Switching to a SSD for my notebook

Hello,

I have an oldish vaio bz11xn notebook with the following specs: Sony : Specification for VGN-BZ11XN | VGN-BZ11XN technical specifications and I'd like to replace my current HDD (200GB 5400rpm) with an SSD.
I have a couple of choices that are within my price range and I'd like some opinions about those from more expert users. The size I'm looking into is 120-128GB.

* Sandisk EXTREME SDSSDX
* Intel SSDSC2CW120A3K5
* Samsung MZ-7PD128BW

Out of these Intel is the most expensive (150euro's), followed by samsung (130) and sandisk (110). Which one should I get?

 

I wrote this in a hurry and didn't look at the interface - the notebook has SATA interface (so 1.5Gb/s). What would make a good SSD for this machine? Most importantly, is it worth it?

 

I can't recommend any of these - much too small (capacity-wise).

For an older system, an Intel 320 Series 160GB (or larger) would be ideal imo. Low power usage, with performance to match the slower/older interface.

See:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sol...amsung-840-sandisk-extreme-2.html#post9144309


Save your money for a real SSD (240/256GB capacity or larger). You need ~25GB free space (assuming Win7/8 O/S), ~30% 'unallocated' (to keep the performance you paid for sustained, over time) and ~ 50GB-100GB for O/S and data needs. A 120GB (nominal, ~111GB usable) SSD is just a tease at this point in 2013.

Look for the Crucial M500 Series with larger capacity yet (hopefully) more affordable options soon - not to mention real world performance at double what your current choices offer.

Good luck.

 

A question...for a laptop where it's the only drive, I agree...120GB sounds way too small. But do you think that would be enough for just Windows 7 Pro 64 + Programs? Looking at my C drive, I have 35.9 GB between Windows, Program Files, Program Files x86, Intel, Program Data, Perf Logs, System Volume...all my My Docs, Photos, Music, and all Users files etc. would stay on my old 500GB HDD. What do you think?

 

the older Intel 320 SSDs were incredibly agile vs all the SATAII SSDs. While they weren't the fastest at sequential speeds, they had wicked Random performance plus they virtually never stuttered or showed any latency issues. Plus, they seem to be the only drives on the market atm outside of enterprise models that have sudden power loss protection.

That being said, you also have to make a decision whether you'll keep the machine for much longer. It may do well to purchase something robust like a Samsung 840 pro and such in anticipation for a newer machine

 

Yeah - I still think 120GB is too small for an SSD. Just the nature of the beast...

The smaller drives have nand that is not interleave optimized, may not have all the channels fully populated, and the firmware is definitely optimized for the larger capacities... Yeah - just too many concessions to make to simply say 'I have an SSD in my system'...

It's like buying a Yugo in the '80's... you got a 'full-sized' car with many of the bells and whistles 'real' cars had - but they only lasted for 1/5th of the time of a 'real' car for only saving 20%-50% of the $$$.

Right now, SSD's smaller than 240/250/256GB capacity are the Yugo's of the tech world - definitely in the 'do not touch with a 10 foot pole' department if you value your hard earned cash.


In a few days/weeks with the Crucial M500 coming out... the sweet spot will be 480/512GB capacity - but only for the M500 and the M4 $$-wise (and only for the M500 performance-wise).


All we can hope for is that the M500 will be as bullet-proof as the M4's are and that the prices will be low enough to get other players to offer new SSD's at the same level of capacity/performance and price too... Soon!

 

If you consider that it is a simple task to move the SSD to a new system, should you decide to upgrade you Notebook, you can think of your SSD purchase as a separate investment.

I got a Samsung 830 that I initially put into my 3 year old (Sata II) Vaio. When I upgraded to a new laptop, the Samsung was the only thing that was a simple transfer to my new, modern machine.

 

SSD disk you can keep transfering to new machine and the price has gone way down over the last few years, that is my feeling. It's a good investment

Under 256GB, I can't imagine it workable unless you have a second SSD

When I did but the Crucial M4 512GB af first it's nearly 800+Tax, now it's more in the $550 range

 

OP Does the BIOS on your computer have any limitation AFA hard drive size?

 

You are the only person I have seen mention allocating 30% to sustain the life of the SSD. Do you know how much longer (on average) it actually lasts? 30% of an SSD is quite a lot to leave unallocated.

J.Dre

 

Could like a huge "Tax" to pay for increased performance, and actually makes the device 30% more expensive in real terms, is this really needed ? :/

 

Also, Intel 320's 8MB issue hasn't been completely fixed. Just today, a friend who bought an Intel 320 days ago caught the 8MB bug, despite the firmware update which attempts to address the issue. I do not see why this is a sound buy.

The other 3 SSDs definitely seem a lot better on the reliability stand point.