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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Like most of the posters, I wouldn't like to go back to mechanical drives.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Rookie question as I'm currently trying to build my own computer - can you have both a (for example) 120gb SSD and a 1TB HDD in the computer? Then second part of the question is do you have to put the OS on the SSD when you first install the PC, and then can you choose to put certain program files and stuff on the HDD? Thanks :)
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Yes, you can have both SSD and HDD at the same time, as long as you have the necessary SATA data ports, SATA power cables and 2.5/3.5 position for installation.
Well, it is recommended to re-install the OS with a new SSD/HDD but a cloning software can be a option too.
Once you have your old/new OS on the SSD, you can start to choose it as a target for new installations.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
So if I were to be setting up a new build can I install the OS on the SSD from the word go?
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
james.daly91
So if I were to be setting up a new build can I install the OS on the SSD from the word go?
Yes.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
It's a qualified SSD + HDD for me.
- SSD for OS, program installs and write-little read-lots data.
- HDD for heavy data traffic and large data storage.
If the OS doesn't support TRIM (XP/Vista) the SSD performance will drop off to the point where it will be faster than a HDD but possibly not as much as your investment warrants. I believe software tools are available to manually execute this but never used them myself. This is a similar type of maintenance to the defrag a heavily used HDD requires periodically.
For those that don't know SSD's have a finite number of writes per cell. It's a high number (circa 1mill for consumer devices AFAIK) but is a limitation.
HDD's are mechanical and many of us will have had failures. However many more will still be using 10yr old drives that have been used daily.
It's understanding these limits and the relative cost that should inform your storage decision.
XP
I have installed SSD's in old XP laptops and it does make a huge speed difference in specific areas. Boot and data read times are much improved but running programs and processing data will still be limited by the rest of the machine. Even after the inevitable performance drop the machines are still faster than using old 40-160GB HDD's.
Hybrids
I recently delivered 3x Dell Precision M4800's to my Engineering users. Cost limitations meant the use of 500GB hybrid drives. They are subtly slower than our SSD equipped latops, boot isn't quite as fast and program opening responds quickly but takes slightly longer to complete. Of course you'll only notice if you've been an SSD-only user and compared to our newest HDD-only laptops (E5530's, i5) they really fly.
The biggest difference SSD's make is to give your PC a more immediate responsiveness and feel. This brings them in-line with modern mobile devices so arguably the biggest impact is on less IT-literate users. No longer do they have wait for the computer - it's just like their iPad!
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
SSDs are much much better than a conventional HDD - so much time saved. Though, due to limited capicity, I would also pair it with a HDD.
All in all, would definitely recommend.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Just bought the Kigston Hyperx 3k. My housemate has a SSD and he's PC runs pretty fast. Worth getting if you can
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Definitely for OS and Games - no going back for me.
Cold storage (Photos, Music, Videos etc...) still are happily sat on HDDs (which I don't think will be going anywhere fast, no pun intended, anytime soon)
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Samsung 830 240Gb owner - very happy. OS, programs and games on the drive. Still use HDD for storage and back up. Would never go back.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
I can't imagine anybody ever saying they would go back to normal hard drives under normal conditions! "Once you go SSD you never go back"
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wam7
I can't imagine anybody ever saying they would go back to normal hard drives under normal conditions! "Once you go SSD you never go back"
I agree, but careful now as Saracen will go to great lengths to tell you otherwise. See here - http://forums.hexus.net/storage/3031...t-windows.html
Apparently there is not a one-size-fits-all on this, at least not on Hexus forums anyway.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
I'd expect someone who is a light user of a computer i.e. browsing, light office tasks etc might say they only notice the difference when booting into windows but a forum Admin!! I'm shocked. ;)
I now actually find it difficult to use a non-SSD'd system for any length of time without an increasing sense of frustration! I can even use a seven year old CPU in conjunction with a SSD and still have the system feeling snappy.
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Wam7
I can't imagine anybody ever saying they would go back to normal hard drives under normal conditions! "Once you go SSD you never go back"
Well, it's all about usage scenarios. If I had a netbook that I regularly took abroad, and wanted to watch loads of films/TV on, would I logically buy a 120GB SSD, or a 1TB HDD with change left over?
Equally, if I had a PC that I only switched on occasionally, to run a piece of legacy software, I wouldn't bother.
I would imagine that the vast majority here, by our demographic, are people who are primarily focussed on performance. That's not always the most important metric though.
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Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
SSD all the time, I have an 840 now but I had two 128gb M4's in raid 0 and it was blisteringly quick!!
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Re: Have you tried using SSDs, and would you recommend using them?
Haha, the results are quite telling. The only people that wouldnt recommend them are the ones that havent used them :P
As for me, Im blown away by how fast it is. It really was the best upgrade I could get for my computer.
I just wish the terrabyte ones would start being affordable...