Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD Review
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is a high-performance solid-state drive designed for enthusiasts and professionals who demand speed and reliability. It is ideal for users who require fast boot times, quick application loading, and high data transfer rates for demanding tasks like gaming, video editing, and content creation.
Key Features and Specifications
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD boasts several key features that contribute to its impressive performance:
- Intel’s 3D NAND Technology: This technology enables high storage density and improved endurance compared to traditional 2D NAND, resulting in a more reliable and durable SSD.
- SATA III Interface: The SSD utilizes the SATA III interface, offering a maximum theoretical transfer rate of 6 Gbps.
- High Sequential Read and Write Speeds: The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD delivers exceptional sequential read and write speeds, reaching up to 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s respectively.
- Random Read and Write Performance: It also excels in random read and write performance, providing fast access to data scattered across the drive.
- Low Latency: With its low latency, the SSD ensures quick response times, minimizing loading times and improving overall system responsiveness.
- Advanced Power Management: The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD features advanced power management features that optimize power consumption and extend battery life.
- Enhanced Reliability and Durability: The SSD is built with robust components and advanced error correction technologies, ensuring data integrity and long-term reliability.
Performance: Intel 730 480gb Ssd Review
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD delivers impressive performance, particularly in sequential read and write speeds. It consistently outperforms other SSDs in its price range, making it a compelling choice for users demanding high throughput.
Sequential Read and Write Speeds
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD boasts impressive sequential read and write speeds, reaching up to 550 MB/s and 450 MB/s respectively. This performance is significantly faster than many other SSDs in its price range, which typically offer speeds around 500 MB/s and 400 MB/s.
Impact of Different Workloads on Performance
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD demonstrates consistent performance across various workloads. In demanding tasks like video editing and gaming, the SSD maintains its high throughput, ensuring smooth and responsive operation. Its performance remains consistent even under heavy multi-tasking scenarios, making it an ideal choice for users requiring a reliable and fast storage solution.
Real-World Examples of SSD Performance in Specific Applications, Intel 730 480gb ssd review
In real-world applications, the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD shines. For instance, video editors experience significantly faster rendering times, while gamers benefit from quicker loading times and smoother gameplay. The SSD’s high performance also translates to faster boot times and application launches, enhancing overall system responsiveness.
Durability and Reliability
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD boasts impressive durability and reliability, making it a solid choice for demanding workloads and long-term data storage. Let’s delve into the key aspects that contribute to its resilience.
Endurance Rating and Lifespan
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is rated for 100 terabytes written (TBW), which translates to a significant amount of data write operations before the drive starts experiencing performance degradation. This endurance rating provides assurance that the drive can handle heavy workloads without compromising its longevity.
To put this into perspective, if you were to write 10GB of data per day, the drive would last for approximately 27 years before reaching its TBW limit. However, it’s important to note that real-world usage patterns vary significantly, and factors such as the type of data written and the frequency of write operations can influence the actual lifespan.
While the drive’s endurance rating is a good indicator of its longevity, it’s worth mentioning that SSDs, unlike hard disk drives (HDDs), don’t have moving parts, which makes them less susceptible to mechanical failures. This inherent advantage contributes to their overall reliability and makes them a more durable storage solution.
Warranty
Intel provides a 3-year warranty for the 730 Series 480GB SSD, which offers peace of mind knowing that you’re covered in case of any manufacturing defects or malfunctions. This warranty period is standard for most SSDs in the market, and it reflects Intel’s confidence in the quality and reliability of their product.
Data Security Features
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD incorporates several data security features to protect your sensitive information from unauthorized access. These features include:
- 256-bit AES Hardware Encryption: This encryption standard provides a robust level of protection for your data, making it virtually impossible for unauthorized individuals to access it without the correct decryption key.
- Self-Encrypting Drive (SED): The SSD is equipped with a self-encrypting drive feature that automatically encrypts all data stored on the drive, providing an additional layer of security.
- TRIM Support: TRIM support enables the operating system to inform the SSD about deleted files, allowing the drive to optimize its performance and extend its lifespan by efficiently managing data storage.
These security features make the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD a suitable choice for storing sensitive data, such as financial records, personal files, and confidential documents.
Features
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD boasts a compelling set of features that contribute to its performance and reliability. This section delves into the key aspects of the SSD’s design, including its interface, form factor, and compatibility with various operating systems.
Interface
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD utilizes the SATA III interface, offering a maximum theoretical transfer speed of 6 gigabits per second (Gbps). This interface is widely adopted in personal computers and laptops, ensuring compatibility with a broad range of systems. The SATA III interface enables fast data transfer rates, enhancing the overall responsiveness of the system.
Form Factor
The SSD features a standard 2.5-inch form factor, making it compatible with most desktop and laptop computers that utilize traditional hard drive bays. This form factor ensures easy installation and compatibility with a wide range of systems. The compact size of the SSD also allows for greater flexibility in system configurations, particularly in laptops with limited space.
Operating System Compatibility
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. The SSD’s drivers are typically included in the operating system’s installation media or can be downloaded from Intel’s website. This broad compatibility ensures that the SSD can be seamlessly integrated into different computing environments.
Pros and Cons
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD offers impressive performance, durability, and reliability, making it a compelling choice for demanding users. However, it also comes with certain drawbacks, such as its price and limited features. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve compiled a table that Artikels the pros and cons of this SSD.
Pros and Cons
This table provides a concise overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Excellent read and write speeds, making it suitable for demanding applications. | Higher price compared to other SSDs in the market. |
High durability and reliability, thanks to its advanced features and quality components. | Limited features compared to some high-end SSDs, such as NVMe support. |
Solid performance consistency, ensuring smooth and reliable operation. | Limited capacity options, only available in 480GB and 960GB. |
Strong brand reputation and excellent customer support. | Power consumption can be higher than some other SSDs. |
Comparison to Competitors
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD stands out in a crowded market of solid-state drives. To understand its position, we’ll compare it to other SSDs in the same price range, highlighting key differences in performance, features, and pricing.
Comparison Table
The table below compares the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD to its main competitors, providing a quick overview of their performance and features:
| SSD | Capacity | Interface | Read Speed (MB/s) | Write Speed (MB/s) | Price (USD) |
|—|—|—|—|—|—|
| Intel 730 Series 480GB | 480GB | SATA III | 550 | 520 | 120 |
| Samsung 850 EVO 500GB | 500GB | SATA III | 540 | 520 | 130 |
| Crucial MX300 525GB | 525GB | SATA III | 530 | 510 | 110 |
| SanDisk Ultra II 480GB | 480GB | SATA III | 550 | 510 | 100 |
Performance Comparison
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD delivers solid performance, particularly in sequential read and write speeds. It closely matches the Samsung 850 EVO in these metrics, exceeding the Crucial MX300 and SanDisk Ultra II. However, in random read and write performance, the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD falls slightly behind the Samsung 850 EVO and Crucial MX300, indicating a potential trade-off between sequential and random performance.
Feature Comparison
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD boasts several features, including Intel’s Smart Response Technology (SRT), which leverages a small amount of flash memory as a cache to improve system performance. This feature is not found in the Samsung 850 EVO, Crucial MX300, or SanDisk Ultra II, making the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD a more attractive option for users who prioritize system responsiveness.
Price Comparison
In terms of pricing, the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD falls in the mid-range, slightly more expensive than the SanDisk Ultra II but less expensive than the Samsung 850 EVO. While the Crucial MX300 is the most affordable option, it offers slightly lower performance compared to the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD.
Conclusion
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD delivers exceptional performance, durability, and reliability. Its impressive read and write speeds, coupled with its robust build quality, make it a compelling choice for demanding users. Whether you’re a gamer, a creative professional, or simply looking for a reliable storage solution, the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is worth considering.
Recommendations for Potential Buyers
The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is an excellent option for users who prioritize performance, durability, and reliability. Its high read and write speeds, along with its robust build quality, make it a suitable choice for demanding applications, such as gaming, video editing, and content creation.
However, it’s important to note that the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD comes at a premium price point. If you’re on a tight budget, you may want to consider other SSD options that offer similar performance at a lower price.
Potential Improvements for Future Models
While the Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD is a highly capable drive, there are a few areas where Intel could improve in future models.
One area for improvement is the drive’s power consumption. The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD consumes a relatively high amount of power, which could be a concern for users who prioritize battery life on laptops.
Another area for improvement is the drive’s warranty. The Intel 730 Series 480GB SSD comes with a 3-year warranty, which is standard for most SSDs. However, some competitors offer longer warranties, which could be a deciding factor for some buyers.
Intel 730 480gb ssd review – The Intel 730 480GB SSD is a compelling option for those looking for a balance of performance and reliability. It delivers solid read and write speeds, offers a good warranty, and boasts impressive durability. While it may not be the absolute fastest SSD on the market, it’s a great choice for everyday users and gamers who want a reliable and affordable upgrade. If you’re looking for a new SSD and want to make sure your data is safe, the Intel 730 480GB SSD is definitely worth considering.
The Intel 730 480GB SSD is a solid choice for those seeking a fast and reliable storage solution. While its performance is impressive, it’s worth noting that the cost of storage can be a significant factor for businesses, especially with the rising popularity of mobile payments. That’s where Samsung Pay comes in, as they’ve announced they won’t charge merchants any fees for using their platform.
This move could potentially benefit businesses that rely on the Intel 730 SSD by reducing their overall transaction costs and allowing them to reinvest those savings in other areas.