Thread: Intel X25-M, 80 GB

The Intel X25-M is a 2.5-inch SSD targeted at laptop users who want to upgrade their laptop or netbook to a completely solid-state device along with speed boost and additional battery life. Being a mainstream component, the drive features MLC (multi-level cell) media, which is characterized by lightening fast read speeds but below average write speeds-slower than even an average desktop hard drive.

The biggest advantage of SSDs is that there are no moving parts and hence the access times are almost negligible.

We fitted the drive in a mainstream laptop and noted a speed boost of more than 20 percent. An average head-and spindle 2.5-inch laptop hard drive reads and writes drive can access data at more than 200 MB/s, but the actual throughput was slightly less than half the claimed speed. The write speed isn't as impressive as the read data at around 50 MB/s. Intel claims this hard speed. It's almost similar to that of a 5400 rpm laptop hard drive-around 40 MB/s.

This drive will be a boon if your primary applications include office suite, surfing the web, and so on. If you're looking out for faster write speeds as well as for demanding applications such as real-time audio/video capturing and intense image editing, consider the Intel X25-E (extreme). Owing to the SLC (single-level cell) media it packs in, it can write data as fast as it reads.