Specifications, Pricing and Availability

The Vertex 3 shipped in three SKUs, each with different capacities; 120GB, 240GB and 480GB. The Max IOPS edition at this time only has two capacities; 120GB and 240GB. Things aren't as cut and dry with the Vertex 3 Max IOPS. The 120GB Max IOPS has a maximum random read rating of 35K IOPS and 75K IOPS for the write. This is up from the 60K IOPS write of the original Vertex 3. Both 120GB models state a maximum read speed of 550MB/s read speed and 500MB/s write speed.

The 240GB Vertex 3 Max IOPS unit that we are looking at today has a read speed rating of 550MB/s, the same as the rated speed of the original, but the write speed has been downgraded to 500MB/s from the Vertex 3 240GB's 520MB/s rating. The read IOPS has been increased to 55K, though, and the write max IOPS is up to 65K.

When it comes to pricing, we were a bit taken back after our Newegg search and jumped for joy after finding the 120GB Max IOPS was priced just ever so slightly above the 120GB standard Vertex 3. The 120GB Vertex 3 Max IOPS is available now for 309.99 and the original 120GB Vertex 3 will cost you a mere 10 Dollars less, 299.99. At the time of writing the 240GB Max IOPS wasn't available at Newegg, but the 240GB Vertex 3 was with a price of 529.99. There was also a 20 Dollars off promo code making the 240GB Vertex 3 509.99 USD. This was the first time we'd found a Vertex 3 240GB listed for less than the MSRP.

The OCZ Vertex 3 ships with a standard 3 year warranty and a desktop adapter bracket. We like the desktop adapter bracket since there aren't many notebooks with SATA 6G capability and most power users will install the drives in desktop systems.

Lenovo and possibly other notebook users will want to follow the OCZ Vertex 3 Form Factor article to keep up to date on an issue involving the physical size of the new Vertex 3 casing. OCZ has already come up with a plan of action and is working to fix the issue.