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Article Original: https://owo.cab/123, Simultaneously published on xLog
Introduction#
Recently, I found that the price of 16GB Optane has dropped below ¥15, so (omitted) I got my first Optane as a young person. This article is mainly about some personal tests and usage records, not a professional user evaluation, and the content is for reference only.
What is Optane?#
Intel says on their official website:
Intel® Optane™ Memory is a unique independent storage device that can bridge the gap between traditional memory and storage. It combines storage capacity and intelligent system acceleration to simplify your computing experience. You can get speed and capacity at a discounted price. (Feels like saying nothing)
From system startup to application launch, Intel® Optane™ Memory is an intelligent technology that personalizes and accelerates your computing experience on Intel® Core™-based computers. It can understand your most frequently used documents, images, videos, and applications, allowing you to access them quickly and save content even when the computer is powered off (non-volatile memory).
Intel® Optane™ Memory can understand your most frequently used programs and keep them on standby, providing a personalized quick response experience with minimal latency. It can even notice changes in your habits over time and make adjustments so you don't miss any opportunities (cache).
In fact, Optane's 3D XPoint particles use phase change storage principles, which gives it extremely low latency, strong 4K performance, and high durability. Intel and Micron pointed out in the slides shown at the press conference that Optane is 7 times faster than ordinary SSDs.
There are two types of small-capacity Optane. The first-generation Optane has the words "INTEL OPTANE MEMORY SERIES" on the sticker and has a component at the end of the disk (top), which has an obvious appearance difference from the M10 (bottom).
The new Optane M10 that can be purchased now is divided into retail version (color box/white box) (left) and OEM version (work package) (right). The one used for testing this time is the Lenovo OEM version (model ending with L).
Some Usage Records#
The 16GB version shows 14.4GB, and after formatting, it becomes 13.3GB.
The screenshot of the first power-on plugged into the hard disk box shows that the number of power-on times is 5. I tried several blocks and got the same result. It should be caused by the pre-factory test power-on.
I used it as a large-capacity USB flash drive in the hard disk box for a while, and it is really good for storing small things. After removing it and installing it in the chassis, you can see that the transmission mode is PCIe 3.0 x2 and the transmission standard is NVME 1.0/1.1 through the CrystalDiskInfo software.
This standard is a bit low for current solid-state drives, but for the purpose of Optane itself as a cache disk to accelerate HDD, this speed is sufficient.
In the Intel Memory and Storage Tool, you can read information such as the model, capacity, and temperature of the hard disk.
Open AIDA64, go to "Storage Devices-ATA", and in "SSD Physical Information", you can see that the flash memory type is "Intel 20nm 3D XPoint".
As for the lifespan of the particles, the durable level (lifetime write) of the "Intel Optane SSD DC P5800X" series that uses the "Intel 20nm 3D XPoint" technology is 100 DWPD, and the durable level (lifetime write) of the 100GB capacity "Intel Optane SSD DC P4801X" is 10.9 PBW. There have been some tests by experts in the Tieba community. After the Optane M10 exceeds the nominal lifespan and the disk is locked, it can continue to write data to the disk through a hard disk box adapter until the consumed lifespan reaches 115%, and then it can be restored to normal. The health in S.M.A.R.T. recovers to 100% and enters the "second round". Overall, there is no need to worry about lifespan~
Some Tests#
Using Optane as an SSD#
Here are some test screenshots (CPU: i7-9700K / RAM: 16GB / PCIe 3.0 x4)
The test results when Optane is formatted as a hard disk:
Even for products from a few years ago, it still leads in 4K performance and response time compared to other SSDs.
Compared with the "KingBank KP260" that uses the Changjiang Storage second-generation Xtacking 128-layer TLC particles and has a hard disk transmission standard of PCIe 4.0, the speed cannot reach PCIe 4.0 due to the lack of support from the motherboard, but the 4K read and write performance does not decrease much and still has reference value.
Comparison of 4K iops: (left Intel Optane, right KingBank KP260)
After running a round of tests at room temperature of 20°C without installing a heat sink, the temperature queried by CrystalDiskInfo is 47°C. Optane still generates a lot of heat during use, so it is better to add a heat sink during use.
Adding a summer (room temperature 30°C) environment, normal use without installing a heat sink, the temperature curve measured by Hard Disk Sentinel:
Using Optane as a Cache Disk to Accelerate HDD#
Next, let it return to its normal "position"-accelerating the mechanical hard disk (HDD).
Install the Intel Optane Memory management software. After the first installation, it cannot be initialized directly and requires a system restart.
After restarting, select the Optane memory drive and the compatible drive to be accelerated in the software. Here, I used it to accelerate a 2TB mechanical hard disk. After selecting, click Enable.
Prompt to erase data, check it and click Continue (Please make sure that the data on Optane has been backed up. It cannot be recovered after erasure!!), and then wait for the progress bar to complete.
After completion, you need to restart the system.
This time, I waited for half an hour for the restart, and it was still stuck on the update page. Finally, I had to force a power-off restart to enter the system. (I don't know what the problem is quq, but it's good to power off)
Open the Intel Optane Memory management software again, and it is successfully enabled~
You can also enable Optane memory using Intel RST. In the Intel RST control panel, select "Intel® Optane™ Memory", and follow the prompts to enable it. The difference from the previous method is not significant.
After restarting, you can see detailed information in the control panel.
I heard that the first-generation Optane may be irreversibly damaged after using a PCIe adapter and then reinserting it into the M.2 slot.
Conclusion#
Overall, Optane still has a significant impact on mechanical hard drives, but it does not have an advantage in the current environment where SSD prices are gradually decreasing. The high price of Optane products at the time of release also means that not many people use them. It is a product that is "tasteless when eaten and a pity to throw away". The storage revolution led by Intel ultimately ended in discontinuation. However, the price of small-capacity Optane has now fallen back and is within the range of playability. If your motherboard has unused M.2 or PCIe slots and you are interested in Optane, you can buy an M10 to experience Intel's "black technology". Its capacity, price, and durability make it suitable for virtual memory or as a system disk for software routers.