Confused over storage choices (NP9150)

I'm thinking of buying the NP9150 cause I need that little bit of portability compared to the NP9170. But the amount of choices for storage is overwhelming!
I need some advice/answers/thoughts/opinions on my three choices below. I don't need anything more than 500GB for my files and storage (excluding OS).

1. ODD + 500GB 7200rpm HDD + 64GB mSATA
Cost (configuration in sig): $1710
The mSATA I'm looking at is this: Newegg.com - Kingston SSDNow mS100 SMS100S2/64G mSATA 64GB SATA II Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
I have the option to keep the optical drive, with the OS on the mSATA. If there is a better mSATA drive available for a good price, do give me a link. Also, this gives me lesser space for my games.

2. 500GB 7200rpm + 128GB SSD (no ODD)
Cost (configuration in sig): $1755
The SSD I found is: Crucial M4 2.5" SATA III SSD's: 128GB (CT128M4SSD2) $120, 256GB (CT256M4SSD2) $230 + Free shipping - TigerDirect.com Deals, Coupons and Promos
Have to compromise on ODD for this. Is it really worth the hassle to have to use another computer to put all the contents of the Windows 7 and drivers discs onto USB? And will I need the ODD in the future? And I've also read that the ODD bay is only SATA II, so the SSD's speed will be limited. Is this true?

3. ODD + 500GB Seagate Momentus XT
Cost (configuration in sig): $1680
I really don't think the extra $60 to the normal 500GB is worth it when I can get an mSATA for a little bit more, but I'm ready to change my mind.

Any other good ways to configure my storage space?

 

I'm in a similar situation as you mate. I'm looking at the 9150, but at the moment mSATA SSDs are pretty expensive, small, and not incredibly fast. You could get a real SATA III SSD and put it in the primary drive bay. Then in your optical drive bay you could put your data drive. SATA II won't be the end of the world as long as your OS and any programs you'll be using regularly are kept on the SSD. Just put things like your movies, music, pictures, etc on the big data drive in the optical bay with SATA II and you shouldn't have any problems with space. As far as needing a CD drive, you can pick one up from Newegg for $20 and it'll plug right into the USB port.

 

Option 2 is the best choice in my opinion. The performance boost you get from using a SSD over a mSata drive is pretty huge, and its not much more expensive.

As far as losing the ODD goes, it isn't a big deal at all. And most people will never notice it. Drivers anymore are almost exclusively downloaded over the internet. I would recommend just buying a external drive for $20-30 to ijnstall windows. Unless you watch a lot of movies from a DvD or Blu-Ray, I really don't think you will miss having a ODD.

 

I agree, Option 2 is your best bet (and what I opted for when I purchased my 8150). Over the previous maybe 2-3 years, I rarely used my DVD drive on my toshiba so it was pretty easy to order an extra caddy to swap out the DVD drive on my 8150. Just remember, the ODD Bay uses SATA II, so you'd want to place your 500GB storage drive in there and have your SSD in your main HDD bay (SATA III)

Edit: Yes, depending on the quality and speed of your SSD your speed will be limited by SATA II. You'll most likely see a difference in benchmarks but in real world use it probably wont make much of a difference.

 

ODD is a bit of waste of notebook physical space for its limited purpose & usage.
Option 2 maximizes the performance of your internal (SATA) ports.
If you could replace the ODD with another battery that might be another thing.

 

Thank you all for those replies. Since everyone recommends the 2nd option, I'll choose that for my order.

 

Now there's an idea...

 

Is that even possible?

 

Sadly, no.

 

I had a laptop years ago that came with 2 batteries. Really 2 half sized ones, but you could run on one and replace the other with a charged one. Don't know why no one does that now.
Back to the thread, yeah option 2 is clearly the best.

 

I posted this in the Owner's Lounge but I didn't get a reply and my post is now lost somewhere in there. Anyways, since it is related to my storage choices, I might as well ask here.

I've decided to choose option 2 and I will buy my SSD from the link in that option. But I'm unsure how I would configure it.
If I order with my 500GB in the primary HDD bay and a caddy in the ODD bay, can I remove the 500GB HDD from its bay and put it into the ODD bay without much problem? And what about putting in the SSD into the empty HDD bay after that? I'm not very good when working with screwdrivers but I can manage.

Here is the original post in the owner's lounge: http://forum.notebookreview.com/sager-clevo-reviews-owners-lounges/655837-official-clevo-p150em-sager-np9150-owners-lounge-51.html#post8486848

 

That's the ideal configuration. It should only take a few minutes to move the hard drive over to the caddy and to install the SSD into the primary bay. You just need a simple screwdriver to take out the retaining screw for the optical caddy (it's in the hard drive bay).

 

That's reassuring Are there any pictures or videos available which can guide me through this?

 

^this^
When I get my P150EM I'm going to be ordering it sans hard drives, and I would like to see a picture or two for changing out the optical bay stuff... On the laptop I have it's not hard to slide the disk drive out, but it's a pain if you want to get to the connectors and actually see what you're doing.

 

This manual is for the older model, but the instructions to access the optical caddy and primary bay should be the same.

P15xHM_ESM.zip

 

Sorry for the typos in the previous message. My phone's keyboard isn't one of the best.

The hard disk only needs to be unscrewed from its bay and then screwed onto the caddy, right?

 

I'm doing a similar build to yours Ununtrium, all the same except only 8GB of RAM, I have never once used more than 7GB and I ran almost all of my programs to test it.

I'm going with a 240/256GB SSD, it saves a little bit of power [like 20-40 minutes sometimes] to run only SSD and no HDD. It is also of course; much quieter [i am going to use it in class].

I'm going to get 240/256 GB SSD then in a few months if the price wars are dropping SSD and mSata prices I'm going to buy a 240/256GB mSata drive for some more storage, once they drop to less than $200.

Until then I'm going to use 240/256 GB SSD and set up a NAS at my house for all of my music/saved photoshop files I don't use often/movies/ random stuff. So I can stream them over the internet from my home NAS server and then I think I'll be happy.

Just another option to consider, depends if you have tons of stuff [500GB +] or not.

Myself I never use more than 200GB, but next year some cool games are coming out that I might have to install, so I will add another 200-300 GB mSata for them

 

The old apple powerbooks had some models that could do this if I remember correctly. Then again, modern battery tech is way better than those 1st generation NIMH batteries

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

 

Hmm... That's an option I could consider, if I had more money to spend. I am on the brink of crossing my current 250GB HDD (which is much slower) and I don't want to be spending more than $150 right now for an extra SSD.

 

Check the manual I posted, it should have pictures. You won't actually be able to do anything with the connectors though, they're mounted in place. Sliding the drive in so it's seated correctly (either the optical drive, or a hard drive in the caddy) is all that you need to do to attach it.

The hard disk isn't even screwed in to the main bay. It's held in by friction. Just open the bay, slide the drive out, and screw it into the caddy. Pop the caddy back in and screw it in place with the retaining screw in the primary HDD bay and you're good to go.

 

That's pretty simple! Thanks!