ADATA XPG SX900 256GB SSD Review

Performance Summary: The ADATA XPG SX900’s performance was very good, if somewhat uneven. On the one hand, it posted best-in-class scores in PCMark 7 and did very well in ATTO and (for the most part) in CrystalDiskMark tests. Its HD Tune scores, by contrast, were inconsistent, and it had trouble with some write tests as well as the IOMeter default access pattern. Overall though, the performance of the ADATA XPG SX900 is among the best of the SandForce-based drives we've tested.

The ADATA XPG SX900's performance profile is typical of SandForce 2281 based drives, with the one caveat that this SSD has freed up the extra storage capacity that was traditionally over-provisioned.  One other thing the ADATA XPG SX900 definitely has going for it is price. As of this publication, this drive costs $199.99 (street price), and with a formatted capacity of 238GB, that’s just $0.84 per GB, which is very competitive.

Considering the drive’s performance--which is occasionally very high despite the inconsistencies--the low price makes the XPG SX900 a good deal.

However, a word of caution: The drive has been out for more than a year, and as we’ve mentioned, it’s been built with at least three different types of NAND, it has at least two differently-sized PCBs (depending on the stepping), and it’s come in two different z-heights (9.5mm and 7mm), so you might want to check model and revision numbers. Regardless which iteration of the SSD you end up with, make sure you have the latest firmware update for the drive.

When you drop down your money, make sure you’re buying one of the newer versions. Scan those spec sheets with an eagle eye.