Final Thoughts
Pricing and Availability
At the time of this review, the 480GB version which I tested isn’t listed yet. Neither is the 960GB drive. But you can get the 240GB GOODRAM IRDM PRO for £89.61 at the time of this review.
Final Thoughts
Let us just start with the design, as usual. With a drive, there isn’t a whole lot to play with in regard to design. It is a square element with a connector. Still, it is possible to make it stand out and look good. GOODRAM shows that with their IRDM PRO. The black casing with black and red sticker makes it look great. It’s also a drive that will display very well in systems with visual drive mounts.
The classic 2.5-inch form factor and 7mm height will make it fit and work with most systems. There’s also a 9.5mm adapter bracket included in the event that your drive caddy is made for bigger drives.
Performance and Endurance
We saw a really strong performing SATA3 drive today. The IRDM PRO doesn’t just perform at the maximum possible performance of the SATA3 interface, it also does so steadily. The combination of provent technology in the Phison S10 controller and Toshiba A19 MLC NAND pays off.
It’s great to see MLC-based drives in a time where TLC sits on the majority of the market, simply due to the costs per GB. MLC costs a little more, but it performs better too. We saw a truly steady performance across the whole test setup, and that’s something I rarely see these days. A job which is very well done!
GOODRAM knows they created a great drive with the IRDM PRO which shows in the 5-year warranty and high endurance ratings.
Extra Features
Two great features to have in any drive are end-to-end data protection and power-loss protection. In both cases, data could be lost in various situations without these protections. GOODRAM calls them SmartRefresh, SmartFlush, and GuaranteedFlush. So, you’re covered in that aspect too.
Pros
- Good and steady SATA3 performance
- Compatibility with most systems
- Available up to 960GB
- ECC, End-to-end Data Protection, and Power-loss Protection
- MLC-based drive which increases consistency and endurance
Cons
- None
“GOODRAM shows that the market for SATA3 drives isn’t dead. The IRDM PRO performs well and with consistency as well as endurance.”
We would like to thank GOODRAM for this sample.
