Looking for an SSD

[jim]

I've just bought my netbook, an HP DM1, and confirmed online that it's fairly easy to swap the hard drive.

Question is now: which SSD do I buy?

I need enough room for Windows 7, Microsoft Office, and maybe the odd other application or two. I'm thinking that if I need any music or stuff that I can't fit on the hard drive I can always buy a USB stick/media card of some type, so capacity isn't too much of a deal. Maybe 40GB or so would be adequate?

What do you reckon?

[marktime]

I'd go 60 gb minimum, or you'll be really struggling to squeeze everything on. I've got pretty much the same OS/apps installed on my 60gb, plus one big game, and I've only got 18gb spare.

A lot of people will recommend the Vertex2 - currently around £117 at ebuyer, or the Corsair Force for a bit less - both based around the very fast SandForce controller.

[jim]

Well speed isn't too big an issue - it's only a netbook with a rubbish celeron processor, so it's not going to push any SSD to its limits. Would probably go for lower price over high performance.

40GB might be a bit tough then by the sounds of it...

[marktime]

One of those 64gb sub £80 Kingstone's would do you fine as a netbook drive.

[jim]

Any more thoughts, anybody?

[nibbler]

For less than £100 OCZ sometimes have some good deals if you are prepared to get a lower end model. Probably go for a Kingston drive tbh if I was you.

[Locke]

Apart from the Vertex 2, for around the £100 mark, I would recommend the Kingston V-Series 64GB or the Crucial C300 64GB if you can squeeze a few more pounds out of your wallet

[j.o.s.h.1408]

netbook with a ssd? why?

[Locke]

netbook with a ssd? why?

Vastly increased loading times on all documents and programs and slightly better power management to name a few benefits, why not

[1Day]

The addition of a SSD drive to any old and tired PC or notebook is simply the most dramatic way to increase the performance of a computer.

I added a C300 64GB to the family HTPC and it has made such a huge difference. A pretty ordinary E5200 cpu and a nothing graphic card are what drives it but wow is that PC fast to open applications and navigate through the XBMC interface that I use for the HTPC front end. I could not be happier with the outlay.

If I was a first time buyer I would suggest going to some of the manufactures forums and reading some of the sticky posts about how to install and maintain your SSD. I was surprised how different they were to normal hard drives with regard to what was best for SSD maintenance. Did not know for example that a defrag was bad for a SSD until I read some of those skicky posts.

[Terbinator]

I think you could get away with the 40GB offerings.

Otherwise, the Crucial C300 or OCZ Vertex 2E is your best bet.

[Sputnik]

If I was a first time buyer I would suggest going to some of the manufactures forums and reading some of the sticky posts about how to install and maintain your SSD.

That is a very good point. I ended up making a mistake and ended up with a misaligned SSD.

[Hawker1986]

Ive got a 32Gb SSD in my laptop, I find it has plenty of room for my basic programs, W7, office, few other little bits, got over 10Gb spare. 40 Should be fine. See below for spec:

Hawker

[j.o.s.h.1408]

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

[Hawker1986]

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

Yes they do and no its not.

Hawker

[jim]

netbook with a ssd? why?

I want to use it to take notes with, so turning it on and waiting several minutes to boot is going to be a real pain in the neck.

Also, it's the cheapest upgrade I can do to improve its performance.