Performance: 35 out of 40.
The Seagate FireCuda 510 has excellent performance potential. The only issue is making sure it reaches its full potential by keeping it cool. If you do not, the performance is more variable than we would like. This is the FireCuda 510’s double edge sword. As such you can consider the performance perfect (for its class) or merely good. We have split the difference with a 35 score.
Technological Innovation: 16 out of 20
Much like its BarraCuda brethren, there may be very little ‘new’ about the Seagate FireCuda 510, but its innovation is still pretty darn good. Seagate did take the time to include all the latest and greatest tweaks to be released to the market today, and they did so without any of the Not Invented Here syndrome that usually plagues manufactures who may be successful in other markets but are newer to the SSD market.
Build Quality & Warranty: 18 out of 20
There is only two ways Seagate could have improved things. Opted for MLC instead of TLC NAND, and/or included heat spreaders. Even thin heat spreaders that would have pushed it to ‘D3’ z-height specification would have really helped keep performance from being as variable as it can be in ‘worst case scenarios’. Arguably this would have been worth the increase in asking price. As it stands the FireCuda 510 series is still above average.
Value: 18 out of 20
It may not be perfect, but the overall value of this drive is very good. Great performance, great warranty, great price. That is indeed a winning combination to say the very least.
Final Score: 87 out of 100
The FireCuda 510 is in almost every way a better version of the BarraCuda 510 series. Better performance, better firmware, better durability. The only fly in the ointment is the fact it is going to be harder to cool than its single sided BarraCuda brother. So it may not be right for everyone and every scenario.
