Intel Optane SSD 905P Review: Seriously Fast Storage For Enthusiasts
Performance Summary: Intel's new Optane SSD 905P is a high-performance beast with the workloads that matter most for the vast majority of users. Random reads and writes are among the best we have ever seen, access times are best of class, and throughput at low queue depths lead the pack. Sequential transfers aren’t on the same level as some other enthusiast-class solid state drives, but the 905P is improved over its predecessor in that regard as well, and still offers >2GB/s reads and writes. Like the other drives in Intel’s Optane family, the Optane SSD 905P offers strong performance where it matters most.
Performance is an obvious strong point with the Intel Optane SSD 905P, but its endurance is far superior than any NAND-based SSD as well. Intel has also injected some welcome personality into the drive with its more aggressive design and sleek lighting, and we can’t forget its generous 5-year warranty. Of course, as the flagship Optane-branded drive for the consumer enthusiast and workstation markets, the Optane SSD 905P ain’t cheap. Intel set the MSRP on the 960GB add-in card at a hefty $1,299 – or roughly $1.35 per gig. That’s over 3X the price of drives like the Samsung SSD 970 EVO or WD Black NVMe, but there are some places where the Optane SSD 905P offers more than 3X the performance of those drives, for example, during low queue depth random reads.The Intel Optane SSD 905P isn’t for everyone, but discerning enthusiasts with the budget that crave bleeding-edge hardware, will likely be lusting after this thing. It offers killer performance where it matters and has the good looks to match. We’re giving the Optane SSD 905P an Editor’s Choice, because this is the drive we’d want in a system over all others right now, though we understand the premium price tag may be a tough pill to swallow for some.
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