Seriously thinking about getting an SSD

[HerrKaLeun]

After reading everything thats been said, I might wait a couple months then buy this:
Newegg.com - OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Or maybe even this:
Newegg.com - OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE90G 2.5" 90GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Right now, with all my files, programs, system restore using all memory I currently allow it, etc I'm using about 40gigs. So either would more or less eliminate my need for a second internal HDD.

I think you want an SSD to be able to storage ALL your applications. First, some programs cause trouble when they are not on C-drive. Second, why would you single out applications to be installed on the slower HDD?

In some months the products you linked too will be obsolete...

this might just be a coincidence, but The Intel size of 80 GB really fits my bill. I use about 60 GB (it changes every day...) and 64 GB really is too small. 90 or 100 GB is too much (considering the high $/GB price).

With SSD it seems you really want a drive to have been ont he market for 3-5 months so they get all the bugs out. Even Intel had initial problems, and Intel sure has the most reliable of the SSD and the best firmware. OCZ had more problems, and all the other joker companies (just read the Anandtech tests where the new drives frequently brick...) are even worse. Unless it is your hobby to install an OS, rather use a little bit slower (advertised) speed but one that works.

 

[Petey7]

HerrKaLeun, I have no clue what you are even talking about. Maybe I was unclear. With all the software I actually need to do 90% of the thing I want to do (The other 10% aren't safe or legal) I use about 25gigs. All of my music and documents take about another 15gigs. I have 119 GB out of 149GB being completely wasted right now. A 90GB drive would leave me with 50GB free , so I still have room to install more programs and add more files. The two questions in your first paragraph make it seem like you are thinking I plain to have a second internal drive with software installed on it. I plan on doing the opposite, since the parts a need to merely install a second drive on this laptop are kinda pricey. Everything will be one one drive, the SSD, with the plan I currently have. I'll have to wait a long amount of time to be able to afford a drive similar to either of those two, but I think the investment would be worth it considering the amazing specs.

EDIT: I don't feel like to doing the conversions right now between advertised vs actual size. It would probably be about 85GB usable space on the drive, which would leave me with 45GB to have for addition programs and so on.

 

[HerrKaLeun]

for the size, you should use "defraggler" and see how much your drive uses. that shows you GB as seen per OS, and real GB (as used by HDD/SDD manufacturers). In my case it fluctuates by 3- 5 GB from day to day (virtual memory, temp folders etc.). and I use CCleaner a lot.

Taking this into consideration, and the fact that you NEED some free space, you should not buy the smallest SSD that you think you need. In addition you will install more things in the future, windows gets service packs etc.

So when you figure you need 40 GB to install everything, you likely want a 50+ GB SSD at minimum. If you include files, don't you think your collection of pictures etc. will grow? You probably look at a 60 GB SSD to be a little bit future-proof.

To me, the SSD is a big investment that likely will survive my CPU etc. and will be in my next built. I see the temptation to get one as little as possible for the foreseeable future, but will that make you happy whne you run out of space next year or performance suffers when you don't have enough space?

to each his own. Just my 2 ct.

Regardless of size you aim for, you should chose a "proven" model unless you want to reinstall OS and upgrade firmware all the time.