Verdict and Conclusion

The OCZ Vertex 3 3.5" 120GB SSD has a MSRP of $160, that's decent value wise though not spectacular. The 2.5" version can be found for less, though you need to include the cost of adapters and such.

The 3.5" form factor makes mounting it in a case a snap, you can use any of the normal old 3.5" bays. No adapters, no issues if you want more than one. The downside of course is that you cannot install it in a laptop.

The performance is excellent, I am impressed on that front.

The MSRP for the drive is $160, given it's brand new nature I expect it to sit at that price for a while before dropping towards the 2.5" version's going price of $120-130. Essentially you're paying for the small size, though it worth noting that I've looked around the 'net at 2.5" Vertex 3 120GB reviews, and this 3.5" drive appears to beat it's smaller sibling in the majority of the reviews and tests. I'd call it a decent value, largely because I really like that it fits all cases rather than just cases with 2.5" adapters.

Very low power consumption and a nice big case mean that the drive runs nice and cool. Being a SSD it is of course totally silent.

While it does lose some performance as you fill it up with data, that loss is less than I expected. That too is impressive.

All told there are some solid pros:

• Very Fast.
• Fits 3.5" bays without need for adapters.
• Minimal performance drop from installing Windows.
• Silent, very low power consumption.

Nothing I've run into escapes at least a couple cons:

• Won't fit in a laptop.
• Value could be better, ideally the price will come down to the levels of the 2.5" flavor.

When you get down to the bottom line (that'd be this one) for a select audience this is a fantastic drive, for the rest of us it is "only" an excellent drive, I give it a solid 9.2/10 and definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fast 120GB drive, especially if you dislike 2.5"-3.5" adapters like I do.

SCORE

9.2/10

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