The original release of the DC S3700 redefined the expectations of high-endurance data center SSDs and set new benchmarks for performance consistency and value. Intel enjoys a big lead in data center SSD market share, but 3D V-NAND-powered foes, such as the Samsung 845 DC PRO, have come along to challenge Intel's dominance.
Samsung has made waves with its new 3D NAND products in the interim, and after two years the DC S3700 series was badly in need of a refresh. Intel's DC S3710 is an evolutionary product that improves upon its predecessor by packing in more capacity (up to 1.2 TB), and that alone gives Intel a leg up in the market.
However, competing high-capacity SSDs are on the horizon from the other major vendors, so a capacity boost alone won't cut it. Intel also boosted the DC S3710's random write performance by 25 percent along with robust sequential read/write performance to help stave off the competition.Intel and Micron recently announced their impending move to 3D NAND-based SSDs, but make no mistake, Samsung has a big lead in the technology. Is the DC S3710's refresh enough to keep the Samsung wolves at bay until Intel can get its 3D products to market? Let's take a closer look as we pit the Intel DC S3710 against the leading SSDs in its class.
Intel DC S3710 Internals And Architecture
Intel's latest SSD (codename Wolfsville) refreshes the company's popular SATA 6Gb/s data center series with new NAND and an enhanced controller to boost performance for a wide variety of workloads including HPC, analytics, databases, vitalization and HD video applications. The DC S3710 replaces the DC S3700 and comes in the standard 2.5" form factor in capacities of 200GB, 400GB, 800GB and 1.2TB. The DC S3710 falls into the upper echelon for enterprise-class SATA SSDs with 10 DWPD (Drive Writes Per Day) of endurance during the five-year warranty period. Intel also released the DC S3610, which is built on a similar architecture but with lower-binned NAND to address the underserved 3 DWPD segment.
Storage products experience significant performance variability under load, and the previous-generation DC S3700 marked the beginning of Intel's focus on performance consistency. Intel limited the DC S3700's variation to increase application performance and provide enhanced RAID scaling attributes. This initiative changed the focus to performance consistency and sparked a sea change in the data center SSD market. Now, other manufacturers have followed suit and list equivalent metrics to quantify performance consistency. Intel provides 90% read/write IOPS consistency guarantees with the DC S3710, along with 99.9 percent and 99.9999 percent QoS (Quality of Service) guarantees.
The major drivers of SATA SSD proliferation in the datacenter are high performance, low cost, density and broad compatibility. Recent market trends indicate that SATA SSDs are gaining popularity as capacity increases, and some of this growth is coming at the expense of leading PCIe SSDs. Increased density coupled with "good-enough" performance for the majority of applications is accelerating the 2.5" SSD adoption rate. The DC S3710 offers a healthy maximum capacity boost from 800GB to 1.2TB for Intel's 10 DWPD segment.
The DC S3710 also offers a 25% random write performance increase over the previous generation, along with increased sequential read and write speeds. Random write IOPS performance varies upon capacity and tops out at 45,000 IOPS for the 1.2TB model. The 200 and 400GB models offer 43,000 IOPS, and the 800GB model we are testing today reaches 39,000 IOPS. Random and sequential read performance specifications are static for the entire range at 85,000 IOPS and 550 MB/s, respectively. Sequential write speed also varies by capacity, with a low of 300 MB/s for the 200 GB model to a top speed of 520 MB/s for the 1.2TB SSD.
| Capacity | 200, 400, 800GB, 1.2TB |
| Random Read/Write | 85,000/45,000 IOPS - 1.2TB |
| Sequential Read/Write | 550/520 MB/s - 1.2TB |
| Endurance | 10 DWPD |
| NAND | IMFT 20nm HET MLC NAND |
| Power (Active/Idle) | 6.9W/0.6W |
| DRAM | DDR3-1600 |
| Power Fail Protection | Yes |
| Warranty | Five years |
IMFT HET (High-Endurance Technology) MLC NAND is the cornerstone of the DC S3710 model. HET NAND, commonly referred to as eMLC, features higher endurance than typical client-class MLC. However, Intel transitioned from the DC S3700's 64Gb 25nm HET MLC to 128Gb 20nm HET MLC. The increased NAND density reduces cost and allows for higher capacity within the slim 7mm z-height.
Intel also improved its proprietary eight-channel PC29AS21CB0 SSD controller. Details are slight, but we do know that the second-generation chip features a higher clock rate of 600MHz over the previous-gen's 400MHz. The controller features memory optimizations to support higher-capacity models, too. The S3710 also features incrementally lower power consumption (6.9W active/ 0.6W idle) in comparison to the first-gen product.
The DC S3710 offers full end-to-end data protection, power loss protection, error protection schemes, an UBER rating of <1 sector per 1017 bits read, a five-year warranty and a two million hour MTBF. AES-256 encryption also comes standard.
Intel released the DC S3700 two and a half years ago. The original series provided consistent performance that delivered tangible benefits over competing SSDs, earning integration with every major OEM. In the interim, new competitors emerged and are challenging Intel's performance and consistency crown. The 3D V-NAND-powered Samsung 845DC Pro, in particular, is a formidable foe. Intel's refresh is designed to stave off the competition as it readies its own 3D NAND products, so let's get the DC S3710 on the test bench and determine how it fares..
The DC S3710 is managed from either the Intel SSD Toolbox, which features a friendly GUI interface, or Intel's command-line SSD Data Center Tool. Both management utilities offer SMART attribute monitoring to present drive health, temperature and endurance statistics. The tools also enable secure erases, diagnostic testing and firmware updates. The command-line tool adds the additional capability of selecting among three power-governing modes for ATA devices: an unconstrained mode, a 7W mode and a low-power 5W mode. This functionality allows users to tailor the thermal and power consumption characteristics for varying environments.
The Intel DC S3710 comes in the standard 2.5" form factor with a 7mm z-height. The case is relatively simple in design and features a thermal pad on the controller to aid in heat dissipation. The DC S3710 also features thermal monitoring and logging, along with an automated thermal throttling function that activates in the event the SSD exceeds the recommended thermal envelope.
The top of the PCB holds 8 x 20nm IMFT HET MLC NAND packages and Intel's proprietary eight-channel PC29AS21CB0 controller. Two Micron DDR3-1600 DRAM packages flank the controller. The total DRAM capacity weighs in at 1GB, and error correction algorithms protect all the steps in the data path. 
The rear of the PCB holds a slew of capacitor emplacements that provide enough power to flush data in transit to the underlying NAND in the event of host power loss. This ensures persistence for all data in flight, including the LBA tables stored in DRAM. Intel employed two electrolytic capacitors on the edge of the PCB on its previous-generation DC S3700. The move to a distributed system provides more fault tolerance in case of individual capacitor failures. The SSD self-tests the capacitors at regular intervals, and users can monitor them through the SMART attributes and Intel's management tools.
The DC S3710 leverages BGA-mounted 20nm 128Gb NAND. Over-provisioning varies based upon capacity, but ranges between 30 to 40 percent. This provides a total of 3.6PB, 8.3PB, 16.9PB and 24.3PB of endurance for the 200GB, 400GB, 800GB and 1.2TB models, respectively. Intel utilizes the JESD218 standard to determine the endurance specifications, and users with less-intense mixed and sequential workloads will receive more endurance than the 10 DWPD figure. Administrators can also opt to add extra over-provisioning to boost performance and endurance.
To read more on our test methodology visit How We Test Enterprise SSDs, which explains how to interpret our charts. The most crucial step to assuring accurate and repeatable tests starts with a solid preconditioning methodology, which is covered on page three. We cover 4KB random performance measurements on page four, power measurement on page eightand explain latency metrics on page seven.
Our test pool consists of four enterprise SATA 6Gb/s SSDs of varying capacity. It is important to consider this during the decision-making process due to the direct impact on dollar-per-GB and power consumption and efficiency metrics. SSDs also feature varying performance based on their capacity, which requires analysis when procuring similar models with a lower capacity point. Our test pool includes the 800GB Intel DC S3710, the 800GB Samsung 845DC Pro, the 400GB Micron P400m and the 200GB Intel DC S3700.
The Intel DC S3710 began our test regimen by resisting settling into a steady state. We measured Intel's 4KB random write performance at 39,008 IOPS once we achieved steady state convergence. This is exactly in line with the company's specifications, but falls below the 51,951 IOPS from the 845DC Pro. The DC S3710 and the 845DC Pro both exhibit tightly defined performance profiles during the measurement window. The previous-generation Intel DC S3700 also stays within a tight performance envelope, while the Micron P400m exhibits the most variability.
Pro in relation to the rest of the test pool. We also observe an incremental SC S3710 performance improvement over the previous-generation DC S3700, but we chalk this up to the differing capacity points.
The Intel DC S3710 draws the same amount of power as the DC S3700, which is impressive considering it has 600GB of additional NAND capacity. Samsung leverages the inherent advantages of its 3D V-NAND to draw significantly less power than the competing products. Combining the 845DC Pro's higher random write performance with the lower power consumption also gives it a big advantage in IOPS-to-watts efficiency metrics.
Intel's DC S3710 trails the 845DC Pro with a score of 79,617 IOPS at 256 OIO. We observed a few periods of inconsistency during the DC S3710's read workload. We are not accustomed to observing much variation in read workloads. It is worth noting that we record these results immediately following eight hours of preconditioning and write workloads. I would not deem these periods of inconsistency severe, and it is likely due to an internal SSD function underway in the background.
At eight and 16 OIO the Intel products provide higher performance than the 845DC Pro. Intel specifically tunes its SSDs to perform well in the mid-ranges, and enhanced scaling at lower OIO helps in many application environments. The previous-generation 200GB DC S3700 lags behind the new addition to the family, and all SSDs in the test pool outperform Micron's P400m.
The latency-over-IOPS chart reveals that the previous-generation DC S3700 actually begins the workload with the lowest latency and highest performance (until the SSDs reach .25ms). The DC S3710 also provides incrementally lower latency than the 845DC Pro under light loads. The 845DC Pro takes the win under the heaviest loads, but the DC S3710 is close in latency-versus-IOPS performance.
Mixed workload testing typically flushes out any hidden weaknesses, and we observe the 845DC Pro's significant variability from 10-40% write workloads (90/10 - 60/40 read/write). This section of the test is particularly relevant due to the similarity to many real-world workload distributions. The DC S3710 provides a tight range of performance until it reaches the heavy write workloads in the 70-90% write range, where it experiences limited variability. The P400m lags behind in both performance and latency metrics.
To read more on our test methodology visit How We Test Enterprise SSDs, which explains how to interpret our charts. The most crucial step to assuring accurate and repeatable tests starts with a solid preconditioning methodology, which is covered on page three. We cover 8KB random performance measurements on page four, power measurement on page eightand explain latency metrics on page seven.
The Intel DC S3710 averages 19,687 IOPS at 256 OIO, while Samsung's 845DC Pro takes a commanding lead. The DC S3710 exhibits a reasonably consistent performance profile, but the 845DC Pro provides a more consistent performance distribution during the measurement window. The DC S3710 displays a more consistent performance profile in comparison to the previous-generation DC S3700.
The latency-over-IOPS chart exhibits the gulf between the 845DC Pro's 8KB random write performance and the competing SSDs. The Intel DC S3710 beats the Micron P400m in power consumption, but falls behind the 845DC Pro. The 845DC Pro also continues to lead in IOPS-to-watts metrics by a large margin of over 2400 IOPS-per-watt in this test.
The Intel DC S3710 takes second place during the 8KB random read workload with a score of 46,160 IOPS, which is 4000 more IOPS than the smaller-capacity DC S3700. The 845DC Pro predictably holds the lead. Micron's P400m continues to trail the other contenders in the test pool. We also note the DC S3710's minor performance variation during the read workload, particularly at lighter OIO.
The DC S3710 and 845DC Pro share similar performance under low load (as indicated in the latency sub-chart), and the DC S3710 remains in contention under heavy load. We also note the chasm between the Micron P400m and competing solutions.
The 845DC Pro maintains a lead for the majority of the test, but its weakness shines through again in the 10-40% write mixtures. The DC S3710 features a consistent performance profile and an incremental performance gain over the smaller DC S3700 in all write mixtures.
To read more on our test methodology visit How We Test Enterprise SSDs, which explains how to interpret our charts. The most crucial step to assuring accurate and repeatable tests starts with a solid preconditioning methodology, which is covered on page three. We cover 128KB sequential performance measurements on page five, power measurement on page eightand explain latency metrics on page seven.
The Intel DC S3710 provides 437 MB/s of sequential write throughput, but Samsung's 845DC Pro takes the lead by 23 MB/s. Both the DC S3710 and 845DC Pro provide the expected consistent performance during the sequential workloads. We can also spot clear indications of timed garbage collection algorithms at work in the 845DC Pro and the DC S3700.
Our power testing doesn't reveal any surprises; the 845DC Pro continues to enjoy a large lead. The Intel DC S3710 draws more power than the previous -generation DC S3700, but this is largely due to the extra 600GB on the DC S3710. The 845DC Pro also posts a beastly 148 MB/s per watt average.
Intel increased the DC S3710's sequential read performance by 50 MB/s in comparison to the previous-generation SSD, and the DC S3710 scores a hard-fought win during the 128KB sequential test window. The DC S3710 averages 521 MB/s, a lead of 31 MB/s over the 845DC Pro. The 845DC Pro delivers higher performance at lower OIO, as evidenced by the latency-over-IOPS sub-chart. The DC S3710's slightly scattered read test results also crop up again with sequential activity during the measurement window.
The Intel DC S3710 takes the lead in pure read workloads, and the Samsung 845DC Pro takes the lead at the other end of the spectrum with random read results. In the middle of the chart, the sequential write mixtures for the Intel DC S3710 and Samsung 845DC Pro are closely matched, with the 845DC Pro taking a slight lead. The Intel DC S3710 provides more performance than the previous-generation 200GB DC S3700, and the P400m falls to the bottom of the pack.
How We Test Enterprise SSDs, which explains how to interpret our charts. The most crucial step to assuring accurate and repeatable tests starts with a solid preconditioning methodology, which is covered on page three. We cover workload performance measurements on page six, power measurement on page eightand explain latency metrics on page seven.
We also present a line chart for this test due to the intense performance scatter. Examining the 256 OIO latency results illustrates the performance spread in the normal scatter format. The Intel DC S3170 averages 35,219 IOPS at 256 OIO, and continues to display expected consistent behavior through the test. The DC S3710 actually exhibits the best performance consistency of the test pool.
The latency-over-IOPS charts illustrate the effects of the high-OIO result. The DC S3710 closely matches the 845DC Pro's performance until it reaches heavy load. The DC S3710 requires more power during the measurement window than the rest of the test pool, but manages to take second place in the efficiency metrics.
This read-centric test illustrates how close the Intel DC S3710 and the Samsung 845DC Pro are under complex random read workloads. The DC S3710 continues to exhibit a marked performance improvement over the DC S3700, largely due to the increased capacity, and Micron's P400m manages to pull within reach of the rest of the pack. The Intel DC S3710 also continues to exhibit periodic garbage collection periods.
The latency-over-IOPS chart also reveals the similarities between the Intel and Samsung SSDs in this workload, with the DC S3710 enjoying a slight lead under lighter loads. Both Intel offerings require more power than the rest of the test pool during the measurement window, which adversely affects the IOPS-per-watt metrics. The 845DC Pro continues to offer the lowest power consumption and most power-efficient operation.
How We Test Enterprise HDDs, which explains how to interpret our charts. The most crucial step to assuring accurate and repeatable tests starts with a solid preconditioning methodology, which is covered on page three. We cover workload performance measurements on page six, power measurement on page eight and explain latency metrics on page seven.
The Intel DC S3710 and Samsung 845DC Pro are closely matched in this test in overall performance and consistency, but the DC S3710 provides more consistent performance at eight and 16 OIO. The Intel DC S3710 provides more consistent performance than the previous-generation DC S3700, and the Micron P400m falls well below the competing solutions.
The Intel DC S3710 requires the most power during the measurement window, but has more capacity than the Micron P400m or DC S3700. The Samsung 845DC Pro continues to lead the test pool with the lowest power consumption and highest IOPS-per-watt efficiency.
Under 128 OIO the Intel DC S3710 provides more consistent performance than the 845DC Pro, but doesn't reach quite as high in the performance testing. Once again, we note the 845 DC Pro's performance inconsistency at eight and 16 OIO. The latency-over-IOPS chart reveals the nearly similar performance/latency ratio of the 845DC Pro and the Intel DC S3710 under lighter loads, but the 845DC Pro widens the gap as we add heavier workloads.
There are no surprises in the power testing. The 845DC Pro continues to leverage the low-power nature of 3D V-NAND to score yet another convincing win in the power segment.
SSDs are far more reliable than HDDs, in general, due to the lack of moving parts. SSDs are widely assumed to have a roughly one-percent failure rate, in comparison to the unofficial five- to six-percent rate for HDDs. The problem with ascertaining the differing field reliability statistics of SSDs and HDDs is the fact that HDD manufacturers have notoriously refused to release any field reliability data. Intel's NSG (Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group) is one of few storage vendors, of any ilk, to publicly disclose field failure data.
The chart above indicates the failure rates of Intel datacenter products at well below .2 percent. The DC entries denote the Data Center SSD products, and ARR (Annual Return Rate) indicates the total number of returned units. Intel contends that portions of these returns are due to user error, and that the AFR (Annual Failure Rate) denotes the actual failure rate. It is also impossible to compare Intel's data to other SSD vendors, simply because they refuse to release their own failure rate data. Intel attributes its low failure rates to broad compatibility testing and its integrated data-reliability features, such as power loss protection, end-to-end data protection and error protection schemes.
The Intel DC S3710 brings a smaller 20nm NAND geometry into the picture to increase density while lowering power consumption. In our testing, we found the DC S3710 to live up to its billing as one of the top contenders in the SATA marketplace. However, in some cases the 845DC Pro spoiled the party by outperforming it.
The DC S3710 regularly placed second to the 845DC Pro in our 100-percent read/write performance testing. However, the DC S3710 offered a more consistent performance profile than the 845DC Pro in mixed random workload testing.
The Intel DC S3710 scored its only win over the 845DC Pro in the sequential read test. The DC S3710 is slightly faster than Samsung's SSD at sequential reads, but the 845DC Pro delivers higher sequential write speed. The 845DC Pro also beat the average speeds of the DC S3710 in mixed sequential workloads, but displayed more variability.
Samsung's 3D V-NAND contributed to the 845DC Pro's superior power and efficiency metrics across the board. The 845DC Pro provided the lowest power consumption and highest IOPS-per-watt in every single test.
There are only a few products with 10 DWPD of endurance in the SATA segment, and the 1.2TB Intel DC S3710 provides an unmatched high-capacity advantage. Samsung displayed its 3D V-NAND SM863 with a top capacity of 1.92 TB at CES 2015, but we have no endurance information at this time. Intel enjoys a capacity lead in the SATA 10 DWPD segment until the SM863 reaches the market.
The Samsung 845DC Pro's greatest weakness comes from the fact that it only comes in two capacities of 400GB and 800GB. The Intel DC S3710 offers the same capacities, but adds 200GB and 1.2TB models. Both the DC S3710 and the 845DC Pro are widely available in the retail market, and at the time of publication, the price of Intel's DC S3710 ranges from $1.59 to $1.78 per GB, while the Samsung 845DC Pro averages $1.09 to $1.37 per GB.
The Intel DC S3710 offered better performance consistency in a few key tests, but the Samsung offered faster performance in the majority of scenarios. The lower price of the 845DC Pro is a clear advantage, and until the price of the DC S3710 becomes more competitive, it will be hard to recommend it for applications requiring 400 or 800GB capacity points. The 845DC Pro is simply faster and more economical from an acquisition cost and power consumption perspective.
For those in the hunt for a smaller 200GB SATA SSD with 10 DWPD of endurance the choices are limited. The Micron P400m comes in a 200GB capacity point, but its performance is not comparable to the Intel product. It wouldn't be surprising to see Micron refresh the P400m series at some point, but it's possible Micron is waiting for the launch of its own 3D NAND products. The Intel offering is currently the only well-known 10 DWPD SSD on the market with over 1TB of capacity, so the 1.2TB model should be popular.
Overall, we found the Intel DC S3710 to be a solid offering, but the Samsung 845DC Pro proves to be a fierce competitor. Intel enjoyed a lead in performance consistency when the DC S3700 series launched several years ago, but Samsung is gaining ground through the inherent benefits of 3D NAND. The DC S3710 displayed better performance consistency in some mixed workloads, but whether that is enough to offset its higher price and power consumption, and the lower overall average performance, remains to be seen.
Paul Alcorn is a Contributing Editor for Tom's IT Pro, covering Storage. Follow him onTwitter and on Google+.
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