Recommend me an SSD

I'm looking into picking up an SSD later this year (in a month or two) and wondering what some of the best choices were. I'm looking to keep it under $150. This drive would be used inside my dv6t, so it would need to be a 2.5" drive that uses SATA II. What are my best options? I would prefer the drive be as large in capacity as possible, but at least 60GB. Also, does anyone know where I can get an optical drive bay for the dv6, so I can still use the current hard drive in that?

 

Either this 60GB:

Newegg.com - OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

for 140usd (has 20usd rebate after this, I think).

Or this 90GB:

Newegg.com - OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE90G 2.5" 90GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

for 160usd, after rebate. I KNOW it's higher priced, but it's 30GB more...

Vertex 2 is an Agility 2 with special sauce firmware, nothing much

 

If you're buying in a month or two, look again in a month or two

New Intel G3 and OCZ Onyx 2 are going to significantly change the SSD price/performance offerings.

 

Maybe the Onyx 2 comes out, but seems intel wont come this year, Intel Postpones 25nm SSDs to February 2011

 

I am aware of that site, but I have big doubt about the validity of the rumor.

First samples of Intel G3 are already selling in China.

I say we can buy Intel G3 before Christmas. At least in one capacity.

 

My theory is that how quickly the G3s become available to the public will be closely tied to how quickly sandy bridge becomes widely available to Intel can cash in on the new laptop buyers market and not just upgrade for enthusiasts.

 

Nater43, at this point I can only recommend a SandForce based drive (I have the Patriot Inferno 100GB).

Phil makes a good point though - re-evaluate the SSD landscape when you're actually ready to buy. Those G3's look very, very tempting. If nothing else, the whole price structure will be reworked in the industry (with consumers benefitting).


NotEnoughMinerals, I hope you're right, but I don't think that even Intel has that kind of production capacity. If the G3's are revolutionary in price/performance as the SB's parts seem to be, then the demand will more than overwhelm whatever production capacity they have at their disposal.

Nater43, one more point to consider: if you don't need to buy in one/two months, it may be a wiser path to sell your current system as-is and buy a newer SB based system in Feb/Mar/2011.

Not only will you have higher overall performance than simply adding an SSD to your current setup, but any SSD you add to the newer system should be a better match too. (Thinking about the work around needed for our current chipsets and specifically the JJB's and stamatisx' tweaks).

Good luck.

 

On the other hand Phil, it also makes October the best month to get some excellent bargains on the outgoing group of components. As long as you don't mind getting the current/outgoing generation, you can really save a lot of money.

 

Krane, the new models are not out yet - so why would the current offerings be priced lower?

 

Agreed, "current gen" which would be Sandforce/C300/Intel G2 don't have definitively better drives to compete against quite yet but if you're willing to buy second hand there are plenty bargains to be had as enthusiasts clear out in anticipation of the next wave. And of course, the older Indilinx based SSDs can be had on the cheap if you hunt around.

 

Indilinx? Hmmm.... where have I heard that before - that must be some mothballed memory I have from early 2010.

Used? Definitely not a contender with the rather fragile writes of SSD's.

Cheap? SSD's? While being good/worthwhile? Does not compute.


NotEnoughMinerals sorry, not picking on you - just feel that SandForce is so much above anything right now, that I would not even consider anything else/older that was given to me for free.

I hope I'm saying this about the current SandForce products in three months time.

 

Because retailers don't wait til the last minute. If they do, they risk having an overstock (which I'm sure you've heard of?) which is not cost effective to maintain.

Granted the exact day and time is up to the individual retailer; and it is a gamble. But in general, October is the month for this to happen and they need to clear out current inventory for the new stock. Now is a good time for consumers to take advantage of that while it lasts.

 

I think you're confusing seasonal holiday sales with clearing out old stock.

A retailer will always keep the prices as high as possible - unless they want to lose profit and risk going out of business.

I agree its a good time to take advantage of - but not when you're pursuing ultimate performance, nor the very best prices for old tech.

 

I'm not; rather, sharing what I know. These not so common sale times are what keeps the NR member a more informed consumer.

A critical balancing act in business isn't it? Even so, the consumer can still get the benefit.

 

Krane,

we're probably saying the same thing, just that my measure of 'sale' is getting the absolute lowest price 'ever' on a component.

BTW, If an SSD (of reasonable capacity >120GB) sells today for lower than a mechanical HD, then that is a sale.

If the same (old tech) SSD sells for 50 or even 70% off its MSRP, that is still on the 'rip-off' side of the coin in my books.

All such a sale does is put the value of the product more in line (but still not equal) to the performance increase over the much cheaper old, mechanical tech.

So, not only are you buying effectively equivalent performance as what you have now, you are still paying a premium for it too.

 

Haha, then again you have to remember that tilleroftheearth's usage patterns are far from the average user

 

Get either the GSkill Phoenix PRO 2 SSD or OCZ Agility 2 SSD. Both have SF-1200 controllers, (I have the Agility 2). Usually they are around 120 for the 60 GB and usually have an MIR. I got mine for 120 with a 20 MIR.

 

You can see prices dropping as we speak.

The vertex 2 120 GB is now 189,- euro's and dropping. Allmost 1,5 euro's per GB. You can tell that they're expecting a price drop with the new gen. SSD's.

It's up to you to decide whether you wanna pay 'that much' for a drive right now or wait and maybe get a drive which is 1 euro per GB (or whatever curry you got )