Optimizing Linux with cheap flash drives

IIRC early OEM drives may have poor controllers (like the Jmicron) with things like the so called "write stutter" problem. Once you'ld run out of virgin pages (segments?). A "secure erase" utility would be required to restore original performance.

There should be some good articles on SSD performance issues (mainly or wholly used with Windows but still should be relevant enough), and you could perhaps see if an SSD upgrade to more modern firmware, might be beneficial.