Which SSD is better?

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ipwn3r456

ipwn3r456

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Mar 21, 2012
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I am interested on 120 - 128 GB SSDs due to my budget. They don't cost alot, and i primarily use it to put games. I will have another HDD for storage. So far, I have 3 brands of SSDs that interests me. Samsung 830 series, Kingston HyperX, and Crucial M4.

Samsung 830 series: don't really know about Samsung SSDs, but the specs looks pretty good.
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100011689%2040000636%20600038519%20600038478&IsNodeId=1&Description=samsung&name=128GB&Order=BESTMATCH

Kingston HyperX: the best performance out of those 3, but also the most expensive of those 3.
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006550%2050011776%2040000636%20600038484&IsNodeId=1&name=120GB

Crucial M4: offers pretty good performance, also the cheapest one out of those 3. But slowest out of those 3.
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=600038478&IsNodeId=1&Description=crucial%20m4&name=128GB&Order=BESTMATCH

Which one should I go for? If anyone have one of those three SSDs, please tell me how it performs. Also, is 120 - 128 GB SSDs enough to store my Operating System and my games? Any suggestions or comments will be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Solution
RetiredChief
Yes the M4 is a great choice, Go for it.
Curcial does put out firmware updates fairly often, several have improved performance.
I generally use the "linux" boot disk method to update my M4's (PS firmware updates for all SSDs are free).

BUY, INSTALL, and Most of all ENJOY it!
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This, between the choices you gave this is the better one per reviews. If you're still not convinced go to tomshardware.com and look up reviews on SSD's, you'll find this SSD near the top.
 
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From the reports and articles I've read I'd go with either the crucial M4 or the Samsung (given those choices). ...but TBH, I use OCZ mostly. I've had none of the bad luck some report...in fact, just the opposite with Vertex 2, Vertex 3, and RevoDrive 3 x2 units.
 
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Oh yeah i totally forgot about OCZ. Which ones do you recommend for OCZ SSDs? Theres like Vertex 3, Vertex 4, Vertex 3 Max IOPS, Octane, Agility 3, and Vertex 3 low profile. Which one is better and for a pretty cheap price?
 
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I'd say go with Vertex 4 or the Vertex 3 Max IOPS.
 
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I agree with halcyon about the OCZ drives. Had a couple of Vertex 2e drives and have been brilliant with no probs whatsoever. I would check what your motherboard controller for sata3 is though as if it is Marvell 9123/9128 then your speeds will be considerably slower than what the drive can actually achieve regardless of what drive you pick.
 
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DO NOT get the vertex 4, Currently the ONLY way to update the Firmware is distructive, and requires an OS, not on The SSD. Personnally I do Not recommend OCZ drives.

Don't sweat benchmarks for SSD. In real life day-to-day usage there is only a Nickels worth of difference between them (upper End, Not "value" lines). When looking at reviews, Look for PCMark Vantage performance (closest to real life), NO pcmark vantage score, then look at AS SSD scores. Note SSDs with sanforce controllers (ie Vertex 3) will NOT get advertised Sequencial performance. Ignore scores based on ATTO (which is what manuf advertise). ATTO was developed for HDDs and uses highly compressable data, which is NOT representative of data on a OS + Program drive.

On Sequencial performance - This is the LEAST important parameter for a OS + Program SSD.

My preference is the M4s, Samsung 830s and Intel 510 or 520s. Which of the three - Which ever is cheapest. There is very little diff in real performance, and they are simular in "Least user problems" OCZ as a Company I DO NOT recommend.
My Newer SSDs
2 ea 128 gig Curcial M4's
1 ea 128 gig Samsung 830
2 ea 120 gig OCZ Agillity III's NOTE this drive is a SATA II drive in a SATA III wrapper. If you used two identical computers, one with the Agillity III in intel Sata III port and the Other in an Intel SATA II port, YOU could not tell which is which - The Agility III performs no better on Intel sata III than On Intel SATA II. This was documented on a review and I verified on my I5-2500k

On Your MB. I looked at dell's specs and it did not state, also looked at a Review which did not state, But did state no USB3.
Most likely if your CPU is a i5 or i7-(three digits) it is a marvel based controller. if the CPU is a i5 or i7- (4 digit Number) it is a SB CPU and most likely your controller is Intel.
EX: i5-2500 is SB, a i5-750 would be an older CPU.
I think Dell has a web based support where you can "chat" with a Rep and ask the question.
 
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MY CPU is intel core i7-2600, what kind of controller is it? Thanks for help.
 
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i7-2600 is a sandybridge CPU, So I would assume that the Sata III ports come off of the Intel Southbridge.
Generally with SB there are 4 Sata II ports and two Sata III ports controlled by Intel chipset. Some MB then add an additional two sata III ports using a 3rd Party controller such as the marvel controller.
Just add SB info: The USB3 ports use a 3rd party controller. With Ivybridge and the Z77 MBs the USB3 is natavily controlled By Intel's chipset.
 
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The Intel Southbridge for the h67/p67 and Z68 should all have support for4 Intel Sata II and 2 SATA III ports, But sounds like your MB just wired two sata II ports to cut cost.
But as I said, should be simple to contact Dell and ask, just to be positive.

I have a laptop that has space for two HDDs, But the Manuf did NOT put the connector on the MB for the 2nd HDD (ticked me off- Thought about having one soldered on as the Pins ARE there, But I do not know it manuf currpled the BIOS support - Laptops have limited Bios functionality.
 
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Thanks for help. Just one more question. I think i am going to go for the Crucial M4 becuase its very cheap, $125 for 128 GB SSD, and they also update their firmwares and its free for customers to update. Do you think its a good SSD to go for?
 
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Yes the M4 is a great choice, Go for it.
Curcial does put out firmware updates fairly often, several have improved performance.
I generally use the "linux" boot disk method to update my M4's (PS firmware updates for all SSDs are free).

BUY, INSTALL, and Most of all ENJOY it!
 
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Solution
I have used the Crucial M4, the Samsung 830 and the Intel 520s - all 3 are excellent drives and are incredibly reliable. Since you have SATAIII ports available, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how quickly you can write files to any of those drives.

I personally prefer the 830 or 520 because they have exponentially quicker read speeds, but the Crucials are almost always the more cost effective drive. I would do some price shopping and if you can get either a Samsung 830 or an Intel 520 or within $20 of the Crucial M4, make the step up. If not, buy the Crucial - either way, you won't regret your purchase.
 
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^ have both the M4 and the 830. Benchmarks will show a difference, But I see no diff in real life usage between the two. Boot time maybe two/three sec, but that could be a slight diff in start-up programs. Program load, my stop watch is not calibrated in millsec, Both load say excell w/a spreadsheet in two blinks of an eyes. Can Not comment on Intel 510/520 as M4 has always been cheaper.

But would agree, If only 10->15 bucks diff between the 830 and the M4, I'd probably go 830.
 
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I'd go with the curcial.
While both use the Same controller, Firmware may not be identical. Think Curcial does a better jog of updating it's firmware.
Another issue cound be the NAND chips. Curcial is a spinoff from Micron and I'm prety sure they are still using Micron as a supplier. Have No idea who plextor is using as a supplier.

Don't get me wrong, I would not rule them out, as their "user problems" (1/2 egg states are just as good as Curcial.
 
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