd-speed-comparison

 

[nhhc]

That write speed, while atrociously slow for day to day tasks, is correct, as the smaller flash storage modules are simply slower in write tasks. The 512 GB and 1 TB module offer faster speeds.

While not directly related to your discovery: http://blog.macsales.com/20862-2013...isplay-13-and-15-initial-ssd-speed-comparison

Thank you for the feedback. Let me reference this thread. For my 256GB, the Write speed should be 700 mb/s range.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1659887/

 

[simonsi]

Thank you for the feedback. Let me reference this thread. For my 256GB, the Write speed should be 700 mb/s range.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1659887/

Most reviews quote average write speeds around 670 mb/s, now I can't think of a fault that would cause a drop of <only> ~100 mb/s <only> on write - how repeatable was your test?

 

[nhhc]

Here is another video that shows 256GB should hit 700 MB/s range. I feel I definitely got scammed on mine. I am going to the Apple store tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YYCr_gpE14

I am also experiencing a little glitch here and there. Not a whole lot but something I don't expect from a brand new laptop, let alone a supposedly super fast macbook pro retina with all the right upgrades.

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Most reviews quote average write speeds around 670 mb/s, now I can't think of a fault that would cause a drop of <only> ~100 mb/s <only> on write - how repeatable was your test?

Very repeatable. I sometimes get less than 500. I always close all apps when I did it. When I first ran it last night I had iWorks and several other software installed (total no more than 5GB). Today I removed them and tested the speed again. The Write is still around 550 and Read is still on par.

What else should I be paying attention to? Would you like to see me take another screen shot?

Thanks!

 

[simonsi]

I feel I definitely got scammed on mine.

LOL - way over-reaction. You may have cause to return it as it may be sub-par on one aspect of the device - "scammed"? No.

 

[nhhc]

LOL - way over-reaction. You may have cause to return it as it may be sub-par on one aspect of the device - "scammed"? No.

Yeah that wasn't exactly the word that I should have used but I meant to say I am glad that I did the research and found out my Write Speed is inferior. And I am just surprised that I caught this issue. In your opinion, does that 150 mb/s drop warrant an exchange? I don't think I will have problem returning and get a full refund but I am concerned that an exchange will only get me a refurbished item.

What would you do if your newly purchased MacBook has a slower Write speed than what what everyone else is getting. What would you do in this case? I am new to Apple. Hope to absorb as much as possible.

 

[simonsi]

I am concerned that an exchange will only get me a refurbished item.

Then take a full refund and buy a new one so you are sure.

If you need to demonstrate a fault I think you may struggle as Apple will consider whether it meets their specification, not whether it is a bit slower in one performance metric than someone else's on the internet. If you have a no-question return period then I would return it within that to be safe.

 

[nhhc]

Then take a full refund and buy a new one so you are sure.

If you need to demonstrate a fault I think you may struggle as Apple will consider whether it meets their specification, not whether it is a bit slower in one performance metric than someone else's on the internet. If you have a no-question return period then I would return it within that to be safe.

Thank you for the inputs. I think I am going to return and repurchase a new one.

 

[yjchua95]

Just picked up the MacBook Pro Retina Late 2013 model. 2.4GHz, 256GB, 16GB.

Using BlackMagicDesign Disk. Read is on par at 700 mb/s but Write is off by 150 mb/s. I think I may have gotten a defect and am thinking about returning. I still want a MacBook but may choose to place a new order because I am worried that Apple may give me a refurbished one if I ask for an exchange.

Any opinion? Appreciate it!

Can you check whether you have a SanDisk (SD0256) or Samsung (SM0256F) SSD?

SanDisk ones are always slower than Samsung ones. If yours is a SanDisk, the speeds you posted are perfectly normal.

If yours is a Samsung, you should be getting speeds like those in my screenshot (I've got a SM0256F in my iMac).

 

[maflynn]

Thank you for the inputs. I think I am going to return and repurchase a new one.

That's probably the best option, especially for a new MBP. Good luck and hopefully things will work out better.

No use in living with that given the cost of the MBP

 

[Acronyc]

That write speed, while atrociously slow for day to day tasks, is correct, as the smaller flash storage modules are simply slower in write tasks.

How is a nearly 600 MB/s write speed atrociously slow? My 2012 15" rMBP with the 256GB SSD gets about 400 MB/s write speed, and for my use it is extremely fast. Whether the OP has a faulty drive or not, I'm just curious why you think 600 MB/s is such a slow write speed.

 

[TheEnthusiast]

How is a nearly 600 MB/s write speed atrociously slow? My 2012 15" rMBP with the 256GB SSD gets about 400 MB/s write speed, and for my use it is extremely fast. Whether the OP has a faulty drive or not, I'm just curious why you think 600 MB/s is such a slow write speed.

I was about this post this, then I saw your post. I agree that OP's noted speeds are no where near slow. The write/read speeds are not sustained by the way, which could explain differences. Also, the write speed could be 300 MB/s and OP still wouldn't notice any real world difference. OP still has all right to return, nonetheless.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

"Very low"....

Do you have any idea what this 'very low' write speed will have on your day to day life?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

How is a nearly 600 MB/s write speed atrociously slow? My 2012 15" rMBP with the 256GB SSD gets about 400 MB/s write speed, and for my use it is extremely fast. Whether the OP has a faulty drive or not, I'm just curious why you think 600 MB/s is such a slow write speed.

Sorry, should have put in this colour I presume. It was meant sarcastically, as almost 600 MB/s is quite fast, even if it might be a sign of a not so perfect product.
I have a Samsung 840 SSD and have fast write and even faster read speeds, but as I rarely use those speeds and are more relying on the random speeds and the latency, I hardly notice those sequential speeds, but then again, my internal HDDs are often quite fast in that regard - 130 to 180 MB/s in read and write operations.

 

[ionjohn]

Just picked up the MacBook Pro Retina Late 2013 model. 2.4GHz, 256GB, 16GB.

Using BlackMagicDesign Disk. Read is on par at 700 mb/s but Write is off by 150 mb/s. I think I may have gotten a defect and am thinking about returning. I still want a MacBook but may choose to place a new order because I am worried that Apple may give me a refurbished one if I ask for an exchange.

Any opinion? Appreciate it!

Oh my god, calm the hell down, you wouldn't even notice a difference.

 

[nhhc]

Can you check whether you have a SanDisk (SD0256) or Samsung (SM0256F) SSD?

SanDisk ones are always slower than Samsung ones. If yours is a SanDisk, the speeds you posted are perfectly normal.

If yours is a Samsung, you should be getting speeds like those in my screenshot (I've got a SM0256F in my iMac).

Thank you for pointing this out. I have the SM0256F. So I should be getting the Samsung speed.

Like many others have said, my 550 MB/s is not terribly slow and is way faster than most others. But if I am paying the same amount of dollars as everyone else, then it is a bad feeling knowing that you receive less.

That is just the mentality behind it. I am not going to stress over a few MB/s but 150 MB/s off is substantial in my opinion. That is 20% of the write speed that I lost.

 

[g4cube]

Looking at this from 30,000 ft:

Sure, Apple doesn't spec performance at all, nor provide any guarantee as to what SSD might be used inside the Macbook Pro. Also, no way to know from the product number or serial number as to what components may be found inside.

You would think that Apple would have multiple sources that would deliver similar performance.

ON a related note, Apple does offer different, identifiable graphics options: display resolution and type of graphics controller.

Back when Apple provided internal HDD, they used different manufacturers and sometimes spec'ed the rotational speed. Unfortunately, rotational speed alone did not guarantee a particular level of performance as some generations of 5400/5900 RPM drives could deliver faster throughput than a 7200 RPM drive. Rotational speed only determines latency. Similarly, different drives could have different cache sizes, too, which affected performance.

So is the OP overreacting? Perhaps a little, but if he is not happy because he is not seeing performance that others are experiencing, he is within his rights to return for a refund or exchange. He would have some extra leverage if he paid using a credit card that has a benefit permitting refunds for any reason.

The comment about Sandisk SSD vs Samsung is also of interest.

So is 100MB/sec performance difference important? Depends on how the computer is used. Look at those green checkmarks below the speed dials. Appearance of more "x" characters would indicate an inability to do editing for certain resolutions using certain video formats.

 

[simonsi]

How is a nearly 600 MB/s write speed atrociously slow? My 2012 15" rMBP with the 256GB SSD gets about 400 MB/s write speed, and for my use it is extremely fast. Whether the OP has a faulty drive or not, I'm just curious why you think 600 MB/s is such a slow write speed.

<Irony>
"the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect."
There needs to be an emoticon for this I think...

Now, back to my daily struggle with 480 mb/s

 

[heisenberg123]

<Irony>
"the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect."
There needs to be an emoticon for this I think...

Now, back to my daily struggle with 480 mb/s

lol my Samsing HDD reads and writes and 70 mb/s and he is unable to function on a drive that is 10x faster

 

[Anya B]

Thank you for pointing this out. I have the SM0256F. So I should be getting the Samsung speed.

Like many others have said, my 550 MB/s is not terribly slow and is way faster than most others. But if I am paying the same amount of dollars as everyone else, then it is a bad feeling knowing that you receive less.

That is just the mentality behind it. I am not going to stress over a few MB/s but 150 MB/s off is substantial in my opinion. That is 20% of the write speed that I lost.

I have the exact same config as you, even down to the SM0256F SSD. My speeds are Write 693 and Read 730, consistently tested.

I'm not sure what the difference makes in reality, but I would probably return it if I were you, only because you paid a stupid amount of money for it.

 

[nhhc]

lol my Samsing HDD reads and writes and 70 mb/s and he is unable to function on a drive that is 10x faster

10x 70mb/s is not 550mb/s.

I think you jumped the conclusions. I did not say I cannot function on my SSD. This is the part where empathy is appreciated. If you have never owned Apple products before and this is the first one and you spent the same $1700 as everyone else but you get less than what they receive. How will that make you feel?

550 MB/s is not slow, I get it.

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Looking at this from 30,000 ft:

Sure, Apple doesn't spec performance at all, nor provide any guarantee as to what SSD might be used inside the Macbook Pro. Also, no way to know from the product number or serial number as to what components may be found inside.

You would think that Apple would have multiple sources that would deliver similar performance.

ON a related note, Apple does offer different, identifiable graphics options: display resolution and type of graphics controller.

Back when Apple provided internal HDD, they used different manufacturers and sometimes spec'ed the rotational speed. Unfortunately, rotational speed alone did not guarantee a particular level of performance as some generations of 5400/5900 RPM drives could deliver faster throughput than a 7200 RPM drive. Rotational speed only determines latency. Similarly, different drives could have different cache sizes, too, which affected performance.

So is the OP overreacting? Perhaps a little, but if he is not happy because he is not seeing performance that others are experiencing, he is within his rights to return for a refund or exchange. He would have some extra leverage if he paid using a credit card that has a benefit permitting refunds for any reason.

The comment about Sandisk SSD vs Samsung is also of interest.

So is 100MB/sec performance difference important? Depends on how the computer is used. Look at those green checkmarks below the speed dials. Appearance of more "x" characters would indicate an inability to do editing for certain resolutions using certain video formats.

Thanks. You made a very good point. Working in the consumer electronic industry and dealing with some SSD makers, I know for a fact OEMs have multiple sources for many of its components.

I still want the 700 MB/s Write SSD but as you have pointed it out, it may be a long shot.

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I have the exact same config as you, even down to the SM0256F SSD. My speeds are Write 693 and Read 730, consistently tested.

I'm not sure what the difference makes in reality, but I would probably return it if I were you, only because you paid a stupid amount of money for it.

Thank you. This is helpful information to know. I am convinced that my SM0256F might have been a sub-par item that slipped through Foxconn's six-sigma. Going to Apple Store tonight.

 

[TheEnthusiast]

Just as a comment, so far only 128GB SSDs use Sandisk controllers. 256GB SSDs, and I've seen many, use Samsung controllers. The issue could therefore be with firmware or even a hardware defect, perhaps. Typically, write speeds are northwards of 600 MB/s for 256GB Apple PCI based SSDs. I'd be interested in seeing if OP's machine features a Sandisk.

 

[nhhc]

I have the exact same config as you, even down to the SM0256F SSD. My speeds are Write 693 and Read 730, consistently tested.

I'm not sure what the difference makes in reality, but I would probably return it if I were you, only because you paid a stupid amount of money for it.

Anya,

Can I ask when did you purchase (place order) for your MacBook and when did you pick it up?

I am trying to figure out if your Samsung was shipped in a particular time period? Thanks.

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Just as a comment, so far only 128GB SSDs use Sandisk controllers. 256GB SSDs, and I've seen many, use Samsung controllers. The issue could therefore be with firmware or even a hardware defect, perhaps. Typically, write speeds are northwards of 600 MB/s for 256GB Apple PCI based SSDs. I'd be interested in seeing if OP's machine features a Sandisk.

Thanks for everyone who has chimed in. I made a mistake. Upon further evaluation, my SSD is SanDisk SD0256F, not Samsung.

I am having trouble to determine if I have a SanDisk SSD + SanDisk controller or a SD SSD + Samsung controller. But I feel the part number SD0256F refers to the controller.

I am basically looking at About This Mac -> More Info -> System Report -> SATA/SATA Express.

 

[ldburroughs]

I certainly wouldn't blame you for returning it, but it still blazingly fast. My early 2013 15 inch rMBP hardly tops 415 write/455 read speeds and I certainly haven't noticed any issues. If it doesn't fall within Apple's thresholds for replacing, return for cash and buy another one. Of course, you may get the same thing.

Either way, enjoy!