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Storage SSD - worth waiting?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by bemused, 16 Jan 2011.

  1. bemused

    bemused What's a Dremel?

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    I've almost finalised my kit list for my gaming build. After receiving some excellent advice here I'm keen to include a SSD. However it seems a new batch of them will be on the market in a few months.

    So I'm now torn with just not buying one but getting one as soon as the newer models appear to just getting one of the current batch.

    I'm leaning towards buying the kit without a SSD and then picking one up in a few months.

    Opinions please.
     
  2. poot

    poot What's a Dremel?

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  3. PocketDemon

    PocketDemon Modder

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    Whilst things are always going to get faster & cheaper, the choices atm would be between -

    (a) not buying until at least March/April (waiting for the new SFs), as by this time there should be a good indication as to how the intel (& possibly the indilinx) 6Gb/s solutions will compare to it (the intel 'should' be out in Q2 afaik - though that does give a potential 5 & a half month max delay from now on having any SSD 'if' the intel provisionally looked to be the best choice),

    (b) looking at either the revodrive, revodrive x2 or ibis (these are more expensive options but even the first 'should' still out-perform a 6Gb/s drive) or

    (c) consider putting 2 (or more) 3Gb/s SSDs that are better suited to non-trim environments (well the C300 wouldn't be the best choice), into a R0 array (this is a relatively cheap option if you were looking at a minimum of ~100-120GB SSD as 2x 50-60GBs will cost about the same & should give performance approximately as good as the best of the forthcoming 6Gb/s SSDs - if not better).


    So, there's 2 main options which could allow you to make a purchase now without it being very outdated in the next few months if you wanted & with varying price points.


    Otherwise, over this year, the price per GB is going to fall dramatically, though when this happens is unknown atm - &, as said at the beginning, things are always going to get faster & cheaper.
     
  4. Picky88

    Picky88 What's a Dremel?

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    I think any SSD will still outperform a HDD as a boot drive, a new and old ssd wont be so much of a jump (not yet anyway) I would just buy a current 60gb ssd as a boot drive, and a larger hdd for data.
     
  5. Pete J

    Pete J Employed scum

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    Let me come up with a counter argument to that:
    Picky has hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. Since you'll be using the SSD as a boot drive, I don't think you'll really notice any difference between the current and next generation SSDs.

    There's also the hassle of reinstalling everything! This takes more time than you think and sometimes things don't go back to working the way they used to.

    Bottom line: if you're dead set on having an SSD, I'd get one now to avoid reinstalling everything later.
     
  6. PocketDemon

    PocketDemon Modder

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    Obviously any Gen2 (or 6Gb/s Gen3 when they're out) SSD will out-perform a HDD as a boot drive (the Gen1 ones 'stuttered' & became quickly shonky so, whilst you'd be slightly hard pressed to buy one new now, it's not "any SSD"), however there will obviously be speed advantages to a 6Gb/s Gen3 SSD vs a 3Gb/s one...

    Whilst i agree with Pete J that it's more convenient not to have to reinstall, i don't think that's actually a reason to ignore the faster options that are actually available now 'if' you didn't want to wait - hence suggesting them.
     
  7. bemused

    bemused What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks, I'm going to have a think. I store pretty much everything on a NAS so reinstalling the OS/drivers onto a SSD in a few months wouldn't be a huge deal. I understand the argument that you'd never buy anything if you kept waiting I just want to be entirely comfortable that I won't kick myself in eight weeks :)
     
  8. Hamfunk

    Hamfunk I AM KROGAN!

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    I just purchased a 256GB Crucial C300, should arrive tomorrow!

    Am i worried about the new tech arriving in a couple of months?! No! I'm just super excited that i'll have an SSD to play with this week!
     
  9. standinwave

    standinwave Folding in memory of my mum

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    I reckon that is the only way to look at it, otherwise you would go mad :worried:
     

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