Help Choosing SSD for HTPC or potentially main PC.

[Percy1983]

In short my HTPC using a 5900 2TB storage, this is more than enough and has low power consumption but as you would imagine it sometimes chuggs a bit (its an AMD 7600 APU with 8GB ram so is more than quick enough).

So I am thinking of a cheap 64GB SSD to basically install windows and leave the 2TB drive for storage.

But then there is an additional thought, I am currently running a crucial M4 64gb as a cache drive on a 4TB raid 0 array in my main PC.

So I could potentially put the M4 in the HTPC and replace the SSD in my main PC, to which my thinking is get a 128GB SSD and use 60GB cache on the raid still and use the rest to install windows and my business programs on it etc and still put my steam library etc on the raid array.

So is there any merit to moving the SSD from my main PC and if so is there any recommended SSDs for either plan (60/64/120/128GB) or what to look for? I am a bit of of touch with brands/controllers to avoid etc.

Cheers

[abaxas]

I guess the question is... what software/os do you run on the HTPC.

[Bonebreaker777]

Feel free to move the SSD to the HTPC. 60/64GB a bit worse value that 120/128GB drives. I say value drives are SanDisk and Crucial.

Patriot Blaze 60GB for £30 (Phison controller).
SanDisk X110 128GB for £44 (Marvell controller).
Crucial M500 120GB for £47 (Marvell controller again).

Done some small review on the Sandisk, quite a surprising drive (in the good sense).

[Percy1983]

This is the other part which got me thinking about the potential swap the price difference in the 64/128 drives is next to nothing.

The HTPC is windows 7 running MCE with 6 HD TV tuners, there is extenders in use as well as the tuners being shared across other PC etc around the house.

Been having a look and Sandisk do seem to be quite well priced.

I suppose it would give my HTPC a good kick in the right direction which will kepe the wife happy.

[mdwheeler1]

I would look at the Crucial M100 series, I got the 256Gb version for £80 recently - but the Samsung Evo 840 is my preferred option - I have that in my gaming machine. If you want space as well as spped a SSHD may be an option, Seagate has had this pretty much to themselves, but I think WD are bringing in a new unit with bigger SSD cache.

[Bonebreaker777]

WD SSHD works in a funky way (http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/5741...-as-advertised).

SSHD is fine but only stores the most used files.You re-watch a movie a couple of times and the cache is filled with it.

For a HTPC I am sure that a value SSD is a better option. Miniscule differences in performance will be hard to spot while the price will be the dominant attribute.

The SanDisk X110 has a similar performance that a Crucial MX100 (higher write on SanDisk, faster reading on Crucial) so why waste money when you (really) don't have to.

Had Seagate SSHD, 1TB model. The feel wasn't that much different from a normal HDD till I replaced with a SSD. Personally.

[Percy1983]

As I am not stuck with a single drive and already have enough storage I wont bother with SSHD but may get one for my netbook.

With a HTPC being able to force what's on the SSD makes a lot of sense.

[Percy1983]

Thanks for the opinions, I have the ordered the x110, it appears it is just the ultra plus but cheaper, thanks for the tip off on that.

As mentioned I will put it in my main PC and use as a 68gb boot/os and 60gb cache on a 4TB raid 0 array where the extra performance over the current M4 will help with this.

The 64gb M4 is then free to move into the HTPC to which the performance will be more than enough, good news is the HTPC should have little downtime as I can setup the OS etc and if anything doesn't work boot back to the old drive while I figure it.

[Bonebreaker777]

Yay! Good for you. What will you run on the HTPC (software wise)?

[Percy1983]

Windows 7 using MCE.
Total Media Theatre 6
ANYDVD HD
My Movies (Database of my DVD/HD-DVD/Blu-ray Collection)
My Channel Logos XL
Recorded TV HD
Soundspectrum visualisers (Aeon and Whitecap)
DVBLINK TVSource with connect server and digiguide plugin
Firefox
Shark Codec Park

There is potentially more but thats all that comes to mind right now.

Probably won't come close to filling a 64GB SSD but for the costs of 32/64/128 SSDs the fact my other PC is getting a bit of an upgrade too for less than £44 is great.