Intel 335 Series 180GB SSD Review

Introduction

Over the last three months we back tracked and covered 128GB class SSDs after all but dismissing their existence for nearly a year. After installing Windows 8 on a SuperSSpeed S301 SLC 120GB SSD, I think it was a mistake. Windows 8, like every version of Windows before it, takes more space than its predecessor used. As we're shown in the past, SSDs slow in a linier fashion to the amount of data on the flash. Knocking out half the storage capacity with your OS and Office isn't a good way to start out with your new SSD, because it also means nearly half of your performance goes with it.

The 180GB capacity size isn't rare, but not every company builds products in this capacity size. For the most part, when you see a 180GB product, 90GB as well, a LSI SandForce controller is involved. That's exactly what Intel used on the 335 Series, but unlike previous Intel SSDs, the 335 uses new Intel 20nm NAND flash.

This is our second look at the 335 Series. We tested the 240GB model when the series first hit the market and found its performance was better than the 330 Series and really liked the notebook battery life.

Let's take a look at the 180GB part now.