Hey man, it definitely sounds IO as stated earlier, but there are things to consider with the earlier recommendations. You have 16 GB of RAM so I'm willing to bet you page file is Null and if it is an issue with cache for the browser then that would mean you can get better performance running directly on a platter HDD system then your SSD which was the point of getting it. If in fact it is IO and you've moved ports and swapped cables then it's the drive or possibly the SATA controller, either way short of test equipment, installing on a separate drive is a quick way to find out. I know it sucks but you could spend days trying to find a good workaround for a potential bad SSD or mobo, or install, confirm, reinstall, and configure happy and assured that you're getting the performance you JUST paid for. Good luck man, I'm rooting for you. Just so you're aware I came across this forum and post because I was looking into that SSD. It appears to be PNY's "entry level" SSD and they freely admit that they use whatever controllers they have in surplus at the time. This means that if it is the SSD you may stand a chance of getting a completely different controller and performer then what you have now in top performance. You could also spend $10 and get their higher performance XLR8 line, or $20 and get the Crucial M500. The M500 is highly regarded for longevity and durability. Just looking on the bright side for you.
Side note 1: I am basing my opinion on no claims of issues with higher use programs such as Photoshop, etc mentioned and am assuming you are using reliable, legitimate programs free of bugs and more precisely memory leaks. I am also assuming that you do not have any overclocked settings used (though suspected given the water cooler) on the base core, CPU, or DDR3 RAM beyond 1600 MHz. My "memory" is a bit fuzzy (pun intended) but one of my AMD's could not support RAM higher than 1600, just unsure if it was my Phenom II x4 or my FX.
Side note 2: I have a Phenom II x4 965 black, ASRock 770 board, 6 GB mismatched RAM running off an old 160 GB 5400 rpm laptop hard drive. It is literally a melting pot of hand me down parts. My point is it takes a while to boot up, but it does not have those problems, it is either a BIOS issue (improper overclocking or IO setting such as non AHCI, TRIM, etc) or a defective part.