Internal SSD vs External SSD vs HDD? (Sata II vs Sata III??)

So, again I've lied to myself and now venturing into the SSD technology, my PC is slow because of the HDD and want to feel the real performance of my Bulldozer chip.

I have heard bad reviews of SSDs how they fail easily etc. Basically theres loads of options for SSDs but whats what?

I want to basically put Windows onto it (Maybe Ubuntu but I doubt) and a few games leaving my HDD for stored data and games.

So really want to have a speedy startup, most used programs etc etc.

I have seen an OCZ Vertex 2E on Scan for £29.99, it is a 60GB model but its only SATA II.

Hopefully this will be a useful thread for anyone wanting to compare SSDs to HDDs and speeds etc.

So really what I want to know is this:
Would a SATA II SSD outperform a SATA III HDD?
Whats the difference between an external SSD and an internal SSD?
Will an external SSD outperform an internal SATA III HDD?

The reason is because there is so many storage options, for example there are cheap 128GB EXTERNAL SSDs, compared to expensive internal SSDs.

Whats the advantages and disadvantages of using a EXTERNAL SSD like an internal SSD?

Are SSDs more reliable than HDDs.

I personally only want to install Windows and a few most used games on it :P

Hopefully this thread will be helpful for other people too. Whats good and whats not.

Would a SATA II SSD outperform a SATA III HDD? No, unless the ssd is really slow.

Whats the difference between an external SSD and an internal SSD? Connection mainly as you would have to use USB 3.0 caddy, probably slower but would be then set as a removable drive. Unless you have a sata port at the back of your pc, then you will need to supply power to the drive.

Will an external SSD outperform an internal SATA III HDD? From a quick search, No. usb 3.0 is 5gbs vs 6gbs sata.

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Originally Posted by technodean

Would a SATA II SSD outperform a SATA III HDD? No, unless the ssd is really slow.

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Surely, The answer to that question is YES?

HDD's are restricted by mechanical read speed rather than the interface.

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

Surely, The answer to that question is YES?

HDD's are restricted by mechanical read speed rather than the interface.

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Yes, the read/write speed on a SATA II SSD is still alot quicker than an SATA III HDD. Why would anyone want a more expensive SSD otherwise?

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Originally Posted by mikeo01

I have seen an OCZ Vertex 2E on Scan for £29.99, it is a 60GB model but its only SATA II.

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I'd buy an OCZ 120GB Solid for £49 it is SATA3.

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Hopefully this will be a useful thread for anyone wanting to compare SSDs to HDDs and speeds etc.

So really what I want to know is this:
Would a SATA II SSD outperform a SATA III HDD?

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Yes, Easily

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Whats the difference between an external SSD and an internal SSD?

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the same as the difference between an internal and external hard drive. ONe you fit inside the PC case the other is external and attached by a cable and whatever interface you are going to use - unless it is Esata or USB 3 it is going to hamper performance.

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Will an external SSD outperform an internal SATA III HDD?

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Depends on the interface your external SSD uses. If using Esata - Yes, If using USB2 - No.

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Are SSDs more reliable than HDDs.

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Probably about the same.

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I personally only want to install Windows and a few most used games on it :P

Hopefully this thread will be helpful for other people too. Whats good and whats not.

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Even if you buy the cheapest of SSD you'll notice a huge difference between this and an HDD as a boot drive.
I would buy an internal if you want to use it as a boot drive.

So an external SSD is practically an SSD limited by its medium, and therefore is treated like a removable drive.

So the only real advantage a SSD has over a HDD is speed? I would of thought they are more reliable because its essential a electronically written rather than a mechanical arm over physical disks? What stops an SSD being as reliable as say a processing chip. SSD is flash memory/phase change memory?

I will stay away from an external SSD then, I do have eSATA though.

Also Sputnik where did you see the OCZ 120GB model for £49, that is a great price!

I would be using it as a boot drive and some games, I just assumed a 60GB model would be suffice.

Wouldn't using an SSD expand the HDDs lifespan also? Because the HDD wouldn't be reading and writing constantly?

Last question concerning the speed of an SSD. I assume any hiccups, mini freezing and other interrupting are caused by the mechanics of the HDD? Does this mean you would not experience these sorts of problems from using an SSD?

I know running software and coping data to the hard drive will be a bit slower but mainly starting Windows, configuring Windows, browsing, publishing software, games will be a lot quicker?

Seems a good deal :)

Anyone have to say anything bad about SSDs?

Games eat hard drives fast, as does Windows itself. To give you an example, my laptop has few games or applications installed (it's almost exclusively used for web browsing, email and office), yet I've already used up > 50GB of my hard drive. So a 60GB hard drive once you've stuck Windows and a couple of games on it is not going to have any free space. Even for a basic Windows install you need to be looking at 120GB.

Installing games to an SSD won't make them run any faster - the only difference will be in level load times. Once you're in the game you won't notice any difference. If you have some games installed to the SSD and some on a HDD, only the games on the SSD will load quicker - the others will take just as long to load as ever.

SSD flash cells have a limited lifetime because the storage cells deteriorate with each write. Also SSDs are newer technology so there are still some wrinkles being ironed out. Plus any storage medium will degenerate over time due to natural decay of materials. OTOH SSDs are less reliant on moving parts and magnetic plates, so they are more resilient to extreme operating and storage conditions. It's a bit swings and roundabouts for reliability.

The OCZ Solid 3 120GB is at ebuyer: http://www.ebuyer.com/278646-ocz-120...d3-25sat3-120g

50GB? Yeah 60GB SSD wouldn't be enough then, was only going to instal two popular games I run on it.

And yeah I know game speed won't be any faster, but for some chunky games with large data it would help, a.k.a BF3 and ARMA. The data on those games are quite big, so speed would be handy.

I've always been against SDDs to tell you the truth, but when Windows and some programs take awhile to load it does get on my nerves :P I think technology has made me more impatient!

Games on the HDD don't take long to load, but I figure the most used applications such as publishing, PC utilities, anti virus etc most used with be a bit quicker and smoother. The general things.

And didn't know that about how SSDs deteriorate, so really what I should do is instal everything I will be using the most, and leave it? You can't bash around a SSD like you would on a HDD? I mean installing, uninstalling, changing files, formatting etc. Would that reduce a SSDs life quicker perhaps?

And oh on eBuyer, that's a good deal. I definitely will be looking at a 120GB model then. Thank you :)

Would anyone advise against purchasing an SSD?

The often recommended SSDs on here are the Samsung 830 and Crucial M4 (for stability purposes) both of which come with a small price premium.

I recently picked up a 120GB sandisk extreme off scan for £59.99 and am very happy with it, has good reviews. Honestly it is so much better than a HDD you can't really imagine until you try it.

I probably won't be going for the top end SSDs, because I don't really use large files such as music and video, archives yeah but the extra price of the top notch performers isn't worth it. As a standard boot drive I think that OCZ Solid will do just nicely.

I have also seen an OCZ Agility on eBay New for £29.99, no idea what they retail at, but it seems like a low end SSD, but fine for a boot drive. Its a 120GB Model.

And to be honest as long as you can definitely feel the difference compared to a HDD its worth it :P

Also how does RAISE work? Its some type of recovery, how different is recovery on an SSD compared to the HDD?