AMD Radeon R7 240GB Solid State Drive Review

Introduction

AMD is most known for the CPU’s and Graphics cards, more recently also their APU’s and the AMD branded memory. Now the company is taking the next step towards a complete AMD system with the custom branded AMD Radeon R7 Solid State Drives. An OCZ rebrand featuring the Barefoot 3 controller and Toshiba A19nm MLC Flash, but with a twist.

Like it already was with the memory, the solid state drives aren’t built by AMD themselves but rather just AMD branded. In this case it is OCZ that makes these drives and AMD has slammed a sticker on top. But that is not all AMD has done, far from. Not only is this drive packed with the sweetest of OCZ treasure chest, it also has a special tuned firmware optimised for gaming systems.

AMD has created this SSD based on feedback from their customers, asking to be able to build an all AMD system. They realise this isn’t for everyone, but a lot will like it. Having an all AMD system will allow for quick and easy assembly, it’s a simplified purchase procedure and the parts know how to work together. For anyone else, the AMD Radeon R7 SSD is still a fast and economical solution.

Both OCZ and AMD have a reputation for performance and fast PC’s for the consumers, and combining OCZ new Barefoot 3 controller and the Toshiba high speed A19nm NAND chips will guarantee a great drive.

Three main things set this drive apart from any other SSD on the market. It is the first gaming class drive to use the new and faster A19m MLC NAND that also gives improved reliability. It uses the Barefoot 3 controller that we’ve already seen perform great, but this time it comes with a custom AMD firmware. The controller also has a higher clock-speed and said to have an even better reliability then the standard firmware. It’s capable of writing 30GB a day for 4 years with sustained performance and without any degradation.

Adding to the value, the Radeon R7 SSD comes bundled with a 3½” adapter and Acronis cloning software. It will be available in 120GB, 240GB and 480GB models, so most needs should be covered.

The Radeon R7 series is designed for gamers that are looking for a fast reliable solution when it comes to storage and as an easy inexpensive upgrade for anyone else. AMD has put a lot of effort into the development of this drive and out has come an unique offering. A performance class drive at consumer class price.