OCZ Vertex Plus "R2" - any thoughts?

[scaryjim]

I know general consensus is avoid OCZ, but this is getting a little too tempting, tbh - 240GB OCZ Vertex Plus R2 for £105 at ebuyer.

It's for upgrading a low end Sandy-Bridge pentium laptop. Uses an Indilinx Barefoot 2 controller, which apparently only exists in this drive. My weak google-fu can't find any actual reviews of the damn thing. It's been around for 6 months, I can't tell if the firmware update on the OCZ website applies to this drive, or just the original Vertex Plus, and beyond that there's very little information (either no-one's buying them, or people are buying them then not posting about them - which would be a good sign ).

Any specific thoughts (none of the "don't buy OCZ SSDs" repetition please guys, I've read it all before and am already weighing that into my considerations against the damn good pricing...) on this drive, or does anyone have the google-fu to find me a reputable review of it?

[Agent]

Uses an Indilinx Barefoot 2 controller, which apparently only exists in this drive.

Any specific thoughts (none of the "don't buy OCZ SSDs" repetition please guys, I've read it all before and am already weighing that into my considerations against the damn good pricing...) on this drive, or does anyone have the google-fu to find me a reputable review of it?

My specific thought on any any SSD these days is to go only with proved and tested controllers, although it's a tempting price I agree.

I think the reason it's so hard to find anything on this is that the Indilinx Barefoot 3 was also released last year, which appears to have more reviews out for it.

In fact, it seems worse than that. There is also almost no info anywhere on them, forums included. A few posts on Anand show up with no replied, but not a lot else...

[Bonebreaker777]

That's certainly looks tempting.

On Newegg people are saying quite often that these drives fail at a pretty high rate within a couple of months.
And they are not really fast. Apparently a SATA2 port is more that enough for them. Based on some basic reviews.

[scaryjim]

Good to know it's not just my lack of google-fu that's stopping me finding information!

I found a couple of threads where people had said they were going to buy them on offer, but with no follow up - I guess that either means they were OK, or they killed the people who bought them!?

If it was only a few quid I'd probably just go with the 250GB Sammy 840, but when it's > 10% cheaper...? Trickier decision.

[Agent]

Well the Sammy 840 is currently only £18 more at £123 (Ebuyer).

£18 quid for another 10 Gig (It's a 250GB drive) and Samsung reliability.....no brainier

[chuckskull]

The older inidlinx controllers got a bad rep and not unfairly. I have a Vertex 4 with the new version that's been rock solid(touch wood), but I'd spend the money for the Sammy, great drives.

[scaryjim]

Just for closure, I ordered the sammy. Ummmed and Ahhhed about the OCZ for a while, but ultimately it's for the better half's laptop and I don't need the worry about whether the OCZ's up to it - I just want to stick it in and (hopefully) forget about it

Still tempted to grab an OCZ at that price anyway though - I'm sure I could find something to do with it