SSD or intel optane with HDD?

[summer_3]

So right now I'm looking at 3 options
1. Samsung 850 evo 500gb $240CAD
2. Intel ssd 600p nvme $200CAD
3. Intel optane memory 32gb + 1TB 7200rpm HDD $210CAD
Which one should I get?

 

[Sedivy]

Do you have an ssd in your system already? I think ssd is a must for a system install at the least, it's so fast. As for file storage and such, whatever works for you. Optane is a good option speed wise for quite a few extra gigs. But I hate hdd grinding noise and I've never realized how much until it was gone.

 

[summer_3]

Ya... no ssd yet, brand new build, the drive listed above will be the only drive. Also it's a node 202 case to no active cooling in the case will that be a problem for any of the drives in particular?

 

[Sedivy]

Then go with ssd. That's a small case and space within it will be tight.
I don't know about cooling. My ssd runs pretty cool and it's stuck behind the motherboard so my active cooling isn't helping it much.

 

[summer_3]

Then go with ssd. That's a small case and space within it will be tight.
I don't know about cooling. My ssd runs pretty cool and it's stuck behind the motherboard so my active cooling isn't helping it much.

so the ssd600p or 850 evo?

 

[USAFRet]

Disregard the Optane thing. It is a brand new niche item.

Samsung 850 EVO, in whatever size your budget allows.

 

[lakimens]

Intel Optane is kind of a scam(sorry not sorry), it's basically a cache for your hard drive, kind of like what an SSHD has, but bigger.
$80 for 32GB, sound really greedy.

 

[Sedivy]

I don't know...I have a friend who has it in his system and it really speeds up his hdd a lot. He did not want to dish out a lot for a big ssd as he works with big files but wanted speedier access to his hdd and it did the trick. All that being said, I wouldn't ever use it as an option over an ssd if it's a matter of installing system files and programs. For huge images and videos on an hdd? I'd give it a try if I worked with them every day, absolutely.

 

[lakimens]

The problem comes when you need to move a huge file and all it can do is load your games fast, because that's what you do everyday.

 

[Sedivy]

Have not tried moving things around, admittedly, was just impressed with speed of things loading. I'd still see it as an option though if you absolutely need terrabytes of space and can't afford a terabytes large ssd. I mean in Canada, a terrabyte ssd can cost over $600. That's...I mean my video card cost less and it's a 1070. Optane in comparison, if you get a small one like 16gb one for 70 bucks is absolutely a bargain combined with an HDD if you need a lot of space, no? Yes it's not as good as an ssd but that price differential....

 

[Barty1884]

An Optane drive is a cache drive, much like an SSD was (in 30GB variants) ~5+ years ago.

Considering you HAVE to have a Kabylake system to use it, it makes zero sense.

The smallest Optane drive is $58 (16GB) and $102 (32GB) in CAD ($44 / $77USD)

For that pricepoint, you can have a 240GB SSD.
https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/bkgPxr/western-digital-green-240gb-25-solid-state-drive-wds240g1g0a

SSD, no doubt about it.

 

[USAFRet]

Have not tried moving things around, admittedly, was just impressed with speed of things loading. I'd still see it as an option though if you absolutely need terrabytes of space and can't afford a terabytes large ssd. I mean in Canada, a terrabyte ssd can cost over $600. That's...I mean my video card cost less and it's a 1070. Optane in comparison, if you get a small one like 16gb one for 70 bucks is absolutely a bargain combined with an HDD if you need a lot of space, no? Yes it's not as good as an ssd but that price differential....

Crucial MX300, 1TB
$387 CDN
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01IAGSDUE/

525GB for $199.

Optane is where SSD's were 6 years ago.
Tiny and expensive. Promoted as a cache for your HDD.

SSD prices have fallen enough to just get an SSD.

 

[Sedivy]

Hmm I bought one a month ago and don't remember it being that low. I had to get a lower size simply cause I was running over as it was but that's actually a decent figure for the size.
Still....If I didn't have $400 to spend, and absolutely needed the space, I'd go with hdd. Why not tack a bit extra and get a speed bump on it? Still going to be way less than the price you list.

 

[Barty1884]

But why would you spend $102 CAD (or $58) or whatever, for a cache drive..... when you could have a smaller SSD (like the 240GB I linked) for the same $102. Have your OS and frequently used programs (basically anything that would benefit from a cache, and then some!)
...... and then just pair it with a mechanical HDD for bulk storage?

Even if I had the money for a 1TB+ SSD, I still don't think I'd do it in all honesty.

 

[USAFRet]

Hmm I bought one a month ago and don't remember it being that low. I had to get a lower size simply cause I was running over as it was but that's actually a decent figure for the size.
Still....If I didn't have $400 to spend, and absolutely needed the space, I'd go with hdd. Why not tack a bit extra and get a speed bump on it? Still going to be way less than the price you list.

But just like the older SSD cache concept was...its still only 16 or 32GB.
Whatever is not cached in that space is still being read at spinning platter speed.

Its a 'faster' cache than what a similar size SSD was...but its still only a cache.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/03/intels-first-optane-ssd-for-regular-pcs-is-a-small-but-has-super-fast-cache/

 

[dudeman509]

Having had a similar concept in the form of a SSHD (8 GB cache + spinning drive), the combination of a 256 GB SSD and then a 7200 RPM HDD (quite fast for what it is, but very slow compared to the SSD) blows the SSHD out of the water at the SSHD's best.

 

[Sedivy]

But just like the older SSD cache concept was...its still only 16 or 32GB.
Whatever is not cached in that space is still being read at spinning platter speed.

Its a 'faster' cache than what a similar size SSD was...but its still only a cache.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/03/intels-first-op...

Ahhh interesting. Thanks for the link and good to know.