OCZ Vertex 2E 120GB review

OCZ made its name producing PC memory, but thanks to recent successes with SSDs, the company has shifted to make storage its main focus. With products like the Vertex 2E, it’s clear to see why; the 120GB SSD might use SATA2 rather than the faster SATA3, but it’s still an incredibly fast disk.

Partly thanks to its speedy Sandforce memory controller, it wrote large files at a rapid 160.2MB/s and read them at an even faster 184.8MB/s. Like most SSDs, our small file read test proved to be a real challenge, managing 44MB/s, but it caught up again when writing small files, reaching 174.2MB/s. The Vertex 2E is also very quick for gaming, loading the Crysis level in 27 seconds.

To make it easier to install the disk in a PC that lacks 2½in drive bays, a 3½in mounting bracket is included in the box. The Vertex is also backed by a three-year warranty; this is standard for most SSDs.

One of the Vertex 2E’s competitors is Corsair’s 120GB Force series F120 (full review shortly). Both use Sandforce memory controllers with only slight differences in their firmware, so performance was very close. The OCZ disk is slightly cheaper at £165, so it narrowly comes out on top. SSDs are still much more expensive than a conventional hard disk, but £1.35 per gigabyte makes it good value in SSD terms. If you’re after an SSD with this sort of capacity, the Vertex 2E is a fantastic choice.