Looking for an SSD

Okay, so currently considering the Intel X25-V 40GB for £77, the Corsair F40 for £93, or the Vertex 2E for £100.

The Corsair and the Vertex seem pretty much the same, but given the fact I never got TRIM on my HTPC courtesy of Corsair's firmware updates, I'm tempted to avoid the Corsair.

Given that performance isn't *too* much of an issue, it seems sensible to stick with the Intel? Surely their firmware updates and so on are exemplary, and performance won't vary too much? Or is it quite a bit gulf?

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Originally Posted by j.o.s.h.1408

diddnt know ssd's fit inside a laptop. so its not good to defrag a ssd?

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In fact, if you're installing Win7, as it is an 'ssd aware' OS it will turn defrag off by default.

One use for SSDs that I've been thinking about is as pagefile/scratch disks. I am a heavy Photoshop (and other graphic processing apps) user. I was thinking of allocating a small SSD exclusively for this purpose (on an AMD 6-core, Win 7 64, 8gb ram based box). The various things I recall seeing about TRIM and limited rewrite life make me wonder if this is a good idea?
Any comments? If it's practicable, what would anyone suggest as the cheapest fast small capacity SSD for this use?
Thanks!
Roy

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Originally Posted by OldRoy

One use for SSDs that I've been thinking about is as pagefile/scratch disks. I am a heavy Photoshop (and other graphic processing apps) user. I was thinking of allocating a small SSD exclusively for this purpose (on an AMD 6-core, Win 7 64, 8gb ram based box). The various things I recall seeing about TRIM and limited rewrite life make me wonder if this is a good idea?
Any comments? If it's practicable, what would anyone suggest as the cheapest fast small capacity SSD for this use?
Thanks!
Roy

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SSD perform very well for lots of small reads like when booting an OS, I'm not sure you would see a big improvement from a modern fast spinning drive for a photoshop scratch area with big continuous data like an image file.

I would be tempted to try a lot of RAM and a large RAM Drive as a scratch area, if its only temp data.

You would need a 64 bit OS to do that I suspect.

I use Dataram RAMDisk for my temp and internet cache files to save wear on my SSD.

I do not use a page file now but I do not use any heavy duty software just photoshop elements with my digital camera pics is the hardest my system has to work.

As I said, I am actually using a 64 bit system with 8Gb ram.

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Originally Posted by OldRoy

As I said, I am actually using a 64 bit system with 8Gb ram.

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I missed the bit about your 64 bit system :stupid:

Try a RAM drive I think up to 4Gb the licence is free for the one I mentioned. If it needs more scratch space you will probably need a drive then.

I have no idea how photoshop uses the RAM, if its good at using as much as you have, a RAM drive probably will make no difference.

To save creating a new thread, I'm also after a cheap ~128GB SSD. Probably best to to wait for new Intel models to get released to drive prices down, but I was considering one of the following.

• Kingston V series 128GB at ebuyer £159.99 (bare drive)
• Corsair Reactor 120GB at Dabs £174.99 (issues of not being recognised by BIOS sometimes scared me off)
• Corsair Performance 128GB at Dabs 179.98 (includes £10 off if follow link from Duncs Deals)
• Western Digital Silicon Edge Blue 128GB at Scan £182.96

As far as I can tell they should all be pretty much the same as they all use a JMicron controller except for the Corsair P128, that uses a Samsung controller.

Searching for AS SSD benchmarks screen shots didn't help. The Samsung had better read at 4K, but poorer write. Also all drives probably stuck with no, or very rare, firmware update chance.

I bought my OCZ vertex recently and there was a firmware update for it already.

so ssd's are a night and day difference between normal sata drives? i need 3! one for my htpc, main pc and laptop!! eek!!

im not a cheap spender at all lol. i just blew £400 on a 480gtx a month ago :) :lol:

Now you lot got me thinking of buy 3 ssd's!!! shame on you lot LOL.

whata re the best ssd's? corsair ones? wstern digital? seagate?

I think OCZ, Intel, Crucial are the top brands to consider (not in any order).

Crucial seems to have stopped their M225 range so only got the C300 to consider. If motherboard doesn't have SATA 6Gb/s connections you could get a PCI Express add-in card to achieve greater sequential read.

OCZ have a variety of models to cover price points. Although all still expensive.

Intel meant to lack headline sequential speeds, but performs well at 4k benchmarks.

Gone for the 64GB Kingston that Ulti recommended a little while back: http://forums.hexus.net/current-barg...delivered.html

Loads of capacity for the price, and performance is easily up to the task.

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Originally Posted by snootyjim

Gone for the 64GB Kingston that Ulti recommended a little while back: http://forums.hexus.net/current-barg...delivered.html

Loads of capacity for the price, and performance is easily up to the task.

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For £26 more you could of had the Crucial from Dabs. :|

Quite a big chunk of money though, £26!

Like I said, I can't believe a netbook celeron is going to push an SSD to its limits...

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Originally Posted by snootyjim

Quite a big chunk of money though, £26!

Like I said, I can't believe a netbook celeron is going to push an SSD to its limits...

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Ahh, I forgot this was going in a netbook. Should be absolutely fine then :D

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Originally Posted by snootyjim

Quite a big chunk of money though, £26!

Like I said, I can't believe a netbook celeron is going to push an SSD to its limits...

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Exactly, There is a difference between benchmark figures and actual 'real world performance' gain.

You could have saved a few quid if you had bought the one in the 'for sale section' yesterday.

Yeah I saw that, it was a few seconds after I placed the order so I just let it go :p