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    Thinkpad Ultrabay

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by cpm22, Mar 24, 2011.

  1. cpm22

    cpm22 Notebook Consultant

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    Can anyone fill me in on the ultrabay?

    I hadn't heard of it until just barely. Does this allow one to have an SSD and HDD together?
     
  2. afhstingray

    afhstingray Notebook Prophet

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  3. GomJabbar

    GomJabbar Notebook Consultant

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    The ultrabay can accept an optical drive (usually DVD), a second hard drive adapter (should work with SSD I think), or an ultrabay battery.
     
  4. anodize

    anodize Notebook Deity

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    You can use the sata slot on the bay for a HDD if desired.
     
  5. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    Ultrabay? Most ThinkPad models -- an example being the T410 -- allows you to pop out the default CD/DVD "optical" drive and pop in an Ultrabay "caddy" (same size, same shape) that holds a 2.5" HDD/SDD. Once that's done, the notebook has two mass-storage drives: a main drive and an Ultrabay drive.

    [​IMG] <----> [​IMG]

    Lenovo sells the Ultrabay adapter. You can buy a HDD/SDD of your choice, anywhere you wish.
     
  6. cpm22

    cpm22 Notebook Consultant

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    I see...thanks for all the help

    so one more quick question actually....so if, hypothetically, you have one 500 GB hdd and one 256GB, ssd would it be better to have the main drive be ssd or the hdd?
     
  7. Kaso

    Kaso Notebook Virtuoso

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    I have the (small and fast) SDD as the main drive for OS and apps, and use the Ultrabay (large but slower) HDD for various project data.
     
  8. amtbr

    amtbr Notebook Consultant

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    Like Kaso said, the benefits of the SSD are primarily for your OS loading times. SSDs don't offer too much tangible benefit in terms of just storing data.
     
  9. princealyy

    princealyy Notebook Evangelist

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    ^+1 use the SSD for booting, and the mechanical for storing large data files, which you may edit or change...

    Also usually I dont buy large SSD's if I have the option for a second drive, this helps save money, my work computer has a 60gb SSD and a 500 gb secondary (I think, I don't store much media at work, just word/excel/etc files)
     
  10. Thaenatos

    Thaenatos Zero Cool

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    Not all ultrabay slots support the ultrabay battery. The x200 ultrabase is one of them.
     
  11. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

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    whether a ultrabay supports a ultrabay battery depends on whether it has the ultrabay battery connector.
     
  12. munchcolo

    munchcolo Notebook Enthusiast

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    What about power consumption benefits? I've read some places that SSD's use significantly less power (thereby extending battery life), but other places I've read that there isn't a lot of difference in power consumption between a SSD and a 7200 rpm HDD.