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8K RANDOM READ/WRITE
We precondition our enterprise SSDs using 100% random 8K writes at QD256 for two drive fills. Performance data is recorded every second. We track this data to monitor the enterprise SSDs transition to steady-state and to verify that steady-state conditions are achieved before initiating queue depth testing. Steady-state is established after a full drive fill and the average steady-state 8K random write performance is approximately 369K IOPS.
The full performance average of the Micron 7600 in 8K random write is 369K IOPS which we expected to be half of that of 4k as it is moving twice the amount of data, but this performance curve is very impressive. It levels off at QD16 which is a bit later than that Memblaze Pblaze 7, but it has the tradeoff of maintaining much higher IOPS from QD4.
The 7600 8K read performance of 1438K IOPS is impressive, be it a bit lower than the group average. Once again, its performance curve leveled off ahead of the Kingston and Memblaze.
8K 70/30
8K 70/30 is representative of a typical database workload and 685K IOPS is a very respectable result.
8K 50/50
The Micron 7600 MAX 3-DWPD SSD surpassed the performance of the group as would be expected from this SSD. It maintained an average of 523K IOPS throughout QD 256-4096.
REPORT SUMMARY AND FINAL THOUGHTS
Successfully marketing two SSDs under the same product line, yet tailored for distinct business needs, is no small feat. Micron pulled it off. The Micron 7600 Pro is designed for read-intensive workloads, offering higher capacity and a 1-DWPD endurance rating. In contrast, the 7600 MAX takes a different approach. With a lower user capacity and much higher over-provisioning, it delivers substantially greater endurance at 3-DWPD, making it ideal for write-intensive applications and particularly those demanding strong random write performance.
While the 7600 MAX may not boast the flashiest sequential performance compared to some competitors, its real strength lies in raw write IOPS where it clearly outshines the rest. This became evident in our random 4K write tests, where the 7600 MAX consistently delivered an average of 200K more IOPS than both competing enterprise SSDs. It extended that lead in 4K 50/50 mixed workloads, and again in 8K write IOPS, just as expected. The trend continued in 8K 50/50 mixed load testing. What truly surprised us, however, was its performance in 8K random 70/30 mixed workloads, a scenario typically favoring a read-heavy load where the 7600 still held its advantage.
The Micron 7600 MAX not only delivered on its promises, it exceeded them. With listed specs of 12 GB/s read and 7 GB/s write speeds, and up to 2.1 million read IOPS, it already looked strong on paper. But what truly stood out was its random write performance, officially rated at 674K IOPS. In our testing, it surpassed that with an average of 707K IOPS, outperforming the competition by a margin of 200K.
Performance? Check.
Endurance? A 5-year warranty with a 3-DWPD rating. Check.
Price? Also on point. Retail pricing for the 7600 series currently shows the PRO model at $1,061 and the MAX version at $1,166.
Check, check, and check.
But wait… There is something else. Would you believe that Micron has made available 109 different configurations for the 7600? You not only get to choose from MAX or PRO, and then four different capacities for each, but also you get to decide between U.2, E1.S or E3.S and then TCG Opal or Non-SED security. Count them…109 configurations for the 7600 MAX SSD. Editor’s Choice!
CHECK AMAZON FOR MICRON 7600 MAX GEN5 6.4TB SSD PRICING.
