http://www.tomshardware.co.uk en 10 Sun, 27 May 2012 08:54:14 +0200 http://m.bestofmedia.com/i/bestofmicro/design/groupe/logo_toms_uk.jpg http://www.tomshardware.co.uk http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-330-review-benchmark,review-32446.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-330-review-benchmark,review-32446.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 16 May 2012 05:48:00 CEST Intel recently introduced its SSD 330 family, positioned ahead of the SSD 320s and below the SSD 520s. Like the company's highest-end models, these drives employ SandForce's controller technology. We bought all three capacities and ran our tests on them.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/43-imac-ssd-do-it-yourself.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/43-imac-ssd-do-it-yourself.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 11 May 2012 16:46:00 CEST Love Apple or hate it, the company's iMac is a popular machine. Per the usual, though, Apple way overcharges for an SSD upgrade. Today, we're going to show you how to replace the iMac's hard drive with your own SSD and hopefully save a bundle of money.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/plextor-m3-crucial-m4-octane-performance-pro,review-32435.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/plextor-m3-crucial-m4-octane-performance-pro,review-32435.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Tue, 01 May 2012 06:02:00 CEST Do you want the best performance from your SSD all of the time, regardless of workload? Drives with Marvell's controller technology should be on your short list. We put seven of them through the paces and discover lots of speed at each capacity point.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-storage-value,review-32431.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-storage-value,review-32431.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:02:00 CEST SSDs prices continue to fall, and we're updating our list of recommendations to reflect those changes. This month, the best deals are found in mid-range arena. In particular, keep an eye out for 240 GB SSDs priced closer to $1/GB than we've ever seen.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/4tb-3tb-hdd,review-32430.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/4tb-3tb-hdd,review-32430.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:02:00 CEST Hitachi recently started shipping a pair of 4 TB hard drives. We can see that they're pretty expensive, but how do they compare to existing 3 TB models in other ways? It’s time for a comprehensive overview of today's high-capacity hard drive offerings.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-file-system-ntfs,review-32419.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-file-system-ntfs,review-32419.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:10:00 CEST SSDs serve up data quickly, and prices are low enough that some enthusiasts may want SSDs for data storage. Does the file system you use matter? We compare performance between FAT32, NTFS, and the newer exFAT file systems on two popular SSD architectures.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/vertex-4-everest-2-benchmark,review-32413.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/vertex-4-everest-2-benchmark,review-32413.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:10:00 CEST OCZ breaks new ground with its Vertex 4 in that this isn't a SandForce-flavored SSD. The company's latest flagship features an Indilinx Everest 2 controller that definitely impresses us. Can Vertex 4 stand up against the SSD 520, m4, and Samsung 830? ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/workstation-storage-performance-benchmark,review-32398.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/workstation-storage-performance-benchmark,review-32398.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:10:00 CET We use a mixture of real-world and synthetic benchmarks to quantify storage performance in our reviews. But how do you know our methodology is sound? We decided to test several workstation-oriented apps in order to generate real-world performance data.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-60gb-benchmark-review,review-32390.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-60gb-benchmark-review,review-32390.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:10:01 CET What makes one SandForce-based SSD different from the others that appear to be just like it? We round up 10 models with 60 GB of capacity to explore the effects of NAND interfaces. We also stumble across some interesting data related to full drives.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-review-benchmark,review-32387.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-review-benchmark,review-32387.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Tue, 28 Feb 2012 06:10:00 CET After Valentine's Day, SSDs prices fell yet again, and we updated our list to reflect those changes. This month, the best deals are found in the mid-range offering, and there's one bargain in our list for a 240GB SSD that you simply will not want to miss.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/mk4001grzb-endurance-benchmark,review-32385.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/mk4001grzb-endurance-benchmark,review-32385.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:10:01 CET Have you ever wondered what separates an enterprise SSD from a consumer-oriented drive? How about SLC and MLC flash (and a corresponding price gap)? We explore the differences with Toshiba's MK4001GRZB SSD, an obviously enterprise-oriented powerhouse.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hybrid-hard-drive-flash-ssd,review-32375.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hybrid-hard-drive-flash-ssd,review-32375.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:10:00 CET When a little bit of flash memory is good, more must be better, right? Seagate's second-generation Momentus XT hybrid hard drive is out to compete with SSDs, even as it delivers capacities typical of laptop-oriented 2.5" mobile disks.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-520-sandforce-review-benchmark,review-32373.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-520-sandforce-review-benchmark,review-32373.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:10:00 CET If you thought that Intel had conceded the high-end SSD market to its competition, you were wrong. The company's new SSD 520 centers on SandForce's SF-2281 controller, incorporates top-bin IMFT NAND, and is protected by a five-year warranty.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sata-6gbps-performance-sata-3gbps,review-32370.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sata-6gbps-performance-sata-3gbps,review-32370.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:10:00 CET Are you mulling the potential benefit of an SSD upgrade on a system without 6 Gb/s SATA connectivity? We run the benchmarks on several different solid-state storage architectures in order to determine how much performance you give up on an older machine.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-laptop-upgrade-optical-bay,review-32366.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-laptop-upgrade-optical-bay,review-32366.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:10:00 CET You want a performance-oriented SSD in your notebook, but you also need the capacity of a hard drive. Why not just remove your optical drive, drop your hard drive into its bay, and load up a brand new SSD with Windows and your apps?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-review-benchmark,review-32364.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-review-benchmark,review-32364.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:10:00 CET Welcome to the year's first SSD recommendations. We updated our list to reflect recent price drops on second-gen SandForce-based hardware. There are several good deals in the budget range. Prices are falling, so we're letting you know!]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/video-editing-performance-ssd-hdd,review-32358.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/video-editing-performance-ssd-hdd,review-32358.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:10:00 CET A number of metrics are used to quantify storage performance. If you're a content creator, you have to be wondering how such dry terminology can apply to your video projects. Rather than telling you, we're going to dissect several media-oriented tasks.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/tests-ssd-review-solid-state,review-32353.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/tests-ssd-review-solid-state,review-32353.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:10:01 CET It's easy to forget that lower-capacity SSDs are also usually slower. Today we're testing the most prolific 60/64 GB configurations to gauge where they fall in the big picture. We emerge at the other end with a recommendation based on our testing, too.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/buy-ssd-recommendation-value,review-32349.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/buy-ssd-recommendation-value,review-32349.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET Welcome to the last column of 2011. We updated our recommendations to reflect the recent price drops on second-gen SandForce hardware. There are several good deals to be found for right about $150-200 bucks. Prices are falling, and we keep you informed.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/octane-sata-indilinx-benchmark-performance,review-32348.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/octane-sata-indilinx-benchmark-performance,review-32348.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:20:00 CET What? A performance SSD from OCZ not based on SandForce's tech? The new Octane SSD features an Indilinx controller. Does OCZ rectify the controller company's past mistakes, or does it need more time to marinate? The truth lies somewhere in the middle.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/solid-state-drive-work-tests,review-32339.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/solid-state-drive-work-tests,review-32339.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:10:00 CET A number of metrics are used to quantify storage performance. If you're a regular Joe, you have to be wondering how such dry terminology can apply to office work. Rather than telling you, we're going to dissect several routine computing tasks.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-ntfs-compression,review-32330.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-ntfs-compression,review-32330.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:10:01 CET Flash-based solid-state drives with more than 64 or 128 GB of capacity are fairly small, but they're still really expensive relative to hard drives. Compressing the Windows partition frees up some space, but is that really a good idea?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/battlefield-rift-ssd,review-32327.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/battlefield-rift-ssd,review-32327.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:10:00 CET We use a ton of terms to quantify storage performance. If you're a gamer, you have to be wonder how such dry terminology can apply to having fun. Rather than telling you, we're going to dissect three more popular titles to illustrate for you instead.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best-price-ssd,review-32325.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best-price-ssd,review-32325.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:10:00 CET Welcome to the sixth iteration of our highest-ranked SSDs at any given price point. We updated our recommendations to reflect the recent price drops on second-gen SandForce hardware. There are several good deals to be found for right about £150.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/advanced-format-1tb-hard-drive,review-32312.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/advanced-format-1tb-hard-drive,review-32312.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:10:00 CET Advanced Format technology makes it possible to build 9.5 mm high 2.5” hard disks with 500 GB per platter. The result is a range of slim and speedy storage giants.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-710-enterprise-x25-e,review-32309.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-710-enterprise-x25-e,review-32309.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:10:00 CET Take note, enterprise customers: the successor to Intel's vaunted X25-E is here, and it doesn't center on SLC flash. Instead, the company is turning toward High Endurance Technology MLC. We dig deep to find out what this means for speed and reliability.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/revodrive-hybrid-ssd-hard-drive,review-32304.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/revodrive-hybrid-ssd-hard-drive,review-32304.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:10:00 CEST If you're tempted to buy a PCI Express-based SSD and add your own conventional storage, OCZ's RevoDrive Hybrid could might suit you. A 120 GB SSD and 1 TB of disk space come together on a four-lane PCIe card to serve up an advanced caching solution.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-nand-reliability,review-32297.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-nand-reliability,review-32297.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:10:01 CEST Welcome to the fifth iteration of our highest-ranked SSDs for any given budget. We updated our recommendations to reflect the recent price drops on second-gen SandForce hardware. There are several good deals to be found for right about £175]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-upgrade-hdd-performance,review-32292.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ssd-upgrade-hdd-performance,review-32292.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:10:00 CEST Should you buy a new processor for your next machine? How about a new graphics card? Have you given any thought to the status of your storage subsystem? We're making a case for incorporating solid-state technology the next time you're upgrade-shopping.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sas-6gb-raid-controller,review-32291.html#xtor=RSS-142519 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sas-6gb-raid-controller,review-32291.html#xtor=RSS-142519 Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:10:01 CEST We got our hands on four SAS 6 Gb/s RAID controllers from Adaptec, Areca, HighPoint, and LSI and ran them through RAID 0, 5, 6, and 10 workloads to test their mettle. Does your system need eight more ports of connectivity? We can answer that!]]>