SSD+Momentus XT vs. SSD + HDD 7200RPM vs SSD + SSD

Hello guys,

I'm looking into upgrades for my future Alienware m17x R3 specifically hard drives and was wondering...

of the three combinations

SSD + Momentus XT (hybrid)
vs.
SSD + HDD 7200RPM
vs
SSD + SSD

Which would you consider to be the best in overall combined performance and reliability. Basically the best bang for your buck.

Thanks in advance

 

I got two intel 320 160gb ( 320 in total) it gives me a good overall performance, I got 320gb so it's still an acceptable size and maybe I will go with an external hdd if I need it, and with two exact same ssd you can set them in raid toget incredible performance, otherwise I think the traditionnal hdd is a better choice.

 

SSD + 1TB 5400 or 750GB 7200rpm HDD

 

thats what i was going to do at first...but then i started learning about the hybrid ssd (XT) and that its pretty fast compared to a HDD.The price is about the same too.

Any reason why you didn't choose the momentus?

 

I WILL WRITE IN CAPS SINCE THERE IS ONE MAJOR REASON WHY MOMENTUS XT IS POINTLESS AS A SECONDARY DRIVE.

Basically the Momentus XT "learns" what programs you use and adapts to specific programs. So if you boot up Windows a lot, use Photoshop a lot, it will run faster. But if you are using it for say a secondary drive just for storing lots of documents and such and a SSD as your primary program drive, then it's rather pointless to get the Momentus XT as there are no programs for it to learn and adapt to.

 

I don't really see the benefit of having a Hybrid drive as a secondary, most likely for games and storage. You'll see little to no performance gains over a traditional 500GB/750GB 7200 RPM hard drive which offers more space and possibly runs cooler and more quiet (depending on the model).

If it's a Hybrid drive you want then you're better off waiting on a 2nd Gen Momentus XT (most likely 750 - 1TB with 8 - 16GB SSD) and dropping the whole SSD + HDD idea altogether. You'll be saving a whole lot of money by doing so and can spend the money saved elsewhere on maybe a Android Tablet.

If not get SSD + 500GB/750GB 7200rpm HDD (depending on your usage) and spend the money saved on a USB external hard drive for backup purposes and extra mobile storage.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I may end up getting the SSD+HD and maybe SSD+SSD in the way down the line...

However...I have one more question though. What if I'm going to use my secondary to store photos for editing on photoshop. Wouldn't the XT access/open the files with photoshop faster than a HDD?

 

You better off with a bigger SSD as boot and for storing your photos.

 

Ssd+hdd 7200rpm.......

 

here and SSD+HDD user. works just fine.
like said above. momentus xt only usefull as a windows boot drive.

 

Photos are better stored on the SSD. Your libraries will load MUCH faster.

 

No. The Momentus XT will probably be slower because without the help of the flash memory, it is only average speed for a 7200rpm drive.

 

+1. The only use I can think for it as a secondary drive would be for page file (instead of eating into your SSD's space/wear). Other than that you could load commonly Word documents super fast...

 

Or if you got a ton of cash to burn, get a decent sized boot drive (128-256GB) and get a HUGE 512 GB SSD. That was my friend's M6400 setup.

The MomentusXT for me was very disappointing (on #3 now), it hardly boots up faster than my 7200 rpm drives (not a scientific measurement) but cost much more than my Scoprio Blacks. Doesn't beat my SSDs. Perhaps I've used SSDs for too long now and the XT seems to boot up slower.

Your best bet without breaking the bank is to get a decent sized SSD and put your OS and your most commonly used programs on it, and get a large 7200 rpm secondary mechanical drive and put your data on there.

 

After using SSDs, all HDDs and hybrid drives feel the same lol. The XT is slightly faster than a good 7200RPM drive, which in turn is very slightly faster than a 5400RPM drive. I would only recommend the XT if you only have 1 drive option (ie. use your ODD) or get it for cheap (like me lol, I got it for free from my bro).

 

That actually doesn't make any sense at all. Why would you make the 128gb a boot drive when the 512gb SSD is faster?

It's not smaller = boot drive, it's faster = boot drive.

 

Depends on usage. I switch daily between SSD(work) and Scorpio black(home) and don't even notice the difference. Both machine only use sleep/resume.

 

Rumor is that there's a revision of the Seagate Momentus XT coming soon. Think they might increase the size of the flash or improve the speed. I'd probably wait to see how that pans out before buying that secondary drive. Doubt it'll make much difference in comparison to a straight-up SSD as your primary though.

Now when I was doing the research, I decided that the meager 4GB of the hybrid drive was just not enough to warrant paying twice what I would for a 500 GB 7200RPM otherwise. Also, it didn't hurt that the WD Scorpio Black was faster when flash didn't come into play, ran cooler, used less power, and was half the price at the time I was doing the research.

Prices have come down since then on the Momentus XT, though. Even on a secondary drive, if you're like me you'll tend to use the same files a lot, which could lead to some benefit. The biggest problem is the flash won't help your page file at all and you'll have to be wary of defrags since that'll wipe the flash advantage out. But if you don't defrag the drive, the rest of the space'll start to slow in time...

The whole thing sounded like more trouble than it was worth, given how small the flash was for my tastes. If they'd boost that up substantially and get it closer to "real" SSD speeds, then I might be more inclined to consider it, though.

Or laptop makers could give us a smaller bay for just SSD's, give us two 2.5" bays for hard drives, and then we could add some mini-SSD's for system drives and use our hard drive bays for real hard drives. You know, either/or.

 

Very true too.

It is no rumor, I posted info on the 750GB XT G2 w/ 8GB NAND in the Hardware subforum:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...tus-xt-750gb-w-8gb-nand-more.html#post7883324

Either way, I wouldn't waste my money on the XT as a secondary drive. I would only recommend it if you have a single bay and needed more space than a SSD can provide (usually prohibited by cost).

 

I purchased a Momentous XT while I was deciding and educating myself on which SSD to buy. It had replaced a 320GB Hitachi 5400K and I could tell no difference at all. The Hitachi booted 8 seconds faster and was overall alot more crisp. I think, from my experience, that's it's more of a marketing gimmick in my opinion. Who knows though; I may have simply had a bad drive.

 

If your XT is not noticeably faster than a 5400rpm drive or 7200rpm drive there is something wrong.

This is what an XT performs like for average usage:
http://youtu.be/U8n3fraKjHE

 

Would it act the same way as a secondary drive for saving photos and other documents?
My primary/boot is going to be an SSD. I'll put games and applications like photoshop on the SSD. But i need a secondary drive for opening photos for photo editing. Is the XT really going to preform better than a WD Scorpio black 750GB 7200RPM?

 

I just finished installing the SD28 Firmware update for a client's system (from Firmware SD25). I am impressed.

Before the update, I would rate the Scorpio Black 750GB HDD I have as faster than the XT. I would also have bet that the Hitachi 7K750 750GB model to be faster too (don't own this one, but do know Hitachi drives).

But, as of Firmware SD28, the XT is again in the top position for mechanical HDD's - obviously better than my Scorpio Black 750GB drive and much, much better than any 'last gen' 500GB, 7200RPM drives from last year or so.

If the capacity isn't a hindrance (there is a good chance the 8GB nand XT version to come out soon @ 750GB also - faster and bigger - ...) then yes, this is the biggest and fastest HDD you can get right now.

 

I would not really recommend these drives as secondary storage. Instead get the Samsung Spinpoint M8 1TB 5400rpm.

 

The hybrid drives serve little use as a pure data drive. It won't really outperform a Scorpio Black in such uses, or really any mechanical. The only case where it might be worthwhile as a second drive is if you put a few programs on it, but even then the benefit is likely low.

 

Thanks for the tips guys...maybe i will hold out for the new XT coming out. I don't want to get the 1TB 5400rpm as it doesn't sound like it'll be as fast as a Scorpio black.

 

Actually the 1TB drives can beat the Scorpio Black when it comes to large files. The Black will be faster with small files.