Speedy Results
In order to test the performance of the
ThunderboltEX II, we installed it on the Z87-PRO and then connected a 24TB
Promise Pegasus2 R8 configured for RAID 5. The resulting benchmark numbers are
astounding. In some sequential read and write tests, numbers topped 1000MBps.
For instance, ATTO Disk Benchmark delivered a maximum read speed of 1366MBps
and a maximum write speed of 860MBps. In SiSoftware Sandra 2014 SP1’s File
System Bandwidth test, we saw a read bandwidth of 682.21MBps and a write
bandwidth of 1000MBps. In CrystalDiskMark, the Pegasus2 R8 produced a
sequential read of 731.5MBps and a sequential write of 578.3MBps.
The
all new Pegasus2 R8 (left) next to the previous generation, the Pegasus R6
You’ll notice that there’s some variation
in the numbers, though each set of results are impressive. Promise says that
queue depth, which is the number of read and write requests waiting to access
the drive, has a big impact on the performance levels. The File System
Bandwidth test runs at a queue depth of eight, and we set the ATTO Disk
Benchmark to a queue depth of 10. According to Promise, higher queue depths
will perform better than lower queue depths up to a point, with an optimal
queue depth of 16. CrystalDiskMark numbers are a bit lower because the
benchmark runs tests at a queue depth of 32. Promise indicates that video
creation and audio applications would have a queue depth around eight, so the
speedy File System Benchmark and ATTO Disk Benchmark numbers are close to what
you’d see in real-world editing applications. Bottom line, the sequential
speeds display how fast the Thunderbolt 2 can operate when put to task.
PCMark8's
storage benchmark reached a score of 4,991
We also ran PCMark8’s Storage tests that
use workload traces to provide some other examples of real-world performance.
For instance, the storage trace in Battlefield 3 is recorded while a user opens
the program, logs in, loads a saved game, and starts playing. Numbers are
listed in seconds, because the test measures how long it takes the drive to
complete the task. The Battlefield 3 trace took 232.9 seconds, while World of
Warcraft took 93.8 seconds. Traces are also run on Microsoft Office apps. The
Thunderbolt 2 connection helped to run the trace in 37.7 seconds in Microsoft
Word, 16.6 seconds in Microsoft Excel, and 16.2 seconds in Microsoft
PowerPoint.
ASUS Achievements
With the Z87-PRO and ThunderboltEX II,
you’ll have everything you need to add Thunderbolt 2 compatibility to your rig.
The speedy transfer capabilities alone make the upgrade worthwhile, but we also
like the support for 4K monitor connectivity via DisplayPort, because it gives
us another high-quality video output option.
Gigabyte
Thunderbolt Desktop PC Motherboards First to Support 4K Resolution Displays
Those with multiple Thunderbolt-enabled PCs
can even share high-performance peripherals among systems (like our massive,
incredibly fast Pegasus RAID box, for example). If you’re ready for faster
storage and better display connectivity options, ASUS has what you’re looking
for.
