"When an SSD is coupled with the latest generation SATA 6Gbps interface, it will deliver the most throughput for demanding client systems," he said. "As a result of accelerating storage I/O, users can expect faster access data, quicker application loads, and boost to overall system performance."
But for desktops and laptops, the same is not true.
According to Michael Yang, an SSD analyst with research firm iSuppli, because read/write operations in consumer devices occur mostly in bursts of I/O, they're not likely to take full advantage of the 6Gbps throughput SATA 3.0 offers. In general, he's only seen a 10% to 20% performance increase in SSDs using SATA 3.0 connectivity.
"Sure, [the throughput] is 2X, but fundamentally, the flash hasn't changed, and the performance change will come from the SSD's controller design," he said.
As SSD performance continues to scale, however, with some drives achieving 500MB/sec or more in throughput, greater bandwidth will make more of a difference.
The top-end Apple MacBook Pro now uses the SATA 3.0 specification for the internal drive connection, which offers 6Gbps link speed.
Lucas Mearian covers storage, disaster recovery and business continuity, financial services infrastructure and health care IT for Computerworld. Follow Lucas on Twitter at @lucasmearian or subscribe to Lucas's RSS feed . His e-mail address is lmearian@computerworld.com .
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