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    SSD options for T420

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by m1tch37, Apr 13, 2011.

  1. m1tch37

    m1tch37 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I know this really isn't T420 specific, but what are my options for after-market SSD drives?

    I have been looking at Intel 320 drivers, but I haven't really considered any alternatives. Should I?

    Thanks
     
  2. mhermann

    mhermann Newbie

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    Basically you can install any after-market SSD and clone your drive or install OS directly on to this. However, if you still need storage, you may be better off buying a Intel 310 mSATA ssd.
     
  3. kohyeekan

    kohyeekan Notebook Consultant

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    if you don't need the DVD drive, you can install a SSD using an adapter. (others have done that...) The adapter is not cheap though ($50)
     
  4. m1tch37

    m1tch37 Notebook Enthusiast

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    I was planning on using the adapter and keeping the factory HDD.

    Or should I use a mSata drive?
     
  5. mhermann

    mhermann Newbie

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    You can do both or either.

    mSata is the cheaper options although it will not be more than 80 gb.

    With the adapter you can use a much bigger SSD which are faster.
     
  6. kohyeekan

    kohyeekan Notebook Consultant

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    Due to limited budget, I actually choose the mSATA. I will (my laptop not yet arrives) install and boot Windows and other programs in my mSATA drive and put other data in my 500gb 7200rpm hard-disk. So, I will have fast boot, surfing etc, but not-so-fast document & presentation editing.
     
  7. Colonel O'Neill

    Colonel O'Neill Notebook Deity

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    Document and presentation editing will be more CPU limited, unless you're severely RAM strained (by which I mean something like 512MB). Same with web surfing. Browsers are more CPU and GPU limited and have fairly little to do with disk speed except during initialization. Even then, current browsers don't really take that long to load at all.
     
  8. kohyeekan

    kohyeekan Notebook Consultant

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    haha, yup you are right. What I meant is actually the time to open the documents and presentations. Some of my documents are fairly big in size. Yup, what I meant is the time to initialize the browsers.