Intel optane h10 review in Spanish (full analysis)

In this article we analyze the Intel Optane H10 SSD memory, the new generation launched by the blue giant this 2019 classified as revolutionary. Why? Well, this SSD has a double memory, a 256 GB and a faster 16 GB Optane that can also be used as a cache to speed up this or other compatible drives. The result will be better response times and greater speed for our team.

In this review we will see the characteristics and performance of this SSD unit in our test bench. But first, we have to thank Intel for trusting us to give us their product for this review.

Intel Optane H10 technical features

Unboxing

We begin the review of this Intel Optane H10 memory with its presentation, which is as simple as a package in the form of a transparent plastic mold where the M.2 is perfectly accommodated along with its different reference and identification codes.

In addition to the unit, we have absolutely nothing else in the bundle, and the truth is that we would not know if this is the final version or not. Because at least one cardboard or box is missing to store this hard plastic.

Exterior design

The Intel Optane H10 would be an ordinary SSD if it weren't for including a second memory chip that can be used as a throttle cache or as memory. All this we see quietly throughout the review, but it is a new generation of memories with which the manufacturer, in addition to betting on speed, also improves the intelligence of the SSD in the management of the content that we open. This makes it a priori a good SSD to install the operating system and high-load programs that we use frequently.

Furthermore, this SSD is not only geared towards desktops, but also laptops, miniPCs, or AIOs where we need especially slim SSD configurations for small spaces. Of course, in order to use the faster Intel Optane memory and its functions, the system and equipment must be compatible with the technology.

The external appearance of the Intel Optane H10 is tremendously simple, since it does not come with any type of heatsink to install it on it. We only have the PCB, of course blue, with only one face full of chips. On them a sticker informs us of the capacity of the SSD among other things. On the reverse side of the PCB we only have all the logos of the technologies that the product implements.

The measurements of the SSD are simply the standard ones of the 2280 format, that is, 22 mm wide, 80 mm long and only 3.5 mm thick by only having one face occupied by memory chips. We imagine that the 1TB version will have chips in the back area too.

In principle we are not going to need to remove the top sticker to apply a heatsink, since this provides a minimum resistance to thermal conductivity. And also, if we want to preserve the guarantee, we better leave it. What we should recommend is to place it on a board that has integrated heatsinks. Then we will see that this unit gets very hot compared to the competition.

Hardware and components

Now we will dedicate ourselves to talk about the theoretical benefits of the Intel Optane H10, as well as all the technology it implements and what sets it apart from other products on the market.

And we start first with the technology of the installed memories, which are of the NAND 3D QLC type. This technology is a variant of TLC memory, with a capacity per cell of 4 bits. Of course, they are slower and less durable than TLC, and of course much less than MLC or SLC. In this case we have a total of 256 GB in the main memory, but a 512 GB and 1 TB model will also be available.

But the big difference with other SSDs is that Intel has installed a somewhat faster second memory in the product called Optane, hence its clear name. In this version it will be 16 GB, while in the other two versions it will be 32 GB. The main function of this memory is to function as an acceleration cache for the main memory or for another compatible SSD. In fact, if we activate these 16 GB as cache, the performance will rise to almost double that with normal operation. But we also have a second function as normal and current memory, a little faster than 256 GB, but I think it is wasted, because 16GB does not go anywhere.

The manager of all this will be an Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology) controller. It has the ability to recognize and remember the content that we open most frequently, in order to accelerate it for future openings. The latencies specified by the manufacturer are 8 µs in reading and 30 µs in writing. Likewise, this 256 GB version provides us with a speed in sequential reading of 1450 MB / s and 230K IOPS (number of I / O operations per second) in random reading, while in sequential writing we will have 650 MB / s and 150K IOPS in random. For the 1 TB version the values ​​are 2300/1300 MB / s in sequential read and write.

Like other SSDs on the market, it has protection against data loss and hardware encryption in all transfers, although the technology used is not specified. It supports the SMART monitoring command and Intel Rapid Start technology that is used to start the computer faster after a hibernation process.

Other fairly important data that the manufacturer gives us are, for example, the useful life, which is 75 TBW (terabytes written) for the 256 GB SSD, 150 TBW for the 512 GB one and 300 TBW for the 1 TB one. The truth is that they are lower figures than we have with NAND TLC memories and it is one of the drawbacks of this technology. Similarly, the mean time between failures also decreases to 1.6 million hours, while FTAs ​​are at 2 million or more. Finally, the warranty will be limited on all SSDs to 5 years.

Optane software and function

Being this SSD, it will be very important to know how the Intel Optane H10 works in its different modes. To do this we must first go to the manufacturer's page where we can download the different drivers and management programs.

It should be said that the motherboard must be compatible with Intel Optane for this to be possible, this will always be available in the specifications of the motherboard. If not supported, the drive will simply appear as just another SSD, with its 256GB of storage. And if it is, then we will not have one, but two hard drives available.

Intel SSD Toolbox

The first tool that we can download is the Intel SSD Toolbox, which for practical purposes is like the other programs that manufacturers have for their storage units.

But of course, being Intel, the program has a much more careful and serious design than the rest, being able to monitor this and other discs that we have installed. Features such as a diagnostic drive scan, a secure erase function and of course, firmware updates or system optimizer are added.

It is not essential, but we recommend installing it, at least to have the SSD controlled.

Drivers and activate Intel Optane

The most interesting function is to be able to configure the Intel Optane H10 as a data acceleration cache, and it is what we will do right now.

To do this, we will have to download the driver from the link above. In this way we will open a wizard in which to select the Optane memory and the SSD that we want to accelerate, in our case it will be this one. After a few restarts, the hard drive that appeared in the 16GB browser will be removed, and we will be prompted that acceleration is on.

Test equipment and benchmarks

That said, it is time to go see the performance of this Intel Optane H10, from which we can draw a few conclusions.

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	Intel i9-9900K
Base plate:	Asus Z390 ROG Maximus XI Formula
Memory:	16 GB DDR4 G.Skill
Heatsink	Corsair H100i Platinum SE
HDD	Intel Optane H10
Graphic card	Asus GTX 1660 Ti OC
Power supply	Cooler Master V850 Gold

So let's see how this unit will behave with and without the activated Intel Optane data cache. Recall that the records provided by the manufacturer are 1450/650 MB / s read / write, quite discrete at this point. The benchmark programs that we have used are the following:

• Crystal Disk MarkAS SSD BenchmarkATTO Disk BenchmarkAnvil´s Storage

All these programs are in their latest available version. Remember not to abuse these tests in your units, since the life time is reduced.

Benchmark of the two memories separately

The first capture corresponds to the 256 GB of main storage. And the results are pretty bad, never reaching those 1450 MB / s of reference. Even without Optane cache, they are values ​​that do not even touch 1000 MB / s, when the manufacturer has decent SSDs like the Intel 760p with a much better performance.

In the second case, we are dealing with Optane memory, which improves the performance in sequential reading up to almost 1000 MB / s, but the reading is tremendously slow, much more than a SATA hard drive.

Benchmark with activated Optane memory

We do the performance tests again, now we do use all the programs and see a comparison between them. And the first as always is CristalDisk, which is usually the one that gives the best results. In this case, we are facing the results that the manufacturer promises, exceeding 1500 MB / s in sequence reading and 650 MB / s in writing. Let's note that the following results are quite acceptable, and even very good for the last section, where almost all SSDs have enough problems.

Now we turn to see the results of ATTO Disk, which has obtained its maximum of writing in the 128 KB blocks and reading in the 512 KB blocks. Here it is clearly demonstrated that this SSD is very oriented to work with small data blocks, since in writing larger blocks it has serious problems. Regarding IOPS, we are at just 110K for reading and writing, which is considerably less than what Intel promises.

The results of AS SSD are practically the same as those shown with Optane memory disabled, so we assume that the compatibility with this technology is not the best in this software. The IOPS also do not reach the expected values.

Finally we come to Anvil's where we surely see the worst results of this SSD. And it is that we have values ​​of only 506 MB / s in reading and 448 MB / s in writing. We also do not have too optimistic results in latencies, since they are quite high in reading and writing, always above 70 µs.

Temperatures

The temperatures in the resting state are as follows:

They are not bad temperatures for the main memory and for not having a heatsink installed on it, although the Optane chip is constantly close to 50 ⁰C, which are temperatures to consider.

The surface thermal capture shows that both the main memory chip and the Optane are at a temperature of around 60 ⁰C while we are at rest.

We have captured the temperatures while CristalDiskmark stressed the two memories and we have obtained temperatures that are less alarming. And it is that both the main memory and the Optane have reached 65⁰C gradually, which indicates that this SSD must be installed together with a heatsink, but the life time at these temperatures will be less.

If we perform a thermal capture while stressing the main memory (temperature on the right), and another stressing the Optane memory of 16 GB (temperature on the left), we obtain very high temperatures, above 80 ⁰C.

Final words and conclusion about Intel Optane H10

If there is something we can make clear about this Intel Optane H10 it is that its strong point is in that controller and the Optane memory that can work as storage or as a data cache to accelerate the performance of the SSD. Something that we did not like is that it has QLC memories, the ones with the lowest performance and durability, below the standardized TLC.

This performance translates into fairly discrete, if not bad, values for this 256GB drive, even with the Optane feature turned on. However, the 512 GB and 1 TB SSDs achieve more interesting values ​​above 2000 MB / s, although still a long way from Samsung, Kingston and even their Intel 760p.

We recommend our guide to the best SSDs of the moment.

So, we can determine that the advantages of this SSD are not in its pure performance, but in its versatility and double functionality. Its controller is capable of intelligently accelerating access to the most used data, which will come in handy to install operating systems on it. In any case, the latencies we have obtained are higher than you might expect.

And something that also leaves to be desired are the temperatures, with figures that exceed 65 ⁰C inside the memories according to its sensors, and beware, more than 80 ⁰C on the surface helping us with our Flir One Pro thermal camera, which works perfectly. So we strongly recommend using this SSD with a heatsink installed, otherwise we are going to have problems.

Finally we must talk about the price of these units, in the case of the analyzed one, of 256 GB, it is at 105 euros, while that of 512 GB is found for 150 euros and 1TB is at 240 euros. Honestly, these prices are well above what is acceptable for an SSD with these benefits. Okay, we have something different like dual QLC + Optane memory, but at an implementation level not too competitive yet.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ GOOD PERFORMANCE FOR FILES LESS THAN 1 MB	- LOW PERFORMANCE EVEN WITH THE OPTANE CACHE ACTIVATED
+ INTEL OPTANE TECHNOLOGY PROMISES, BUT STILL WAY FORWARD	- VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES WITHOUT HEATSINK
+ FORMAT 2280 FOR ITS THREE VERSIONS, ORIENTED TO PORTABLE EQUIPMENT	- SLOWER AND LESS LASTING NAND QLC MEMORIES
	- VERY HIGH PRICE FOR WHAT IT OFFERS

The Professional Review team awards him the bronze medal:

Intel Optane H10

COMPONENTS - 77%

PERFORMANCE - 63%

PRICE - 60%

GUARANTEE - 75%

69%