Should I get an SSD drive?

I use my computer only to surf the internet and use Microsoft office.

How much faster will Windows 7 load with an SSD drive compared to a 500 GB, 7200 RPM drive?

How much faster do the following things load?

IE 8

Microsoft Word, Excel files

PDF files

Other things to consider.

> Money is not a huge issue. However, I don't want to throw money out the window.

> Hard drive size is not an issue. I won't come close to using even a 100 mb drive.

> How much quieter is the SSD? I was never really bothered by the noise of a hard drive spinning.

> Am I correct about this? Since I will be only using the computer to surf the internet and open Office files, I won't even really be using the hard drive that often.

 

It depends on how advanced of a user you are. If you constantly work with excel, publisher, etc... Then you may be able to utilize the SSD more efficiently... If you are not, then I would wait until SSD prices are down. I would head over to the SSD thread and ask what SSD would be best for your needs. Price the SSD and then ask yourself if it is worth the money of however expensive it would be.

 

Short answer: Yes.

In my situation Windows boots twice as fast (~25 vs. 12 seconds), applications load three to four times faster.

 

I work with some large Excel files (current one is ~20MB with multiple tabs and 500+ calculations) - takes about 15 seconds to open on a spinning hard drive - takes 3-4 seconds on the SSD. PDFs and other files open instantly.
BLUF: If you want the computer to wait for your actions vice the other way around... then get the SSD - best upgrade you can give yourself to improve the overall computing experience.
BTW - no noise from an SSD - yes it will be noticeable when use the SSD for a while then work/use a system with a hard drive. You really see/hear the impacts of the SSD upgrade after that.

 

A bit of a twist on what has already been said. if you shop and say the page loads 100 small images and other small html files. On a fast internet connection the page may take a second or two or mo to load as the IOPS of the HDD are low. With a high IOPS SSD the page can show almost instantly............

 

I just got a 64gb SSD new for $75.00.

Night & Day speed difference,REALLY.

No drive seeking the data,no moving parts.

Zero noise,no moving parts.

Better battery life,again no moving parts and no moving parts!

YES you would be the perfect candidate for a small SSD.

Ed

 

For a good medium you can also check out the Momentus XT hybrid drive.

 

If space is not an issue, an SSD is definitely the way to go.

 

i suggest this comprimise is best... it will be a step up from a normal hard drive and u still get a lot of space... of course , u can get an SSD but u'll have way less space and more cost...

 

> Money is not a huge issue. However, I don't want to throw money out the window.

> Hard drive size is not an issue. I won't come close to using even a 100 mb drive.

> How much quieter is the SSD? I was never really bothered by the noise of a hard drive spinning.

> Am I correct about this? Since I will be only using the computer to surf the internet and open Office files, I won't even really be using the hard drive that often.[/QUOTE]

You said the magic words. You want performance, you are willing to pay for an SSD, and the storage capacity isn't an issue. You are the ideal candidate for an SSD.

The performance of an SSD is there. If you want the performance, get an SSD. Even for basic tasks like browsing web pages or using office productivity apps, you will find an SSD useful. Everything will just "feel" smoother and snappier. When you launch an app, it comes up instantly. If you are doing multiple things with your hard drive at once (e.g. launching apps while installing programs and copying files), your system won't grind to a halt.

And to answer your question - an SSD is totally quiet, because there are no moving parts.

 

Thank you everyone. It costs $250 to upgrade on the notebook I am considering purchasing. It seems worth it though.

I plan on keeping the notebook for at least 7 years so I should get maximum use out of the SSD.

 

You will be among the many people who have bought an SSD, and love it.

Good luck with your purchase.