What to upgrade on X301

I love my X301.

I run Vista Business x64 with 4GB memory & 128GB SSD and carry a 1TB Buffalo ministation. As many apps as possible are x64 including IE & Office 2010.

As there's no replacement, I've today ordered memory to take it to 8GB & a Crucial 256GB SSD to replace the existing SSD.

What else might I replace or upgrade?

 

Why not wait until you're actually unsatisfied with the performance to upgrade it?

 

maybe upgrade your system to windows 7?

 

I've had the X301 for some time & if there were a new X3xx I'd be replacing it now, but as there isn't a replacement I've decided to upgrade as much as I might.

 

With what purpose? Is there anything that's running sow?

 

It sounds fine with the upgrades that you've already done with it !

My X301 is still running with the original 64GB SSD lol So, your already worlds ahead of me

 

Everyone here does know the next generation SSD's are coming out early-mid 2011, right? They are supposed to be somewhat faster, have far more storage, and come at a cheaper cost per GB in size.
If you already have a decent SSD in there right now, I don't see the point to "upgrade" to another 2010 SSD (wait to buy a -supposedly- far better 2011 SSD)


I do not understand where people get this idea that if they have max ram their system will run faster... If you really are running that many programs, or are that sloppy with how you run them, that you actually do need the full 8GB then by all means buy it, but don't go thinking it will make anything faster (unless you are setting up part of it as a ram disk... but you already have a SSD, so its probably a good idea not to stress the ram too much)

I second the vote on Windows 7 (a fresh install of Windows 7, with minimal extras, is the fastest you can get... well you can also tweek it to make it even faster)

and don't trust just one backup/ data storage device. Buy a decent Laptop hard drive (like the Hitachi 7k500. $80-90) and put it in a eternal USB case ($5-20). you will be thankful you have multi backups so when one device fails, is lost, damaged, or stolen; you always have the other one

 

What I'd really like is a 500GB SSD, so if that's available in 2011 then that can be the next upgrade.

I run Vista in classic mode & have put off Windows 7 for that reason. Maybe it's time to make the move.

 

500 gigs for a 1.8 inch form factor?

 

Yes, 2.5" won't fit in X301.

 

You've pretty much maxed it out. Neither the CPU or IGP are upgradeable. Is the x301 performing below your needs?

 

No, it's not currently. I'm looking forward 2 years and expecting these upgrades to allow me to skip one replacement cycle. Since 1984 I've not kept a lapotop more than two years; this will be the exception.