Hard Disk Options

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networkn

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#71005 3-Nov-2010 14:09

Hi There!

I have 2 x 300GB WD Raptors in a RAID 0 and I was considering moving to the faster 600GB units for some extra speed, but then I thought I might consider a PCI-E SSD. I need about 100GB of storage for my OS and games. I don't really mind about price within reasonable limits, but I want something that is going to make my system FLY, read and write speeds need to be stellar. I guess I have a budget of upto $700? Is that going to cut it?

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#399647 3-Nov-2010 14:45

I recently brought a 128GB A-Data SSD that has a Sandforce 1200 controller. The thing absolutly flies. $400 +\- a few $$$

networkn

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#399649 3-Nov-2010 14:47

Wondering how it would compare to WD Raptors?

Ragnor

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#399664 3-Nov-2010 15:19

Raptors in RAID0 vs single SSD:
Would have around the same sustained read/write speeds but the single SSD would have much faster random access times.

Two SSD's in RAID0 are around 4x faster than two Raptors in RAID0, for ~$700 you can get probably get 2x 80GB SSD drives.

For performance as #1 you should favour a make/model with the Sandforce controller right now eg: Corsair Force, A-RAM Ultra II, GSkill Falcon2, OCZ Vertex 2 etc

If you want to sacrifice some performance for $$ savings, Indiliux or Intel controller drives are a good option.

networkn

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#399696 3-Nov-2010 16:01

I have heard that SSD's lose capacity over time and usually don't last as long as the warranty?

plas

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#399705 3-Nov-2010 16:17

networkn: I have heard that SSD's lose capacity over time and usually don't last as long as the warranty?

Long enough not to worry about it. You will be upgrading to larger drives long before they die.

Edit:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/2614/4

Apparently Intel guarantee they will last for 5 years writing 100GB a day, note the article is from 2008 so it could be even longer now.

networkn

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#399709 3-Nov-2010 16:21

Well not really, I don't need a lot of capacity since my OS and Games will easily fit on 128GB, everything else can go on the RAID 0 Raptors.

plas

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#399712 3-Nov-2010 16:24

networkn: Well not really, I don't need a lot of capacity since my OS and Games will easily fit on 128GB, everything else can go on the RAID 0 Raptors.

Whats what I thought until my Steam games app dir hit 100GB

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RexHavoc

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#399730 3-Nov-2010 16:58

I run 2 x Corsair 60GB SSDs in RAID 0. This gives me about 100GB useable for my OS + Apps drive.
It absolutely rockets. Definately recommend SSDs.

networkn

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#399734 3-Nov-2010 17:01

I'd be interested in some benchmarks to compare to my existing setup.
Anyone able to do a few benchmarks using something easily accessible.

Ragnor

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#399884 3-Nov-2010 22:46

There are heaps of reviews of SSD's in RAID 0 on the internets.

Here's an example from googling searching
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=513&Itemid=60

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#399893 3-Nov-2010 23:04

plas:
networkn: Well not really, I don't need a lot of capacity since my OS and Games will easily fit on 128GB, everything else can go on the RAID 0 Raptors.

Whats what I thought until my Steam games app dir hit 100GB

Yeah, too true... mine is 190GB now!

networkn

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#400116 4-Nov-2010 12:11

Hi There!

Do SSD warranties exclude loss of capacity typically?

khull

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#400143 4-Nov-2010 12:53

networkn in my view, no HD manufacturer ssd or otherwise will directly front up with loss of capacity issues.

If you get a decent SSD controller like the x-25, intel guarantees your data will be safe. Anandtech's quote: "Thus Intel will guarantee that you can write 100GB of data to one of its MLC SSDs every day, for the next five years, and your data will remain intact. "

"Intel's SSDs are designed so that when they fail, they attempt to fail on the next erase - so you don't lose data. If the drive can't fail on the next erase, it'll fail on the next program - again, so you don't lose existing data. You'll try and save a file and you'll get an error from the OS saying that the write couldn't be completed. "

just have a read up on the rest if you are interested.

otherwise check this video out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Jz7IMwBt4

SSDs are the BEST upgrade you can buy for any computer

jaymz

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#400148 4-Nov-2010 13:00

Remember TRIM!
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/storage/2010/02/04/windows-7-ssd-performance-and-trim/1

You will find many of the PCI-X based SSDs run in RAID (OCZ REVO Drive for example) which do not support TRIM (yet)

Personally I would go with a single SSD connected via SATA2 for the speed.

The performance decrease from not using TRIM are too much in my books.

networkn

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#400177 4-Nov-2010 13:33

I was just looking at this :

http://pbtech.co.nz/index.php?item=HDDOCZ6120

Seems fairly compelling.

Main reason is that my P6T Deluxe only has 3g compatibility.

How do you tell your system to boot from PCI-E?

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