Best SSD(solid state drive) for Windows7

[sigbart]

The brains, please recommend the best at this time SSD(about 128GB). There will be Windows 7 OS. Which company and which model SSD with his firmware is the best for Windows7(32 bit)? SLC or MLC? Price is unimportant. Thanks.

 

[jw12345]

Intel X25-M, definitely. The Vertex comes close, but is still lacking in certain benchmarks and isn't that much cheaper per GB.

There are 80GB and a 160GB models ($315 and $720 on newegg).

Unfortunately nobody has been able to quite top intel yet except on price. Just use whatever the latest firmware is. It's a MLC, but nobody makes large SLCs that I know of.

Edit: Anand of anandtech.com fame (IMO the most reputable tech review site around) today said the X25-M is still his choice: http://www.anandtech.com/gadgets/showdoc.aspx?i=3590 There are few better endorsements.

 

[zrtom]

Here's an excellent starting point. It's a really long article but worth reading every page.

AnandTech: The SSD Anthology: Understanding SSDs and New Drives from OCZ

It seems as though after the Intel SSD (which has been the Gold Standard), the OCZ Vertex is next in line. Indeed the Vertex beats the Intel in some recent benchmarking tests. After reading that article, the follow-up, and several others, I bought several OCZ Vertex's. I am very pleased. The RunCore Pro IV just appeared on the scene and it also uses the same Indilinx controller as the Vertex. The RunCore has been getting very good reviews.

Here's an example of Reboot time for a Vertex on a fresh install of Windows 7 on a desktop. This includes about 15 seconds in shutdown and POST:

 

[Brink]

Hello Sigbart, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Patriot Memory Torqz 128 GB SSD drive is a real good one. It's one of the latest and fastest available. Sequential Read: up to 260MB/s Sequential Write: up to 180MB/s. I believe it goes for around $350 though at Newegg.com.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[sigbart]

Hello Sigbart, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Patriot Memory Torqz 128 GB SSD drive is a real good one. It's one of the latest and fastest available. Sequential Read: up to 260MB/s Sequential Write: up to 180MB/s. I believe it goes for around $400 though at Newegg.com.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

O, yes there are good performance AND 2500000hours!. THANKS

 

[Captain Zero]

Second on Brink's suggestion for the Patriot Torqz. The Intel X-25 a close second (and only because it's a very old drive now) and RiDATA are little known but make surprisingly good and inexpensive SSD's. All worth looking into.

 

[Brink]

O, yes there are good performance AND 2500000hours!. THANKS

I'm, still waiting for the price to drop more for me though since I'm wanting to get two for a RAID 0 configuration. Even though this is a great price for this drive, it's still a bit high for my blood for now.

 

[nate42nd]

Hello Sigbart, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Patriot Memory Torqz 128 GB SSD drive is a real good one. It's one of the latest and fastest available. Sequential Read: up to 260MB/s Sequential Write: up to 180MB/s. I believe it goes for around $400 though at Newegg.com.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

This is very tempting Brink. I may just get one and wait until the price comes down to get the second. I just can't wait.

 

[Brink]

LOL, I know. I tempted to do the same.

 

[nate42nd]

What's the best way to use one of these? Run the OS from it and run programs from it then use a regular drive for storage? Is this the best way to do it?

 

[Brink]

Nate,

It behaves exactly like a normal hard drive, but way faster. For the older SSD drive I'm currently using, I find it best to install everything on it that you can, and just use the normal drive for backups and storage since speed it not as important for these and space is at a premium on the SSD.

 

[nate42nd]

Brink, If you are reading this (or anyone else) How do you secure a 2.5" SSD into a desktop tower? I am looking at something like this.

Newegg.com - ICY DOCK MB882SP-1S-1B 2.5" to 3.5" SSD & SATA Hard Drive Converter - Black - HDD Accessories

But it's the only one I can find. Are there other ways of doing it.

 

[Brink]

Nate,

That would work just fine.

LOL, I used cable ties to mount mine securely in the 3.5" bay. Funny, but it works great.

 

[nate42nd]

Cool thanks. One way or the other they just use standard SATA power and data I guess. I'll figure it out. Thanks again.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, they're power and data connections are just like a normal SATA hard drive's.

 

[BugMeister]

What's the best way to use one of these? Run the OS from it and run programs from it then use a regular drive for storage? Is this the best way to do it?

yep - install the OS on it and any other progs that you feel will benefit from the SSD environment

- MSOffice does particularly well, and you can divert the storage element of such progs to the other HDD, to save SSD space..

- I also store my MP3's on the normal drive - WMP12 gives you this option..

 

[24c]

Hello Sigbart, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Patriot Memory Torqz 128 GB SSD drive is a real good one. It's one of the latest and fastest available. Sequential Read: up to 260MB/s Sequential Write: up to 180MB/s. I believe it goes for around $400 though at Newegg.com.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Helped me to cast my fears aside and order one.

 

[Charlie9292]

What's the best way to use one of these? Run the OS from it and run programs from it then use a regular drive for storage? Is this the best way to do it?

YES -- and -- YES

See my post here for OCZ Vertex 30G install on Win 7 w/D: drive for storage

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/24142-installed-30g-solid-state-drive-win-7-rtm.html

 

[whs]

What's the best way to use one of these? Run the OS from it and run programs from it then use a regular drive for storage? Is this the best way to do it?

YES -- and -- YES

See my post here for OCZ Vertex 30G install on Win 7 w/D: drive for storage

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/24142-installed-30g-solid-state-drive-win-7-rtm.html

I have the 60GB Vertex. I thought that 30GB would be too small once you start installing Programs, have an ever growing winsxs and some shadowstorage too. I am sure, 30GB is fine for the initial installation, but what about down the road?

 

[pparks1]

The Patriot and the Intel both come highly recommended. I just pulled the trigger myself this weekend on the 2nd generation Intel X-25M 80GB drive. While it doesn't boast as high of a sequential write performance stat as the Patriot....it's performance in random writes (the majority of what your machine does day to day) is steller and thus usually is the reason that the Intel X-25m is often crowned the best achiever.

From a cost perspective, you need to look around for the best prices on the 2nd generation Intel X-25M. The new 32nm technology allowed Intel to lower their costs...however retails still want to gouge on the price because they can still sell them. I believe the MSRP on the 80GB drive is only around $250..however retailers like NewEgg are still charging $379 for this drive.

I picked up my Intel drive from ToshibaDirect. They currently offer the 80GB for $249 and the 160GB for $473.
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