Intel 520 | Head's up

Hey folks,

Just a head's up. Although the Intel 520 chassis is physically 7mm, removing the plastic spacer requires new shorter screws which are difficult to acquire. If you have an x220 for example, this is not the drive for you unless you want to void the warranty you're paying a premium for and go on the hunt for shorter screws... According to Intel support they're going to be releasing the drive in a 7mm form factor but the SKUs are not publicly available yet.

Is it just me that sees this as a major fail? Why in the world didn't they design the chassis so that removing the spacer didn't take apart the chassis? Instead they need to make another retail package?

 

This is old news. Almost all ssd's except the 830 have been this way and people have dealt with it since May without any drama. Shorter screws, tape, whatever, it's not a big deal. Intel already said removing the spacer doesn't void the warranty on their ssd's. None of these drives have any label covering the edges, so just put the spacer back on if you ever need to RMA it.

 

Source for the Intel warranty claim? I was dealing directly with intel support and they clearly said removing the spacer would void the warranty.

The Intel 520 drive just came out and this is old news? Mmmk dude.

 

This is 'old news' because it's the same story for older Intel SSDs. I used a bit of sand paper to shorten the screws when I removed the spacer from my x25m.

 

Someone from Intel posted in their official forum many months ago. Linked in the NBR ssd forum. Even assuming that their official position is that removing the spacer voids the warranty how do you think they're going to hold anyone to that when all that's necessary is to put the spacer and screws back in if a drive needs to be RMA'd.

Almost all drives except the 830 have come as a 7mm drive with a spacer and people have dealt with it since the X220 was released without any fuss. There's a site that sells shorter screws or you can just tape it shut. Just because you act like a girl about it doesn't make the same case with the 520 any different.

 

If you're referring to this thread, it's apparently been admin-edited to say that the warranty would be voided. See here. As there are no warranty void stickers covering it, though, I don't see how they could enforce it.

 

My mistake regarding the warranty then. As you rightly point out, it doesn't change anything in the end.

 

I don't see it as a fail. The product wasn't intended to be used that way. You can't really fault Intel for it. If you want a 7mm drive, get the Samsung 830. I doubt you'd notice any difference between them. Better yet, pick up a mSATA drive and keep the platter drive for more storage unless you need WWAN.

 

To my previous knowledge, all Intel SSDs with part number ending as 301 should be of 7mm height.

 

Just toke delivery Intel 520 SSD 120GB. Order shorter screws from laptopscrews website M2x3mm installed in less than 10 mins ran system restore process from flash drive 20 mins on Lenovo x220. Extremely satisfied.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Could you point out which ones you ordered at M2x3mm ???

Thanks!

 

M2x3mm OEM Wafer Head LaptopMachine Screw #10004


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I have an additional question: I bought the Intel SSD 520 with 480GB and had to notice that it wouldn't fit into the X220. Same problem as with the other models (spacer increases the size up to 9.5mm, removing the spacer voids the warranty). Unfortunately, I already touched the screws of the SSD with a screwdriver (although didn't remove the screws) with the consequence that the reseller refused to take the product back. I am now trying to find out if I could insert the SSD into my X220 by removing the spacer beacuse the warranty seems to be void anyway...

Keeping in mind that Intel doesn't plan to produce the 520 series with 480 GB in the 7mm dimension, do you think there would be any problem putting it in my X220? Probably there must be a (technical?) reason for Intel's decision?

btw, Intel suggested me to use it as external drive...

 

Unscrew the screws, remove the spacer, preferably refix the cover with M2x3 screws (or use a bit of tape) and put it into your X220. I did the same operation on the Intel 320 ten months ago so it would fit into the T420s.

Alternatively, you can make modifications to your X220 as described in this thread to make the 9.5mm drive fit.

John