Lenovo 256GB SSD

Just so you all know, Lenovo does have a 256 GB SSD available for purchase with all their systems. The catch is it's only available as an accessory and cannot be configured on a machine at the moment (not sure I understand why). The 256 GB was 800 some dollars and had to be bought as a spare drive to be user installed. The obvious question is... why would anyone buy one like that at that price? The sales rep thought I'd be crazy to buy one, I agreed.

 

I think they run $800-900. I personally can't justify that much money.

 

Me neither. My old T61p w/320GB 7200rpm HD boots in right around 30 seconds. I don't need to drop 850 bucks to gain another 15 seconds back.

 

well if you were in a corporation and they gave you a budget of $3k to get a laptop, I bet you'd find a way to justify it

 

Nice. Very nice.

 

Can't argue with that.

 

Comparing a 7200rpm HDD and a SSD is like comparing night and day. Boot time is not near the top of the long list of advantages. However, 256GB SSD's are not a good price point at the moment. But if you really want a SSD and really need 256GB you'll find a way to justify the cost, just as you did with the new notebook. For an old notebook, it at least would be an upgrade that you may re-use in the next new system.

 

850$ is a lot of money to spend yes.

But reduced boot times is only one benefit of a quality SSD.

Try opening an average application immediately after your 30 second boot and you will find that it will take quite some time before it opens. On a SSD the apps will open almost instantly. The heavier the application the bigger the difference will be in favor of the SSD.

Also try transferring/copying large amounts of data to/from your HDD, whilst at the same time opening several applications. In this case you will find that on your HDD it will take ages for it to open the apps and will perhaps also reduce transfer speed on your copying task. With a SSD, the apps will open almost instantly.

Then there is the ruggedness, silence, lower power consumption etc.

 

Get a smaller size SSD for a price that you can justify. It's SO worth it. Who is the manufacturer for the 256GB SSD? I guess Samsung?

I know Lenovo uses the 80GB Intel X18-M drives in some configurations, but I have not seen one with the 160GB X18-M/X25-M. Does anyone know anything about that?

 

I don't deny the advantage of ssd, just not at 800. My problem is that the smallest drive I could really get by with is the Intel 160 gig. Ssd just isn't far enough along yet for my use. Using an ultra bay adapter for a second drive or carrying a USB drive all the time are both solutions I don't want to rely on.

 

I hear you. I wouldn't pay 800 either. That's why I suggested going with a 128GB of the Samsung (who manufactures that size for Lenovo) or the 80GB from Intel. And between those two, even though it's the smaller size, I highly recommend the 80GB Intel X18-M or X25-M.

I don't know if your laptop usage requires an optical drive. I have the Bluray option for my Ultrabay, and have never so much as formatted a DVD with it. lol...I always get the Ultrabay HDD/SSD caddy, which gives you an internal 2nd drive for your ThinkPad! W700's can go up to three due to their large size.

I'm the same way with not ever wanting to carry around anything other than the laptop. I don't even use discs to install operating systems. Bootable USB stick is easier, and faster!

 

D: my is - 43nm MLC
> SOLID STATE DRIVE THNS256GG8BAAA
> TOSHIBA Lenovo PN : 45N8206 Lenovo FRU : 45N8207
> SATA3.0Gbps LBA 500,118,192
> TSD- THNS256GG8BAAA(B)
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2008_12/pr1801.htm -43nm MLC
http://www.toshiba.com/taec/news/press_releases/2009/memy_09_573.jsp -43nm MLC

OTOH new 32nm High Performance SSDs (HG3 Series) - Q1 2010
http://ssd.toshiba.com/SSD-product-guide.html
Toshiba's new 32nm HG3 Series support the TRIM Command

 

Wow...Nice! I haven't come across Toshiba SSD's in Thinkpads as of yet.

240/180 r/w speeds are impressive, but that's the sequential speed, right? Can you run some benchies? I'd love to see how it does with 4K blocks.

512GB SSD this qtr? Nice!!

 

256GB FDE Solid State Drive THNS256GG8BAAA TOSHIBA
is for my new install w7 ult 64bit
on ThP X200s; ram 8GB, (turboM 2GB disabled) etc
I'm vvvvv.impressed with the laptop speed up but also: no vibrations, no fears on trip.
BTW sorry to say but IMVHO still are not mature SSD products
(GOK may be G3 - also with TRIM command support)
FYI purchase (2009-10-29) was support for distributor. I not run any benchies.
But you can compare speed results on two Lenovo T400s
TSD- THNS256GG8BAAA(B) on T400s
http://tpholic.com/xe/ibmreport/2529311 Gyber - 2009.09.25
and
T400s mit 256GB SSD: TOSHIBA THNS256GG8BAAA
http://www.thinkpad-forum.de/thinkp...eschwindigkeitsvergleich-interne-festplatten/
Moskito - Samstag, 10. Oktober 2009

 

How do you figure that SSD's haven't matured yet? I'm on my X18-M Gen. 1 which doesn't support the TRIM command, but Intel's SSD's are by far the very best out there, and with the latest firmware, I don't see why I should get a Gen 2 just yet.

I'd love the 160GB X-25M/X-18M Gen. 2 as my next primary drive. I don't trust non-Intel SSD's.

FDE sounds enticing, though. How are the Toshiba SSD's 4K/4-64K levels?

As for comparing SSD's to 7,200rpm HDD's, or any HDD for that matter, there is simply no comparison. You can't imagine how amazing SSD's are until you have owned one. That was true for me, too.

 

Just got the Intel X25-M 160GB G2 and I have to say that Im very impressed indeed! The only thing that I wish for is that Intel would make and automate the SSD Optimizer Tool to run at scheduled times instead of manually doing so.

 

You shouldn't need to run it manually if you're on windows 7. Windows 7 takes care of all the TRIM related stuff in the background. Or am I mistaken? Please correct me if I am.

 

Hmm... Thats quite a point to ponder! Im just a SSD newbie but I thought that Trim feature is only supported in Windows 7 and what the Tool does is actually to erase any deleted files data that are no longer in use to improve performance. So far, I dont see any problems/issues running it and my system actually improves afterwards.