Introduction & Specifications
AMD is finally back in the game with the launch of Ryzen. Ryzen is undoubtedly going to be massively popular, which is why TweakTown is planning to do several Ryzen builds for testing various categories of hardware performance. We have decided that Ryzen will be a part of our solid state storage reviews going forward; so, if you want to know what level of SSD performance you can expect from your Ryzen build, TweakTown will have the answers you are looking for.
We were able to get some limited hands-on time with Ryzen at GDC (Game Developers Conference) 2017 courtesy of XtremeSystems owner and world class overclocker Charles Wirth, or "Fugger" as he is known to most of the world.
Like all of you reading this, we wanted to see how Ryzen stacks up against Intel in terms of SSD storage performance.
We only had a few hours to test a couple of SSDs on the Ryzen platform so we couldn't run our usual testing suite, but we did get enough that we can get an accurate idea of what you can expect from Ryzen-based SSD storage performance.
Testing Platform
We tested utilizing AMD's top of the line Ryzen R7 1800X running on the AM4 X370 Enthusiast Chipset.
Click here for TweakTown's extensive review of the Ryzen 1800X CPU.
The motherboard we had access to was GIGABYTE's top of the line AORUS AX370-Gaming 5.
The DRAM supplied was Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR 4 3000MHz.
Altogether a top-end Ryzen testing platform. We ran everything at stock speeds and air-cooled. It is important to keep in mind that motherboard was not running on a finalized BIOS so there may be some future improvements that could positively affect performance.
Drive Details and Specifications
Samsung 960 EVO 1TB & Samsung 750 EVO 500GB
We wanted to test both PCIe and SATA storage performance, and we chose a pair of Samsung SSDs to test with.
To test PCIe storage performance we chose Samsung's immensely popular 960 EVO 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD.
To test SATA storage performance, we chose Samsung's value-oriented 750 EVO 500GB SATA SSD.
The factory specifications shown above are for Intel platforms, none have been established for AMD. We used Samsung's proprietary NVMe driver for the 960 EVO. For the SATA-based 750 EVO there is no AMD driver we could find, and as far as we know there is none at this time, so we had to test using the Windows 10 in-box SATA driver.
Benchmarks PCIe Storage - Samsung 960 EVO 1TB - Intel vs. AMD
NOTE: All benchmark screenshots will be AMD first, Intel second.
ATTO
ATTO is a timeless benchmark used to provide manufacturers with data used for marketing storage products.
Ryzen has a bit of an advantage in maximum sequential read performance. Intel has a bit of advantage when writing sequential data. Intel has a huge advantage in small-file performance. Comparing performance at a 4KB transfer size illustrates this fact.
Anvil Storage Utilities
Anvil's Storage Utilities is a storage benchmark designed to measure the storage performance of SSDs. The Standard Storage Benchmark performs a series of tests; you can run a full test or just the read or write test, or you can run a single test, i.e. 4K QD16.
Intel has a massive advantage in every measured category except 4K QD1 read. That said, AMD delivers very respectable performance. As you will notice throughout, Intel has superior random performance.
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark is disk benchmark software that allows us to benchmark sequential and 4K random performance with accuracy.
With CDM, there is very little difference in sequential performance between the two platforms; Intel still holds a slight edge. Intel holds a distinct advantage at 4K QD1 write, where it is 50% faster than AMD.
AS SSD
AS SSD determines the performance of SSDs. The tool contains four synthetic as well as three practice tests. The synthetic tests are to determine the sequential and random read/write performance of the SSD.
AS SSD is a demanding test and both platforms handle it well. Intel, as expected, has the advantage across the board. The Intel platform overall scores 10% better than AMD.
PCMark 8 - Storage Bandwidth
We use PCMark 8 Storage benchmark to test the performance of SSDs with traces recorded from Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and a selection of popular games. You can test the system drive or any other recognized storage device, including local external drives. Unlike synthetic storage tests, the PCMark 8 Storage benchmark highlights real-world performance differences between storage devices.
PCMark 8 gives us a very accurate representation of real-world performance. In terms of storage bandwidth, the Intel platform holds a 21% advantage over AMD.
Conclusion: Intel offers significantly better PCIe storage performance than AMD. However, it's not light years ahead as it has been in the past. Ryzen is very promising, and the difference between it and Intel isn't enough to cause us to be unwilling to recommend Ryzen as a storage platform.
Benchmarks SATA Storage - Samsung 750 EVO 500GB - Intel vs. AMD
NOTE: All benchmark screenshots will be AMD first, Intel second.
ATTO
ATTO is a timeless benchmark used to provide manufacturers with data used for marketing storage products.
Ryzen delivers better sequential write speeds than Intel at transfers of 64KB and higher. Sequential read performance with larger file transfers are about equal. However, Intel delivers where it matters most; small sequential files. For some unknown reason, read transfers with at 16KB took a nose dive on the Ryzen platform. We ran ATTO another time to see if it would happen again, and ATTO would not even run.
Anvil Storage Utilities
Anvil's Storage Utilities is a storage benchmark designed to measure the storage performance of SSDs. The Standard Storage Benchmark performs a series of tests; you can run a full test or just the read or write test, or you can run a single test, i.e. 4k QD16.
AMD delivers very respectable performance; however, Ryzen is crushed by Intel's vastly super random performance. As you will notice throughout, Intel has superior random performance. A good portion of the disparity between the two platforms is due to Intel's RST driver and superior chipset. Ryzen has no SATA driver, and thus suffers the consequences.
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark is disk benchmark software that allows us to benchmark sequential and 4K random performance with accuracy.
Here again, we see that Ryzen delivers superior sequential write performance. However, random performance is what matters most in an OS environment, and Ryzen gets schooled yet again by Intel. The difference in the all-important 4K QD1 metric between the two platforms is massive.
AS SSD
AS SSD determines the performance of SSDs. The tool contains four synthetic as well as three practice tests. The synthetic tests are to determine the sequential and random read/write performance of the SSD.
AS SSD is a demanding test and both platforms handle it well. Intel, as expected, has the advantage across the board. The Intel platform, once again, lays waste to the Ryzen platform at 4K QD1.
Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to test the 750 EVO with PCMark 8 on the Ryzen platform, but we feel what we did get is enough for you to form an educated decision on Ryzen's SATA-based storage performance.
Final Thoughts
First off, we want to thank XtremeSystems and AMD for giving TweakTown the opportunity to test Ryzen's solid state storage performance. We are pleased with the PCIe storage performance that Ryzen delivers. It is within striking distance of Intel and we believe that for the most part user experience between the two platforms is comparable. However, SATA performance between the two platforms is another matter. Ryzen is at a distinct disadvantage compared with Intel if you are running a SATA SSD.
It seems as though Ryzen is taking the planet by storm. We are thoroughly delighted that AMD is once again challenging Intel for supremacy because this is good for all of us. TweakTown is fully on board with Ryzen, and we are currently building a Ryzen storage platform and will be including Ryzen storage performance in our SSD reviews going forward.
TweakTown's SSD storage reviews are known for performance that is a cut above others. We believe that part of this is due to our preference for ASRock motherboards. We use them exclusively, and wholeheartedly recommend them to our readers. Our new Ryzen storage testing platform is currently being assembled. At the heart of it all is ASRock's awesome X370 Gaming K4 motherboard.
We will be pairing the X370 Gaming K4 with AMD's mighty 8-core, 16 thread Ryzen R7 1800X CPU, Corsair Platinum DDR4 and as much OC as we can squeeze from it all. If you want to know what to expect from your SSD with AMD's Ryzen platform, then as always, TweakTown has got you covered.