SSD vs HDD

[don9pike]

I know this topic has been beaten to death but let's ask one more time. I don't have large storage requirements but I'm still wondering if SSD is worth the cost? I'm really only talking about day to day basic computer activities. I understand things will start faster but is there any other real benefit for the cost?

 

[C12Friedman]

Nope, that's pretty much the benefit of the SSD's. Although I personally find it significant, with your stated usage, it probably would not justify the cost.

 

[fantastik250]

Well, your benefit is time-savings since everything is faster. It's better than waiting.

 

[lca1443]

They also use less power, and are more shock resistant. Those are big benefits in the laptop world.

 

[geofelt]

I know this topic has been beaten to death but let's ask one more time. I don't have large storage requirements but I'm still wondering if SSD is worth the cost? I'm really only talking about day to day basic computer activities. I understand things will start faster but is there any other real benefit for the cost?

Worth is something only YOU can determine.

A SSD is 50x faster in random i/o, and 2-3x faster in sequential. It makes everything you do feel much quicker, even with normal desktop operations and web browsing. Windows updates no longer take forever. Virus scans are not noticed.
I have everything I need on one SSD and couldn't be happier.


Most modern SSD's will perform about the same in real life.
It takes synthetic benchmarks to detect the differences.
A SSD will cost about $1 per gb. Buy one large enough to preserve about 25% free space. That will preserve your performance as the drive gets filled up.

I think it is one of the best performance upgrades you can make.

 

[Chainzsaw]

fantastik250 has it spot on. SSD's minimize the time to open and close/ shutdown/restart.

Any less time you spend "waiting" for your computer means more time for other things, even if it is just 20-30 seconds total savings a day - times that by 365 days in a year and your "getting back" around 3 hours a year.


IMO - I like my stuff to run when I want it to run - and not have to wait for it to open - I don't live for my "machines", my machines "live" for me.

 

[smokebelch]

+1 to geofelt. if you're just doing day to day usage id say a ssd is probably one of THE best upgrades you could make. everything is way faster loading. no waiting times. luxury

 

[jsrudd]

to preserve about 25% free space.

I've generally heard 10 to 15%.

 

[RetiredChief]

Have 2 desktops and two laptops all with SSDs installed. For me there is no going back to a HDD for OS + Programs. That said, as geofelt stated it is a personal choice - money vs performance gains:

What an SSD speeds up:
.. OS load time, typically around 15 Sec (depends on number of start up programs).
.. When runing a program it will load in one, or two blinks of the I. I can click on a recent link, excell spreed sheet and it will load excel and the spreadshet before I could even move the mouse to a cell (NOTE: my spreed sheet is also on the SSD.
.. Any operation that involves loading a file from the Drive is much faster, providing that file is on the SSD.

SSD will NOT:
.. Will not sped up post time, Just the time from start loading operating system to that spining ball goes away.
.. Speed up a program that has been loaded, that is Word, excell do NOT run faster.
.. No Increase in FPS for Games, ingame maps that are call, will load faster PROVIDING the map is on the SSD.
.. email, surfing the web, and downloading files from the Web are NOT speeded up, as down load speeds are much slower than even a HDD.

.. Geofelt mentioned windows Updates, Downloading the update is not improved, only the install of the file after it has been downloaded - and that is if you have not redirected downloads to the HDD as many have.


My Wife HATES long boot times, even if it is only once a day, or once a week (she leaves her system on just so she can avoid that wait). As soon as I can "fix" here system, I already have one of two SSDs to go in there.

So - Boils down to how often you boot your computer, if only once a day, or once a week and it only takes a one, to one and a half minutes to boot into windows, Then how satisfied are you with program loads: These are questions only you can answer.

@ jsrudd - 10->15% is more a Minimium recommed, personally I prefer (as geofelt) the 20 to 25% free.

 

[geofelt]

I don't boot very often. Perhaps once a week, or after maintenance. If, instead, you sleep to the S3 sleep state, it is almost instantaneous, and so is wakeup.

S3 does not write the contents of ram to a file, but keeps it in ram at a very low power state.