Question about Intel Optane SSDs

[NDRE28]

Hello!

I plan to buy a 400GB Intel Optane SSD.

There are 2 variants of the 400GB drive on eBay:

1. Intel Optane DC P5800X / SSDPF21Q400GB L0310100 (400GB).

2. Dell 53M3R Intel Optane DC P5800X / SSDPF21Q400GBT (400GB).

The Dell drive is cheaper.

QUESTION:
Is the Dell drive just as good as the regular Intel one, or should I avoid it?

 

[NDRE28]

It seems that the link you provided is now dead for the 2.0 firmware. Though the other one that is newer (but 1.0) is still available. You wouldn't happen to still have the files for the 2.0 driver, would you?

Hello!

Here is the link to the Dell P5800X firmware version 2.0.0:

Lansarea firmware-ului unității SSD PCIe Dell Express Flash NVMe P5800x | Driver Details | Dell Romania

(The link is in romanian language).

 

[NDRE28]

<O.P. Update>

Hello!

I've bought the Dell EMC - Intel Optane DC P5800X 400GB (rev. A00), (PN: 053M3R / Model: SSDPF21Q400GBT)
I am using the StarTech PEX4SFF8639 U.2 To PCIe Adapter Card, and I've put it in the PCIe x8 slot (the adapter runs at PCIe 4.0 x4, though on the box it specifies PCIe 3.0 x4).

My PC:
Motherboard: ASRock X670E Taichi; CPU: Ryzen 9 9950X; RAM: Kingston Fury 2x32GB DDR5-5800 CL30; OS: Windows 11 Enterprise v24H2.

The system is snappy.
However, the drive came with firmware v1.0.0.
I've tried to update the firmware to v2.0.0, A01 from this link: https://www.dell.com/support/home/ro-ro/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=f63j5.
Unfortunately, that firmware version is incompatible with my drive, and I wasn't able to find v2.0.0, A00.

The drive is underperforming, compared to the numbers of others in benchmarks!
By mounting the drive in the PCIe x16 slot, the results are the same.


QUESTIONS:
1. Do I need to set something up in the BIOS to achieve better results?
2. Do I need to install a Firmware Update Tool, in order to install the firmware v2.0.0, A01 (from the link above)?

This is the PC build & the benchmarks:

 

[steamrick]

Your response times are double what I'd expect from a P5800X...

I am using the StarTech PEX4SFF8639 U.2 To PCIe Adapter Card, and I've put it in the PCIe x8 slot (the adapter runs at PCIe 4.0 x4, though on the box it specifies PCIe 3.0 x4).

Try benchmarking with the slot specifically set to PCIe 3.0? You might be looking at a signal integrity issue.

 

[NDRE28]

Your response times are double what I'd expect from a P5800X...


Try benchmarking with the slot specifically set to PCIe 3.0? You might be looking at a signal integrity issue.

Hi!

By setting the PCIe slot at Gen3, the sequential transfers will drop from 7300MB/s to below 4000MB/s.

Also, there's another user, on this forum, that uses the same drive, adapter card & motherboard as me, and has much better random transfers results.

Maybe, finding a way to update the firmware to v2.0.0 would change everything.

 

[Selaya]

yes, but sequentials isnt what you're purchasing an optane for ...

this definitely looks like a signal integrity issue, you're using hardware outside of its spec after all - try to set it to 3.0 and see whether you'll see an improvement in 4k performance ...

 

[NDRE28]

yes, but sequentials isnt what you're purchasing an optane for ...

this definitely looks like a signal integrity issue, you're using hardware outside of its spec after all - try to set it to 3.0 and see whether you'll see an improvement in 4k performance ...

Hi!

I'm not using hardware outside of its spec.
The StarTech official website mentions this adapter card as being PCIe 4.0 x4.

U.2 to PCIe Adapter for 2.5" U.2 NVMe SSD - SFF-8639 - x4 PCI Express 4.0 - TAA

Mount a 2.5" U.2 NVMe SSD into your desktop computer or server, using an available PCIe expansion slot

www.startech.com

So, I think that it's just the sticker on the package that's incorrect.
If it were a PCIe 3.0 x4, it would not be able to deliver 7300MB/s transfers.

But, just for fun, I'll set the PCIe slot to Gen3, to see what happens.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Do you have something like antivirus running the background slowing down your disk access? When I have Norton running it knocks on my Optane disk performance a bit.

 

[Selaya]

Hi!

I'm not using hardware outside of its spec.
The StarTech official website mentions this adapter card as being PCIe 4.0 x4.

U.2 to PCIe Adapter for 2.5" U.2 NVMe SSD - SFF-8639 - x4 PCI Express 4.0 - TAA

Mount a 2.5" U.2 NVMe SSD into your desktop computer or server, using an available PCIe expansion slot

www.startech.com

So, I think that it's just the sticker on the package that's incorrect.
If it were a PCIe 3.0 x4, it would not be able to deliver 7300MB/s transfers.

But, just for fun, I'll set the PCIe slot to Gen3, to see what happens.

oh, interesting
i have the same adapter for mine optane, and i can definitely remember the packaging specifying 3.0 only

mind you, just because it -can- run 4.0 doesn't mean it's always stable, and signal integrity issues can materialise as performance degradation, and also in cases of conflicting informations like these its best to assume it's made for 3.0 only and running it 4.0 might be out of spec

 

[NDRE28]

Do you have something like antivirus running the background slowing down your disk access? When I have Norton running it knocks on my Optane disk performance a bit.

Hi!

Yes. I'm using Panda Dome, but it's a pretty lightweight antivirus.

oh, interesting
i have the same adapter for mine optane, and i can definitely remember the packaging specifying 3.0 only

mind you, just because it -can- run 4.0 doesn't mean it's always stable, and signal integrity issues can materialise as performance degradation, and also in cases of conflicting informations like these its best to assume it's made for 3.0 only and running it 4.0 might be out of spec

OK.
I get it.
Maybe I should get another adapter card.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Hi!

Yes. I'm using Panda Dome, but it's a pretty lightweight antivirus.


OK.
I get it.
Maybe I should get another adapter card.

Glotrends cards have worked well for me. They are PCIe 4.0 and even thought I have 905p's (PCIe 3.0) I use Glotrends quad card with great results.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNG9VYTD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title (PU21, 2 nvme)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3XX7PSF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title (PU41, 4 nvme)

 

[steamrick]

By setting the PCIe slot at Gen3, the sequential transfers will drop from 7300MB/s to below 4000MB/s.

I don't care about sequential transfer, I want to know if dropping to PCIe 3.0 will fix your response time to below 15ns where they should be instead of the 28ns you're measuring

 

[NDRE28]

Glotrends cards have worked well for me. They are PCIe 4.0 and even thought I have 905p's (PCIe 3.0) I use Glotrends quad card with great results.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNG9VYTD?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title (PU21, 2 nvme)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3XX7PSF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title (PU41, 4 nvme)

View attachment 405971

Yeah.
I know about Glotrends.
I'll buy the PU11.

I don't care about sequential transfer, I want to know if dropping to PCIe 3.0 will fix your response time to below 15ns where they should be instead of the 28ns you're measuring

I'll do the test, these days, and then report back, on the forum.

I don't care about sequential transfer, I want to know if dropping to PCIe 3.0 will fix your response time to below 15ns where they should be instead of the 28ns you're measuring

Hi!

I've done those tests with the PCIe slot set at Gen3.
The results are worse!

 

[A Computer Guy]

Yeah.
I know about Glotrends.
I'll buy the PU11.


I'll do the test, these days, and then report back, on the forum.


Hi!

I've done those tests with the PCIe slot set at Gen3.
The results are worse!

Do you use bitlocker and have it turned on for this drive by any chance? Did you try disabling Panda Dome?

I am using the StarTech PEX4SFF8639 U.2 To PCIe Adapter Card, and I've put it in the PCIe x8 slot (the adapter runs at PCIe 4.0 x4, though on the box it specifies PCIe 3.0 x4).

I went back though the comments for info and found you confirmed the card you had specified PCIe 3.0 x4 on the box.

You might as well just wait for your new card. I think Selaya is probably right.

 

[NDRE28]

Do you use bitlocker and have it turned on for this drive by any chance? Did you try disabling Panda Dome?


I went back though the comments for info and found you confirmed the card you had specified PCIe 3.0 x4 on the box.

You might as well just wait for your new card. I think Selaya is probably right.

Hi!

No, bitlocker is turned off.
The AMD fTPM is disabled too.

I did not try to disable Panda Dome.
My drive will have to run well, with the antivirus on.

I'm left with 2 issues to solve:
1. Getting a different adapter card.
2. Updating the drive's firmware from v1.0.0 to 2.0.0.

The firmware v2.0.0_A01 (.exe), which is available on Dell's website, is incompatible with my SSD, which is rev.A00.
Any solution to this?
(Do I have to install some sort of Firmware Update Tool?)