Introduction  

Just when I thought SSD devices couldn't get any faster, OCZ releases another product ... the RevoDrive X2. This unit is very similar to the original RevoDrive which we reviewed a few months ago. But this time instead of 2xSATA SSD sub units found on the original RevoDrive, the RevoDrive X2 has 4xSATA SSD sub-units, which are all based on the super fast SandForce SSD controllers.

So what can we expect from the RevoDrive X2? Well, according to OCZ, it offers upto 120,000 IOPS (Input/output Operations Per Second), with a maximum read speed of up to 740 MB/s and a maximum write speed of around  690 MB/s. The RevoDrive X2, like the original RevoDrive is aimed at the higher-end and enthusiast market, and features 4 x SATA SSD sub-units configured in RAID 0 mode, powered by Silicon Image Sil 3124 RAID controller. The RevoDrive X2 is also bootable, enabling quicker Windows start-up, reduce load times, and improve computing performance, while altogether promoting cooler, quieter, and more energy efficient operations when compared to traditional mechanical hard drives.

Also, what makes this card extremely appealing for high performance users, is the internal RAID 0 feature. RAID 0 is also know as data "striping" and allows a massive boost in performance. For more information about RAID technology and data striping click here. Basically, the RevoDrive X2 has 4 x 25Gb SSD sub units mounted on a single PCB configured in RAID 0 format, this in effect gives you a total of 100Gb (93Gb useable). I've compiled a simple table to give you an idea where each of the SSD devices stand.

Last month, we reviewed the OCZ IBIS SSD, which produced phenomenal results for both read and write operations. It uses their new proprietary HSDL interface (High Speed Data Link), which can offer triple or even quadruple the performance over your standard SSDs. For those who are not familiar with OCZ Technology or their products, here's something taken from their website ...

I guess it's a numbers game, and you're probably thinking ... what does all these numbers mean anyway, I just want a SSD in my system. Well, the thing is, it's great to see that OCZ have up its game in the performance stakes. And there's no doubt that their PCI-E based SSD cards and the recent IBIS with its HDSL interface, all produce excellent performance and phenomenal speeds. But there is a down side to all of this ... and that is price. Now, I've always said that price is an integral part of our reviews, along with performance and features. Yes, OCZ do currently have the fastest SSDs on the market ... but the price of the RevoDrive and IBIS are most definitely out of reach for most consumers. One has to ask yourself, unless you're a workstation user or a high-end photo/video editor ... do you really need one of these?

Rant over, I think OCZ will continue to introduce innovative technologies which will capture most, if not all of the high-end users out there. It's now regarded as the choice of the professionals and the extreme enthusiasts. It will be interesting to see how well the RevoDrive X2 will perform. I'm expecting it to outperform the original RevoDrive, and it should come close behind the IBIS.

We'll be testing the OCZ RevoDrive X2 100Gb SSD PCI-Express Card on our test rig which consist of an Intel Core i5 - 650 @ 3.2Ghz cooled by a Noctua NH-C12P SE14 CPU cooler, a Gigabyte P55 USB3 motherboard, a Geforce GTX 460 OC, 4Gb Crucial Ballistix Tracer and a Thermaltake ToughPower 875w power supply. It's the same system we've used in our other SSD tests.

Right, let's get on with it and check out the specifications of the OCZ RevoDrive X2 100Gb SSD PCI-Express Card in our next page ...

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