Intel 320 SSD

[soliloquist]

Hello,

Have some questions about the Intel 320 SSD. Is there a difference between the 80GB and the 120GB drives other than size and price?

I seem to remember that for the Intel X25 there was a performance difference between the 40GB and the 80GB because the larger used more nand chips thus having more bandwidth (or something like this). Is there a similar situation for the Intel 320 series? Is there an optimal size drive to get all of the performace (or all of the bandwidth)?

Also what is the difference between:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820167052
The G310 OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820167051
The G3B5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820167050
The G3K5

They are all Intel 320 with 120GB. One is an OEM part but what is the difference between the other two?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

 

[RU482]

why not drop just a little more and go here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167042

 

[soliloquist]

Thanks for the quick response.

I am aware that there are other drives out there that have higher performance, but I am specifically interested in knowing the details of the Intel 320 series.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

The one difference in OEM is not getting anything to help mount them in a 3.5 drive bay, if that is an issue.

 

[kevinsbane]

The second one comes with an external kit, a USB SATA adapter. The third is the "normal" retail version, same as above except without the USB SATA adapter. The first is an OEM... I'd avoid that if you're going to get this particular drive. OEM means you just get the drive and nothing else, and Intel isn't the one covering the warranty (Newegg will be). One of the big pluses about the 320 series being the 5-year warranty, I'd personally avoid that route even if you save a few dollars. Which you don't even, in this case.

 

[sequoia464]

The 120 has better write speeds than the 80.

 

[biostud]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4244/intel-ssd-320-review

 

[a123456]

#1 is the SSD only, no cables, no anything else.
#2 is the retail SSD (retail = cables, mount, etc.) with the usb sata cable, mostly for laptop transfer.
#3 is the retail without the cable.

Just get the cheapest one. You can always get the usb cable separately and cheaper if you really need one.

Warranty is the same across all, including the OEM if you buy from an outfit like Newegg: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sol...ranty-regards-oem-reseller-retail-models.html

The 120GB is a bit faster than the 80GB for writes only according to Intel specs: http://download.intel.com/design/flash/nand/325212.pdf

 

[frostedflakes]

The second one comes with an external kit, a USB SATA adapter. The third is the "normal" retail version, same as above except without the USB SATA adapter. The first is an OEM... I'd avoid that if you're going to get this particular drive. OEM means you just get the drive and nothing else, and Intel isn't the one covering the warranty (Newegg will be). One of the big pluses about the 320 series being the 5-year warranty, I'd personally avoid that route even if you save a few dollars. Which you don't even, in this case.

OEM drives sold in the retail channel are still covered under Intel's 5 year warranty I believe.

 

[kevinsbane]

Interesting. I stand corrected.