SSD recommendations (and HDD question)

[scottiemedic]

I'm looking to get a SSD in the next month (extra money coming in), but I know nothing about the different chips/brands and what have you. Can someone give a recommendation for something at least 120GB up to 200-250GB? I have a Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3P/Core i3-2100 with Lucid Virtu and all that (might have more questions once I try to put it in) and running Win7 Pro so I got TRIM support. Also Crossfired 5770's and 16GB RAM (Patriot I believe). Any other considerations I should be looking at? Thanks

On a different subject, I hear Samsung F3's are the new goto HDD. Did I hear correct? I'll probably get a couple to RAID and replace my 500GB boot and Green Western Digital backup.

 

[inzone]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167086

I would go with this SSD , can't beat a 5 year warranty.

 

[rolli59]

Another option samsung 830 256GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147164
128GB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147163
If you can live with your current HDD for storage I recommend so since HDD prices are high at the moment and probably through out this year.

 

[scottiemedic]

Good point rolli, I'll keep that in mind. Between the ones you have both recommended, are there differences in them. I hear buzz words like Sandforce, blah blah blah controller. Is there a 'best' controller option?

 

[rolli59]

Intel best reliability and great warranty, Samsung close second but only 3 years warranty!

 

[scottiemedic]

The Samsung appears 'faster', 520/400mbps compared to 520/260. Is that all theoretical speed?

 

[inzone]

Sandforce seems to be pretty good right now and there is always going to be a contest to be the best just like with everything else. When you look closely all of the controllers are pretty good and close in performance so what you have to do is look at the whole package. Brand name making the SSD , the controller chip and the type of nand flash mamory being used. Because of those things I believe Intel gets the best nand flash memory and now has the Sandforce controller and then you have the Intel name and quality the stands behind it with a 5 year warranty.
To be honest there are about three to four brand name SSD makers that are at the top and you really couldn't go wrong with any of them. Intel , Samsung , Crucial and Mushkin. People will argue I'm sure about who should be in that group but everyone is entitled to thier opinion.

 

[inzone]

The Samsung appears 'faster', 520/400mbps compared to 520/260. Is that all theoretical speed?

The Intel 520 Cherryville SSD 240gb has 550 read and 520 write which is pretty fast in my opinion.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167086

You will notice that in all of the SSD details they always say "up to" for the speeds and that's because of the different computers that the drive will be installed in , everyone will get just a little different speed based on what they have for components in thier computer.

 

[scottiemedic]

Intel it is then, and sorry for the confusion, I was reading the specs wrong Ooops

 

[scottiemedic]

Best answer selected by scottiemedic.