SSD + Spinning Drive?

mjf

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I'm planning another PC and considering an SSD as part of the system.
I'm interested in the experience of others running SSDs. Do you always combine them with a higher capacity internal spinning disk (eg. 1TB)?
 

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Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1Intel i7 2600kG.Skill Ripjaws (DDR3-1600) 2x4GBNvidia GeForce GTS 450; Intel HD Graphics 300...
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Own build
OS
Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
CPU
Intel i7 2600k
Motherboard
ASUS P8Z68 Deluxe
Memory
G.Skill Ripjaws (DDR3-1600) 2x4GB
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Nvidia GeForce GTS 450; Intel HD Graphics 3000(GT2+)
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Dell Ultrasharp IPS panel U2311H, Samsung SyncMaster P2350
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Samsung 850 Pro SSD 256GB, Samsung SSD 840 120GB, Seagates 1TB Barracuda ST31000528AS x2
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Seasonic M12II 520W
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Lian Li Lancool PC-K60
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Case: 1x120mm, 3x140mm CPU: Hyper 212+
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Logitech MK520 (wireless)
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Logitech MK520
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Hard to imagine anyone who didn't unless they dealt only in text files.

Harder yet to imagine anyone who has no video files chewing up major gigabytes.

Unless money is no object. Even then, what's the current capacity limit on a single SSD? 500 gb?
 

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Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bitIntel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)none; graphics are integrated on CPU
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Ignatz Special; 4 speed manual gearbox; factory air conditioning; one of one
OS
Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
CPU
Intel Skylake i5-6600K, not overclocked
Motherboard
AsRock Z170M Extreme 4, micro ATX
Memory
8 GB HyperX DDR4-2666 (2 x 4 GB)
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none; graphics are integrated on CPU
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onboard: Realtek ALC1150; external: USB Behringer UF0-202
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Dell S2340M 23 inch IPS
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1600 x 900
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System: Crucial MX100 series SSD, 128 GB;
Data: Samsung Spinpoint 103SJ, 1 TB;
Backup: WD Caviar Green WD30EZRX-00D8PB0, 3 TB
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Rosewill SilentNight 500 watt fanless, semi-modular
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Antec Solo II
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Noctua NH-U12S; Noctua F12 intake, Noctua S12A exhaust
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Microsoft 200 6JH-00001 USB
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Dell or Microsoft optical wired; USB
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Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes Premium
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Pale Moon
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All fans PWM; speeds at idle: CPU circa 500 rpm; intake circa 600 rpm; exhaust circa 600 rpm; CPU temps 27 idle and 47 C load in a warm room (27 C/81 F) when running Intel Extreme Tuning Utility stress test.
It's usually just those with laptops that go with a single SSD and no internal mechanical drive. And most of these users, have external hard drives that are used for storage.

If you had a dedicated file server box at home, you might not require very much local disk space at all on your workstation...so you might be able to get by with a single lower capacity SSD.
 

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Windows 7 Ultimate x64Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timingsEVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Self-Built in July 2009
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
Memory
8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
Sound Card
Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
Monitor(s) Displays
23" Acer x233H
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
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Corsair 620HX modular
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Antec P182
Cooling
stock
Keyboard
ABS M1 Mechanical
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Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
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15/2 cable modem
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Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
Given you can store & play your multimedia data easily on an external USB drive and most people probably install a second internal conventional drive anyway, is your daily performance that much improved with a smallish SSD.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1Intel i7 2600kG.Skill Ripjaws (DDR3-1600) 2x4GBNvidia GeForce GTS 450; Intel HD Graphics 300...
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Own build
OS
Windows 7x64 Home Premium SP1
CPU
Intel i7 2600k
Motherboard
ASUS P8Z68 Deluxe
Memory
G.Skill Ripjaws (DDR3-1600) 2x4GB
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia GeForce GTS 450; Intel HD Graphics 3000(GT2+)
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell Ultrasharp IPS panel U2311H, Samsung SyncMaster P2350
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Samsung 850 Pro SSD 256GB, Samsung SSD 840 120GB, Seagates 1TB Barracuda ST31000528AS x2
PSU
Seasonic M12II 520W
Case
Lian Li Lancool PC-K60
Cooling
Case: 1x120mm, 3x140mm CPU: Hyper 212+
Keyboard
Logitech MK520 (wireless)
Mouse
Logitech MK520
Internet Speed
6-7 Mbps
Antivirus
Norton Security Premium, Malwarebytes on 2 (MSE on 3rd PC)
Browser
FireFox
Other Info
Audio: Logitech Z523 2.1
is your daily performance that much improved with a smallish SSD.
Yes it boots faster, launches apps instantly, doesn't need defrag, AV and malware scans are super fast, and the box shuts down faster. All this with no noise.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7 Ultimate x64Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timingsEVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Self-Built in July 2009
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
Intel Q9550 2.83Ghz OC'd to 3.40Ghz
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R rev. 1.1, F12 BIOS
Memory
8GB G.Skill PI DDR2-800, 4-4-4-12 timings
Graphics Card(s)
EVGA 1280MB Nvidia GeForce GTX570
Sound Card
Realtek ALC899A 8 channel onboard audio
Monitor(s) Displays
23" Acer x233H
Screen Resolution
1920x1080
Hard Drives
Intel X25-M 80GB Gen 2 SSD
Western Digital 1TB Caviar Black, 32MB cache. WD1001FALS
PSU
Corsair 620HX modular
Case
Antec P182
Cooling
stock
Keyboard
ABS M1 Mechanical
Mouse
Logitech G9 Laser Mouse
Internet Speed
15/2 cable modem
Other Info
Windows and Linux enthusiast. Logitech G35 Headset.
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