Velocity Solo X2 review: Teach an old PC new SATA 6-gbps tricks

del.icio.us Tags: Computers,SSD Drives

Jon L. Jacobi

del.icio.us Tags: SSD,Computers,Hard Drives

If your PC lacks a SATA 6-gigabits-per-second interface, you can't get top performance out of any of the latest consumer-grade solid-state drives. Such drives bump up against the 6-gbps limit of that bus, while the older second-generation SATA interface maxes out at just 3 gbps. Apricorn's Velocity x2 should remove that roadblock for you.

My main system sports a circa-2009 Intel D58SO motherboard. It has a great feature set, but it predates third-generation, 6-gbps SATA. The only way to upgrade such a beast is via a PCIe adapter card with a SATA 6-gbps interface, of which the market has plenty to choose from. I tried installing one of those a couple of years ago, but it gave me blue screens. SSDs at that time weren’t nearly as fast as they are today, so I saw no real reason to upgrade. But with SSD performance now topping 600 MBps, it’s time.

Lo and behold, Apricorn contacted me about its Velocity Solo PCIe cards. These will not only add SATA 6-gbps capability to any system with an available PCIe slot, but they’ll also serve as a caddy for a single SSD. Apricorn sent two cards for me to evaluate: the $50 Velocity x1 and the $99 Velocity x2. I tried both, and recommend one.

Apricorn's Velocity Solo x2 will endow your older computer with two SATA 6-gbps interfaces. You can bolt one 2.5- or 3.5-inch SSD right to the card.

A 6 gbps Kingston HyperX 3K drive attached to my motherboard’s second-generation SATA interface read data at 227 MBps and wrote data at 236 MBps while running the synthetic benchmark CrystalDiskMark 3. Surprisingly enough, a much faster OCZ Vertex 4 SSD mounted on the Velocity x1 delivered slower performance: It read at only 203.3 MBps and wrote at 196.5 MBps.

When I paired the Vertex 4 with Apricorn’s Velocity Solo x2 card, however, the SSD's numbers jumped to 348.1 MBps reading and 323.2 MBps writing—a substantial improvement beyond what is possible with the second-generation SATA interface. Attaching the Kingston HyperX 3K to the Velocity Solo x2, meanwhile, improved its numbers to 322.1 MBps reading and 239.6 MBps writing. That considerably faster read performance made my system feel much more responsive.

The reason for the two cards’ performance disparity is that the x1 uses only a single PCIe 2.0 lane, while the x2 employs two lanes (and must be installed in at least a PCIe 2.0 x2 slot as a result). Since each PCIe 2.0 lane is capable of transferring data at 500 megabytes per second (or 3.9 gigabits per second) in each direction, two PCIe lanes are necessary to satisfy the requirements of the SATA 6-gbps interface. Both Velocity Solo cards are outfitted with a standard female SATA connector for attaching a second drive, and both cards are bundled with Apricorn’s EZ Gig software for cloning your existing hard drive to your new SSD.

I can't recommend the Velocity Solo x1, as the SSDs I mounted to it performed more slowly than they did when connected to my motherboard’s second-generation SATA interface. The Velocity Solo x2, on the other hand, delivered a dramatic improvement, both during testing and subjectively. My only real qualm is the x2's $99 price tag, which is steep compared with the cost of some SATA 6-gbps interface cards (such as the Syba HyperDuo) that don’t have the handy mounting caddy. The lowest street price we could find as of December 18, 2012, was $95.

Note: Don't miss our SSD roundup, where you'll find a detailed explanation of how SSDs work, plus links to reviews of seven new models as of December 18, 2012.

Apricorn Velocity Solo X2 SATA 6Gbps SSD Upgrade Kit

3/5

$95*

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View full product specs »

BOTTOM LINE

If your PC doesn't have a SATA 6-gbps interface, this device adds it, caddies one drive, and let's you attach another via a cable.

*Price when rated

$95

PROS

• Adds SATA 6-gbps capability to older desktop motherboards
• Caddies a single SSD
• Includes a second 6-gbps interface to host another drive

CONS

• Expensive
• Requires at least a x2 PCIe slot

How to activate Windows Defender in Windows 8

 

del.icio.us Tags: Windows 8,Windows Defender

Brad Chacos@BradChacos

Like every new Windows release, Windows 8 is more secure than the operating systems that came before it. That's due in large part to three major enhancements: An increased emphasis on UEFI Secure Boot optimizations, the extension of the SmartScreen Filter across the operating system, and the default inclusion of a more robust version of Windows Defender, which now protects against all kinds of malware—not just spyware.

Windows Defender's increased scope doesn't sit well with computer manufacturers, however. OEMs make beaucoup bucks by installing those trial versions of McAfee, Norton and other security suites you'll find bundled on boxed PCs. Windows Defender's default installation threatens that gravy train.

Microsoft tossed its partners a bone by allowing OEMs to deactivate Windows Defender in order to ship boxed PCs with alternative security solutions installed. That's all well and good from a "variety is the spice of life" perspective, but one side-effect that isn't so hot is what happens when you fail to register that third-party security software: Windows 8 doesn't automatically reactivate Windows Defender by default. In other words, your pretty new prepackaged PC is wide open and vulnerable to all the nasties of the 'Net.

Fortunately, activating Windows Defender is a snap. Here's how to do it.

Activate Windows Defender in Windows 8

Windows Defender isn't subtle about being deactivated.

First, head to the modern-style Start screen and type "Windows Defender" to have Windows search for the program, then click on the Windows Defender icon when it appears in the results. A Windows Defender window will appear on the classic desktop. If Microsoft's security software is disabled, you'll seen a lot of scary red tones alongside an "At risk" warning and an image of a computer screen with a big X on it. Subtle, eh?

Next, click on the Settings tab at the top of the window. Make sure "Real-time protection" is selected in the left pane, then check the box next to "Turn on real-time protection (recommended)." Finally, click Save Changes at the bottom of the Window.

How you want your Settings tab to look!

You'll know it worked when the terrifying red "At risk" bar at the top of the Windows turns a much more soothing shade of green and switches to "PC Status: Protected."

Check for leaks

You're not quite done yet. Now it's time to make sure your PC is actually malware-free! Click the Update tab, then click on the big Update button in the middle of the Window to download the latest malware definitions Microsoft has on file.

Next, open the Home tab and select the "Full" radio button in the Scan Options list. All you have to do now is click Scan Now, then sit back and wait while Windows Defender checks the nooks and crannies of your PC for any hidden baddies. Grab a cup of coffee; it may take some time. While you're waiting, we recommend checking out your Windows 8 antivirus options.