Need SSD buying advice

[dJabba]

Hi everyone.

I'm in the process of buying a SSD for my main system, both for performance increase and noise reduction. But with all the new devices I've lost track of what to get.

I mainly use my system (win 7 ultimate 64bit) for web and gfx development and programming, but also some gaming (Battlefield, Assassins Creed and similar series).

I keep all my data on my NAS (12.5tb) so i don't really need a lot of space besides what windows and the apps need themself - so I figured a 120/128gb would be a acceptable size. Currently I only got a sata2 board, but I'll be upgrading once the bullddozer gets released.

I don't necessarily want the fastest and best, but it has to keep up a decent performance even when filled with data (I've read that manufacturers speed description are on "empty" drives and in some cases are drastic decreasing when filled).

Price is somewhat an issue, so please don't recommend the most expensive on the market - but any advice is welcome.

[edit] Oh, and it has to available in Europe - Germany or Denmark (just in case there are some that hit the market in the US but not over here in the motherland)

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

I suggest buying a 120GB Sata3 ssd that uses synchronous NAND.
I prefer to buy my hardware where the manufacturer offers toll-free telephone support and has an excellent tech support forum.

Check out http://forums.tweaktown.com/storage-...rformance.html
and http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte...-capacity.html for more information.

[dJabba]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Thanks for the links profJim, will go read them now.

Yea I was planning on going for the sata3 generation - not that big of a price difference compared to the performance difference (once I upgrade my mainboard).

[dJabba]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

I'm very happy about the link synchron vs asynchron. That cleared up a lot for me, and I actually somehow had gotten just opposite into my head for some weird reason.

From reading that and looking at prices i guess it comes down to a choice between:
-OCZ Vertex 3 Series MAX IOPS Edition 120 GB (no idea how much difference it actual does)
-OCZ Vertex 3 Series Solid State Disk 120 GB (cheapest at around 200€)
-Corsair Force Series GT 120 GB (slightly faster according to specs, but not much. SF-2281 vs. SF-2200. But still less IOPS then the other 2 - so worth the extra money? - still cheaper then the vertex max iops)

[Edit]
Hmm, after spending some time on google, I aint sure about the Vertex3 any more. Lots of fail reports and recommendations for the Intel 510 instead (as its supposed to be cheaper, just not over here).

Price vs Specs the next best is still the Corsair Force mentioned above. I still wonder why most (even more expensive) ones come with a write speed that's less then half (around 230mb/s) where the 3 above got around 500 (I know its theoretical speeds .. but still...)

pretty much as confused about what to get as when I started

[dJabba]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

after re-reading the recent review here on tweaktown about the Corsair (Corsair Force GT 120GB Solid State Drive Review :: TweakTown USA Edition) I think that's the one to go with. Anyone got any advice/reason against it? at around 220€ it seems to be the best option right now.

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Trying to make sense out of the many ssd benchmarks is an exercise in futility.
The Force GT is the sata3 SandForce model using synchronous NAND.
A less expensive ssd is the Crucial M4 (128GB) that seems to have better real world performance than the asynchronous SandForce drives and is priced competitively.

I don't know how the M4's real world performance will be in a sata2 setup, but it should be a big improvement compared with a hard drive.

[dJabba]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Trying to make sense out of the many ssd benchmarks is an exercise in futility.

You can say that out loud ... my head is spinning right now :)

I had a look at the Crucial M4 as well, but it only has half the write speeds of the Force GT - but also cost 25% less ... However the Force GT has only been on the market since June and the price has dropped in a constant curve since then...
I'm not in that much of a hurry ... might wait a couple weeks more before buying it - or be on the lookout for a sale on them *wish thinking*

With my current setup I know the speed won't make any difference, but the Bulldozer aint far from being released so the upgrade is imminent :)

Btw, thanks for your feedback, its appreciated.

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Before I bought my ssd, I looked into the Crucial C300. I was bothered by it's significantly lower write speeds and was puzzled when many/most C300 user reviews were very happy with the Crucial's performance, even when using it as a sata2 drive. I doubt that I'll buy any OCZ products in the future due to their recent marketing crap with their transition from 34nm NAND to 25nm.

Good things come to those who wait.
Glad to help out, let us know the ssd works with your new Bulldozer upgrade.

[wazza300]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Did you get an ssd yet? And anyone know if ocz agility 3 is asynchronous/synchronous? I'm thinking about buying one as they are the cheapest for the spec atm

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

The Agility 3 is asynchronous
[H]ardOCP has a recent article that points out the major disadvantages of the asynchronous drives.
Check out http://forums.tweaktown.com/storage-...rformance.html.
A fairly recent TweakTown review compared the synchronous Vertex 3 with the Agility 3 and said that the Agility 3 (asyncronous) should be avoided.

[wazza300]

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

Yes, the vertex 3 uses synchronous NAND.

[dJabba]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

just ordered the Corsair GT 120gb today (180 €), couldn't resist anymore. Now I just have to wait for it to arrive and decide if I'm going to clone my current disk or do the work and reinstall win.

Only to bad that my GFX card covers my PCIe x1 slot on my mainboard, else I could have added my sata3 controller. So has to run on sata2 for now 'till the bulldozer comes.

[profJim]

Re: Need SSD buying advice

I'm not in that much of a hurry ... might wait a couple weeks more before buying it

Ya, RIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!

With your record of infinite patience , how about temporarily connecting your sata card to an open x16 pci-e slot?

[dJabba]