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    Fastes mSata drive for x230?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by Supermiguel, Aug 13, 2012.

  1. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    Whats the fastest available msata drive for the x230??

    Thanks
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 13, 2012
    #1
  2. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    I would recommend Crucial m4 mSATA: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB.

    (I find the 64GB big enough when used in conjunction with a storage drive. Heck, at the current prices, grab the 128GB!)
     
    Kaso, Aug 13, 2012
    #2
  3. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    Supermiguel, Aug 13, 2012
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  4. Jack Watts

    Jack Watts Notebook Consultant

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    You aren't going to notice a difference, and you won't be able to realize the full speed capacity anyway since the Msata drive can only run on SataII speeds. So, I'd probably just buy based on price and perceived reliability. The Crucial and Mushkin both certainly look good.
     
    Jack Watts, Aug 13, 2012
    #4
  5. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    they can only run Sata II speeds?
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 13, 2012
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  6. JAmerican

    JAmerican Notebook Consultant

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    JAmerican, Aug 14, 2012
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  7. sciencefair

    sciencefair Notebook Consultant

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    sciencefair, Aug 14, 2012
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  8. JAmerican

    JAmerican Notebook Consultant

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    It's about 20 seconds to login screen from off state. I think it's because the ThinkPad logo at post stays a little longer than I would like. I got 15 seconds on the Vaio T because the VAIO logo at post took like 2 seconds.
     
    JAmerican, Aug 14, 2012
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  9. EmptyKim

    EmptyKim Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have the Mushkin one, its fast.

    Mine is about 20 seconds also.
     
    EmptyKim, Aug 14, 2012
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  10. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    how about the regular sata port? is that true sata3?
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 14, 2012
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  11. AboutThreeFitty

    AboutThreeFitty ~350

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    Yes. (10char)
     
    AboutThreeFitty, Aug 14, 2012
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  12. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    They're all fast. The benefit of a SSD is the latency, how fast data can be found and read. All SSDs have a 1ms latency so there's little difference in going from SATA II to III. The throughput, how much data can be put through the controller in a given time(the throughput on a SATA III drive will be much faster), which is often used as a benchmark for SSDs, has little value in day to day use because most things don't put much of a load on the controller. Buy a SSD on price.
     
    ZaZ, Aug 15, 2012
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  13. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Our day to day scenarios don't support your view. We have hundreds of consultants using very large blobs of data and we see real benefits from top tier SSD drives and SATA III.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Aug 15, 2012
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  14. Rigored

    Rigored Newbie

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    I'm using a SSD in the main bay, so I have the full speed of SATA III. If it makes any influence in your buying decision, I get a boot time of 7-8 seconds from dead to usable desktop.
     
    Rigored, Aug 15, 2012
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  15. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    Do average notebook buyers use large blobs of data? Not in my experience. Typical notebook usage like Office, Media and Internet, don't put much of a load on the controller. For those uses the throughput won't make much of a difference. While I'm sure there are people who need the larger pipe, most people do not.
     
    ZaZ, Aug 15, 2012
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  16. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    so if i i had a sata ssd and a msata ssd, i should put my os on the sata ssd
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 15, 2012
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  17. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    Why bother spending money on both? Just buy the SATA 6Gbit/s SSD for the primary bay to replace the stock HDD.

    End of story.
     
    Kaso, Aug 15, 2012
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  18. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    i guess i could get a 512gb instead of 2 256gb
    The only reason i wanted two drives was because i will be installing linux and windows in it.. So one drive per OS, but i could partition it in half, and it will be faster that way i supposed, since it will be working as sata3 instead of 2...

    So i guess i could get this guy: Newegg.com - Crucial M4 CT512M4SSD1 2.5" 512GB SATA III MLC 7mm Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

    not sure if thats the best 7mm ssd 500+GB that will fit this laptop
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 15, 2012
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  19. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    ^^^ I've been using that Crucial M4 512GB. Or, if you want "the best" (?) and have the money to spend, consider the Samsung 830.

    Stop worrying about SATA 3Gbit/s and 6Gbit/s.
     
    Kaso, Aug 15, 2012
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  20. Thors.Hammer

    Thors.Hammer Notebook Enthusiast

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    Apparently you have no experience in several scenarios. There are millions of developers, consultants, database admins, it professionals, videographers and photographers that deal with large blobs of data all day every day that can benefit. The connection and pipe has nothing to do with it. Many of the operations are standalone and people enjoy productivity benefits from using SATA III SSD drives. That's why the products do exist.

    As Kaso mentions, use a good SATA III SSD drive in the primary bay.
     
    Thors.Hammer, Aug 15, 2012
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  21. JAmerican

    JAmerican Notebook Consultant

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    I'll do that when 320GB SSD drives are affordable. The current high-priced 128GB and 256GB drives are too small for my storage needs.
     
    JAmerican, Aug 15, 2012
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  22. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    SSD prices have come down significantly in the last 6 months. A year ago, a 64GB SSD was typically priced at $120, now it is down to $60. Today, a good 256GB SSD can be had for about $160, and a 512GB SSD for $380. As demands increase and volumes grow, prices will continue to go down.

    Anyway, as the saying goes, "Buy what you need with what you have." If the OP can afford a large SSD for the primary bay, today, why not?

    Side notes: As the OP's usage and budget requirements are not clearly known, it is difficult to made a recommendation that balances various factors. If I were the OP, though, I would install a "large enough" mSATA SSD for boot/OS/apps and a "very large" HDD (5400rpm or 7200rpm, as required) for storage. And that's in relation to the X230. For a ThinkPad that can take an UltraBay drive caddy adapter (which connects to a SATA 6Gbit/s port), the recommendation would be different.
     
    Kaso, Aug 15, 2012
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  23. Supermiguel

    Supermiguel Notebook Evangelist

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    ya ill pass on that :)

    that will fit??? is it 7mm?
     
    Supermiguel, Aug 15, 2012
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  24. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    Do your homework, man.
     
    Kaso, Aug 15, 2012
    #24