Seagate Momentus XT SSHD 500GB 90$ worth it?

All is on the title, I'll buy my m14x on HIDevolution and I can pick the Seagate Momentus XT SSHD 500GB as main hard drive for 90$, and I'll take latter an OCZ Vertex 3 as 2nd disk (I'll replace the optical drive with the SSHD or HD 500gb if I don't take the SSHD and set the SSD as main hard drive).
So what is better Momentus XT 500GB + OCZ Vertex 3 or Base HDD 500GB + OCZ Vertex 3. In newegg the Momentus XT is 100$ and I can get it for 90$ on HIDevolution.
Any advice?

 

The whole point of buying the SSD is for quicker boot times, quicker application and data load times. I mean there are other advantages to an SSD say like frapsing game play it would be nice to have the write speed. But why waste money on an SSD if your not using it as the boot drive?

The Momentus XT appears to have minor drawbacks overall but I dont think it would benefit you later if it was moved to secondary duty in place of the SSD if you chose to ran the SSD as the boot drive.

I would go SSD + Stock drive or Momentus + Stock or larger drive. I dont see too many points in doing Momentus as Boot and SSD as secondary.

 

Yes that was on my plan to set the SSD as main drive as soon as I get it, I just ask if the Momentus is worth it as second drive for 90$ or if I should go with the Stock Drive 500GB. (I'll use Momentus as main drive only until I'll buy the SSD). Sorry if I didn't explained correctly.

 

It seems there is two version of this hard drive:
Momentus XT | 7200 RPM | Seagate
Momentus XT Solid State Hybrid Hard Drive | Seagate
With HIDevolution I'll get the 1st version (1st link) I checked the reviews on the seagates website and it seems some people have issue with the 1st version (vibration, lower perf than with a HDD 7500rpm, annoying noice, ect...)
No one here have the 1st gen of this hard drive? I need some feedback... I know the classical HDD, I know the SSD, but I don't know well the Hybrid hard drive so I don't know if it's a good deal or not...

 

Probably wrong forum, but its relevant to this. I was looking at that upgrade too, but if you just put the OS on the SSD for example, would it run faster than putting it on the HDD?

 

Yes, windows will boot really faster (about 12sec for the OCZ Vertex 3 according to the hardware heaven review), you'll access to your folder faster, overall will be faster and you'll have to put your games / software on your SSD to see your games load / run faster.

 

I hear that the optical drive bay only supports SATA I speeds (1.5 gb), so you definately don't want to put the SSD in a drive caddy. Have it as your primary at SATA II (3.0 gb). The m14x currently does not support SATA III speeds (6 gb)

 

Honestly, doesn't make a difference since the access time in the SSD is at least an order of magnitude lower (faster), which makes the biggest impact. Also, the other important factor, random R/W speeds, don't even saturate SATA/150 at the moment. Don't use sequential (marketed) speeds as being comparable to whether or not a drive is fast, nor the interface it uses.

 

I know m14x currently does not support SATA III but there will be a bios update to enable this. No one made a tutorial to replace the optical drive, on the m15x forums I saw a tuto about that, no m14x equivalent?

 

Please use the Hardware Upgrades forum (which also has an SSD dedicated sub-forum) for these types of posts - HDD/SDD brand suggestions, keyboards, mice, etc.

Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades

This is not alienware or M14x specific.

Thanks.