Solved Buying a Seagate SSHD for my laptop?

[PedroCst]

Hi everyone,
The HDD from my Toshiba C650d has failed, which seems to be a common issue in this model. Therefore, I will have to buy a new hard drive for my computer, and I was thinking about buying a Seagate 500GB SSHD model, like this one.

Is this a good drive to buy? Is it reliable?

Best regards,
Pedro.

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EDIT: After some thinking I decided to get myself a Samsung 840 120GB SSD.

 

[kbrady1979]

How much data do you keep on your laptop? If it isn't your main computer, you could get a 128/256GB SSD.

 

[whs]

Is that a refurb - I thought they don't make that model any more.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Is that a refurb - I thought they don't make that model any more.

They still do...kindasorta. The ones that are being sold now are a 5400 rpm drive instead of 7200 rpm as they used to be. The newer models have been getting pretty good reviews.

Coincidentally, I just installed one in my Lenovo G570 notebook yesterday (it replaced a 5400 rpm HDD). While it takes as many as fifteen restarts before the SSHD is "trained" to boot faster, even after four restarts, my two slowest programs to start up, calibre and Media Monkey (both access huge databases), were starting up almost as fast as they do on the SSD in my desktop rig. The SSHD hasn't had enough time to get "trained" for faster boots but, since I'm thrilled that those two programs open so quickly now, I'll probably just let it get "trained" over normal startups.

Even a 128GB SSD is going to cost almost twice as much as the 500GB SSHD.

Of course, an SSD would be much faster but I just couldn't justify spending $110 more than I spent on the notebook for a 512GB SSD and 256GB was cutting it a bit close for my needs (and still would have cost more than I could justify for that machine). I caught the SSHD on sale for 1/7 of what the equivalent SSD would have cost, which is plenty for a computer that gets only a few times a year (generally, only when I'm on the road).

 

[BigTabs]

I would personally say ssd's are great for windows OS but 128gb would not last depends on factors like what you are planing to use it for

Remembering ssd drives are not cheap I would say get yourself a decent hard drive as I have seen test done with ssd vs hdd not all cases the ssd is faster and price pays for quality

 

[BigTabs]

I think and if others agree get yourself a SSHD

 

[PedroCst]

How much data do you keep on your laptop? If it isn't your main computer, you could get a 128/256GB SSD.

I don't need to keep much data in the laptop. I am mostly worried about the reliability of the drive, plus its price (therefore won't need more than 128GB SSD / 500GB SSHD).

It is not my main computer either

 

[BigTabs]

First thing I will say is I'm 50/50 on this but I swear I seen ssd's don't last long compared to sshd and hdd

Get yourself a sshd

 

[PedroCst]

First thing I will say is I'm 50/50 on this but I swear I seen ssd's don't last long compared to sshd and hdd

Get yourself a sshd

My biggest concern is about the reliability of the said brand.

 

[BigTabs]

Ssd's are not that reliable

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The Samsung 840 Pro SSDs are pretty reliable, based on reviews. However, they aren't cheap; a little over twice the price of the Seagate SSHD you're considering. Also, only 89GB would be usable since SSDs need 20-25% overhead to maximize life (a 128GB SSD formats to 119GB so 75% of that is a bit over 89GB). If you could keep your day and OS partitions below that total, most of what you do with the computer is internet surfing, including social media, and you don't mind the expense, the Samsung Pro 125GB SSD would work just fine.

 

[kbrady1979]

Ssd's are not that reliable

I think you need to do some research.

Good SSD's ARE reliable. Good SSD's are more reliable than hard drives. The Samsung 830 SSD has endured almost 7 petabytes of constant read/writes before it finally refused to power on, and then it was only because the guy testing it had to power it down because he was in the process of moving. He said he had no clue how long it would have lasted had he not had to power it down.

I don't bother with over provisioning...that's why I bought a Samsung. Most people don't bother with it anymore, since the last couple of generations of SSD's anyway.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Ssd's are not that reliable

Bull! What do you base that on? Granted, the early ones, especially the ones with the Sandforce controllers were unreliable but the newer ones, especially those that do not use the Sandforce controllers, such as the Samsungs, are just as reliable.

 

[kbrady1979]

These days, the SSD's have a longer MTBF(mean time between failures) than hard drives.

 

[PedroCst]

The Samsung 840 Pro SSDs are pretty reliable, based on reviews. However, they aren't cheap; a little over twice the price of the Seagate SSHD you're considering. Also, only 89GB would be usable since SSDs need 20-25% overhead to maximize life (a 128GB SSD formats to 119GB so 75% of that is a bit over 89GB). If you could keep your day and OS partitions below that total, most of what you do with the computer is internet surfing, including social media, and you don't mind the expense, the Samsung Pro 125GB SSD would work just fine.

I am quite doubtful right now.
I don't know if the SSD will be worth for a computer like this - which doesn't have an outstanding performance. The reduced free space is a huge drawback IMO, and so is the extra price tag.
The 500GB are also far too much for my needs. So, it's a decision between:
Seagate Momentus XT 500GB
Samsung 840 120GB

 

[BigTabs]

Poor models have been none to fail you think about it the OP I doubt is going to spend mega bucks on a ssd there for if you know price pays for quality I have an ssd kingston failed withing 6 months my standerd hdd is still alive

 

[BigTabs]

Ssds are mainly I think for main comps applications that you need to be fast

That's alls there is to it but again good hdd not in all cases are slightly faster

 

[BigTabs]

I'm not basing anything on nothing bar from benchmarks on ssd an hdd and life span I have found is not long I have owned 4 ssd's

 

[PedroCst]

Poor models have been none to fail you think about it the OP I doubt is going to spend mega bucks on a ssd there for if you know price pays for quality I have an ssd kingston failed withing 6 months my standerd hdd is still alive

Don't get me wrong, but from what I've read SSDs are quite good right now. The only let down for me is the hefty price tag; I don't know if it's worth it with an also good SSHD.

 

[BigTabs]

As I said price pays for quality I'm not saying there bad or good I'm saying your needs I don't think require an ssd