White book with SSD HD vs traditional HD

First post but have been reaidng here for years.

I'm looking to replace my tiring AW M7700. So that get us by quite bit of issues, I've been packing 14lbs of laptop every day for almost 4 yrs now. So the weight I'm not worrying about. Noise is not an issue for me as the M7700 sounds like a jet most of the time. It's a good supplement heater at times.

Top end components and durability are key to me. My M7700 has almost 80k miles on it strapped to a hard mount I built in my F350, quite a bit of it over non paved roads while running full time on an inverter. The rest of the time it is used in my office. It has run on average 14 hrs a day since I purchased it and at time I have blown more desert out of it than I was parked in. I have severly abused this one and my next will get the same loving treatment. In the 4 years the only thing I have had go out on the unit is 2 sets of hard drives. Which I attribute to the constant shock, heat and dirt issues. I back up every day so data loss was not an issue, but I'm intrigued by the SSD drives. As much for durability as dealing with heat.

Currently anywhere configured as I want it, it will be pushing $4-5k, so I'm not worried about saving the money on the HD cost. It will be about what I paid for my current one 4 yrs ago. If they will stand up better to the punishment and deal with the heat better, while giving the same performance then I'm good with the cost. Just looking for input, as I want a rock solid rig. Anything mil spec out there you just can't get with high end enough components with a 17 inch screen.

When the work is done, I still need a unit that can handle my graphics programs or be able to game via the inverter and sat link, or a hotel when one is avaiable.

 

SSDs are definitely more shock-resistant than HDDs simply because they have no moving parts. the added bonus of course is blazing speed

if you've got the dough, go for the SSDs.

 

Kind of what I figured,
Any info out there that would prompt a person to go with the (2) Intel X-25M 80 gb over (2) OCZ 120 gb's, for about the same price. 160gb is more than enough space, though 240gb would be nice. I've read quite a bit on the Intel SSD's, but do not know anything on the others.

 

Look at these; utter dominance by SSDs over HDDs.

 

Yes, I've seen the numbers on the X-25's just not the larger ones just now being offered.

Here is what I'm looking at, just need to decide on the which SSD's and if I'm going to bit the bullet and go all the way to 8gb.

QX9300 Quad Core
6GB or 8GB of RAM
(2) 120GB SSD or (2) 80GB X-25M
Blue-Ray player DVD writer
Dual Single ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 Graphics in CrossFire
Bluetooth
Intel 5300 a/g/n

Who to get it from is still up in the air. With this config everyone I've checked out will be with in a couple hundred of each other, so it's more about their after purchase support, driver up dates and such, and who can ship it to me the quickest.

I'll make that decision in the next couple of days, I want to get it orderd this week.

 

Currently, I would recommend Intel's X-25M over any OCZ drive. However, OCZ is supposed to be releasing their Vertex series within the month, so if you're willing to wait to see how they perform (since they no longer have a buggy JMicron controller) you could save some money and get a drive with more storage and (hopefully) good performance.

Edit: Just noticed the "want to get it ordered this week". So...I guess only the first sentence applies!

 

Thanks for the feed back,

As an update, I ordered it today
QX9300 Quad Core
Dual 3870's
4GB of RAM (will upgrade this later)
(1) 120GB SSD XP-Pro
(1) 120GB SSD VU 64bit
Blue-Ray player DVD writer
Custom Case work
Bluetooth
Intel 5300 a/g/n

I ordered it from KN. I will say that Mark was prompt in getting back to me. Great to converse with, spent 45 minutes on the phone answering my questions and tweeking options to my needs.

As a comment to the other builders I contacted, price wasn't ever the issue for me. Promptness, Reputation, flexibility, future upgrades and updates support were.

Thanks

 

Guess I should update this. I recieved my whitebook from K|N. last wednesday. 10 days from him receiving payment to me receiving it at my door.

Quick overview

• 
  From ordering it, to recieving it everything was to my expectation level or better.

• 
  I haven't done much with it yet, other than get the XP-pro drive setup for work. After loading way to many programs on it and transfering 35gb of data from the old one. I can say that the SSD cut down on the load time.

• On a whim, I know that it will save a 526mb image in PS CS2 in about a third of the time my old one will.

• It 3 lbs lighter than the M7700 I've been packing for almost 4 years so that is a plus too.

• Where's the heat?? The M7700 made for a good auxillary heat source when running. This thing won't even bump the temp in the room at all.

• The one down side I can see, is the finish is not going to last. Not that it is going to matter to me, but for some I'm sure it will be an issue. This thing is going to look a hundred years old after the first trip to the desert.

The true test for me won't come for another month or so, if it can still do it all while strapped in the hard mount, running off the inverter, while sucking dust through it, I'll be happy.

I'll try and get a better write up done this weekend at some point, when I have the time.

 

lol.. Congrats!!! I wanna know how it holds up sucking sand! Enjoy your new beauty!

 

Update, after two trips so far everything is still working great.

Other than blowing the grit out of it, the SSD are what I expected. Quiet start up and no cooling issues so far.

To the dispare of some on here I'm sure, that have OCD issues with the finger prints and such. Two trips to the desert have provided me with a dull non shine finish with no glossy over tones. It does have it's first couple of gouges in the lid to give it character now, so I feel a lot more at home with it. I really hate that new, to scared to abuse it look, nothing like the first big scratch from something careening of the dash hitting the back of the lid to give it that, welcome to my world feeling.

It did take quite a few trips for the AW to start showing signs of hard drive issues, though from the get with AW it immediately start making funny hard drive sounds on startup after the first couple of hard trips. No bad reflection on the manufacture there, just the down side of drive platters and sand mixed together. If this thing can make it 4 yrs like the other I will be impressed. I only figured the AW to ever last about two years from the punishement when I first got it. It is still running strong after a refurbishment setting in it new plush home on my son's desk.

 

E, you sold your notebook again? Is there another notebook out there that caught your eye? You could have at least waited for a notebook to come out with a Lucid Hydra chip

Anyways, back on topic: SSDs are better for load times, namely for games. I think HD has the advantage when dealing with large files (especially against MLC SSDs). That said, can't wait to see what Q2 has in store for us. OCZ is already emulating a 550mb/sec read and 480mb/sec write Vertex 2, which should be insane!

 

i would keep smileing but i just remebered the prices
o wait i just remeber how awsome they are ohh wait i just remeber collage tuition ohhhhh we can dream ahhh?

 

Not sure where you got the idea E sold his whitebook. This is one I ordered from K|N. I was just updating E on how it is holding up to the abuse I put my stuff through.

 

I was referring to E-wrecked, who according to his signature, sold his notebook.