What Is The SSD In The New MBA?

[iThink Apple]

Is it Samsung?

APPLE SSD SM256E

 

[ZBoater]

Apple SSD SM512E

 

[jgc]

Some are Samsung but people have been reporting having Toshiba models as well.

 

[iThink Apple]

How can we tell??

 

[dmk1974]

I have Toshiba SSDs in both my 2012 11" base and 2012 13" base. 11" 64gb was a bit slower on the benchmark than the 13" 128gb ssd.

 

[Sounds Good]

How does the 128 compare to the 256? (speed-wise, that is)

 

[dcorban]

I have the 128GB Toshiba.

 

[Hellhammer]

Right now it seems that 256GB and 512GB SSDs are mainly Samsung, whereas 64GB and 128GB are Toshibas. The prefix (SM = Samsung ; TS = Toshiba) in System Profiler tells that.

 

[Sounds Good]

Right now it seems that 256GB and 512GB SSDs are mainly Samsung, whereas 64GB and 128GB are Toshibas.

Ohhh, that complicates things. On one hand I was thinking that I could probably get by with 128GB (vs 256)... but I've heard such great things about that Samsung SSD. Hmmm...

Thanks for the info!

 

[Southernboyj]

Mine is a Toshiba 128Gb. However the Toshiba's this year are greatly improved from last year.

 

[Sounds Good]

Mine is a Toshiba 128Gb. However the Toshiba's this year are greatly improved from last year.

Good to hear. Any idea how they compare to the Samsungs?

 

[dmk1974]

Good to hear. Any idea how they compare to the Samsungs?

The 64gb Toshiba in my 11" base MBA kinda sucks. 140/380 write/read. The 128gb Toshiba in the 13" base MBA at least got 220/440 write/read.

 

[Southernboyj]

The 64gb Toshiba in my 11" base MBA kinda sucks. 140/380 write/read. The 128gb Toshiba in the 13" base MBA at least got 220/440 write/read.

I've gotten more like 280/450ish

 

[Hellhammer]

The 64gb Toshiba in my 11" base MBA kinda sucks. 140/380 write/read. The 128gb Toshiba in the 13" base MBA at least got 220/440 write/read.

I've gotten more like 280/450ish

It depends on what software you use to test. The Toshiba SSD is based on a SandForce controller that employs a real-time compression engine. Hence it does great with compressible data but incompressible data is its Achille's Heel. For example BlackMagic uses incompressible data, hence its results are lower than some other benchmark app that uses compressible data would give.

 

[dmk1974]

It depends on what software you use to test. The Toshiba SSD is based on a SandForce controller that employs a real-time compression engine. Hence it does great with compressible data but incompressible data is its Achille's Heel. For example BlackMagic uses incompressible data, hence its results are lower than some other benchmark app that uses compressible data would give.

Thanks for the info. What alternate disk benchmark program would you recommend?

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks for the info. What alternate disk benchmark program would you recommend?

QuickBench: http://speedtools.com/QuickBench.html