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M4 SSD prices vs M500
- Thread starter AP514
- Start date
drescherjm
[H]F Junkie
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2008
- Messages
- 14,933
Why are the Crucial M4 prices so high ?
I assume production ended for the M4. Although I believe the M500 could be also cheaper because it uses higher density NAND chips.
cashkennedy
n00b
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2014
- Messages
- 52
The M4 was discontinued a long time ago. All that's left is a few small sellers trying to find someone dumb enough to buy it after reading 1 review from 4 years ago saying it was the best, or someone replacing one in a raid array or similar situation.
I assume production ended for the M4. Although I believe the M500 could be also cheaper because it uses higher density NAND chips.
This part would be my first assumption. Older drive using older, bigger, more expensive NAND densities. Although it will also be quickly approaching the EOL phase in which the price could fluctuate more or less than the newer drives.
cashkennedy
n00b
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2014
- Messages
- 52
All the ones for sale on newegg are from a third party seller called "Action packed" , just like you can find things on amazon that aren't sold by amazon often at crazy dumb prices...
To sum it up, the high price on the m4 is solely due to its obsolescence; the m500 is better in every way.
The m500 line isn't even the latest Crucial line, but the m550 line is almost unknown because the m500 line's prices are so low and it's good enough.
The m500 line isn't even the latest Crucial line, but the m550 line is almost unknown because the m500 line's prices are so low and it's good enough.
To sum it up, the high price on the m4 is solely due to its obsolescence; the m500 is better in every way.
The m500 line isn't even the latest Crucial line, but the m550 line is almost unknown because the m500 line's prices are so low and it's good enough.
Not true at all. The M500 was introduced not just as a replacement for the aging M4 but as a means of cutting production costs. It's not TLC, but it was Crucial/Micron's answer to the Samsung 840. There were tweaks all around, but the only very significant advantage the m500 had over the M4 was improved random IO. In multiple other metrics, an M4 of comparable capacity is faster. As m500 was the first production run of 20nm NAND, a case can certainly be made that the endurance is lower than the mature 25nm process in the M4.
The m500 had a glaring problem in the 120GB and 240GB models vs the 840/840 Evo though, thanks to the use of 128Gbit/die NAND that halved the number of channels between NAND and controller. This has been addressed with a few other tweaks on the m550 (back to 64Gbit/die NAND on 120GB and 240GB models) which makes these appreciably better than the m500. In fact, the 120GB m550 outperforms the 240GB m500. As for reliability, the Marvell controller is described as an updated version, so I'd assume basic operation has not changed. The low prices on the m500 are great for 480GB and 960GB models, but for anything less, the m550 is better no contest.
Oh well, looks like I was quite wrong; thanks for the detailed explanation!
The prices I see on amazon are $67 for the 120GB m500 vs $96 for the 128GB m550, and $120 for the 240GB m500 vs $164 for the 256GB m550. It seems to me that the smaller m500 models will remain popular for as long as they are that much cheaper than the m550 line. 30% off on the 120GB size is huge for those looking to spend as little as possible for an SSD and an OS upgrade from WinXP.
The prices I see on amazon are $67 for the 120GB m500 vs $96 for the 128GB m550, and $120 for the 240GB m500 vs $164 for the 256GB m550. It seems to me that the smaller m500 models will remain popular for as long as they are that much cheaper than the m550 line. 30% off on the 120GB size is huge for those looking to spend as little as possible for an SSD and an OS upgrade from WinXP.