SSD Buying Guide - Page 4

seanmorr · Nov 12, 2011, 02:51 PM

so you would recommend the m4 over the owc drive? are there specific pros/cons

thanks

DeafWhisperer · Nov 12, 2011, 04:22 PM

First of all, thank you so much for the guide and this thread! It was very helpful!

I'm in the same boat. I was going to buy SSD from OWC but want to make sure...

I came from the PC side. I will order MacBook Pro this Monday. I am much more familiar with the companies from the PC side. For example, I love Corsair. But the name OWC comes up often.

I've read that OWC SSD is the only one that allows you to update the firmware on the Mac. True? Do I care about this? Suppose I need to update Corsair or Crucial, how does updating firmware works after installation?

Hellhammer · Nov 12, 2011, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanmorr

so you would recommend the m4 over the owc drive? are there specific pros/cons

thanks

Yes. SF-2281 and SandForce based SSDs in general have been a bit troublesome. FW updates have been said to fix the bugs but I would still take that with a grain of salt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeafWhisperer

First of all, thank you so much for the guide and this thread! It was very helpful!

I'm in the same boat. I was going to buy SSD from OWC but want to make sure...

I came from the PC side. I will order MacBook Pro this Monday. I am much more familiar with the companies from the PC side. For example, I love Corsair. But the name OWC comes up often.

I've read that OWC SSD is the only one that allows you to update the firmware on the Mac. True? Do I care about this? Suppose I need to update Corsair or Crucial, how does updating firmware works after installation?

OWC is the only company SandForce company with a Mac updater. Crucial's FW updater is OS-independent and hence works with Macs too. Corsair uses various controllers so I guess it depends. Their SF based drives (GT Series IIRC) don't have Mac updater, at least. ¨

SF based SSDs are pretty much the same, just in a different exterior. No reason to go with Corsair instead of OWC or OCZ for example.

saback · Nov 12, 2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellhammer

Yes. SF-2281 and SandForce based SSDs in general have been a bit troublesome. FW updates have been said to fix the bugs but I would still take that with a grain of salt.

OWC is the only company SandForce company with a Mac updater. Crucial's FW updater is OS-independent and hence works with Macs too. Corsair uses various controllers so I guess it depends. Their SF based drives (GT Series IIRC) don't have Mac updater, at least. ¨

SF based SSDs are pretty much the same, just in a different exterior. No reason to go with Corsair instead of OWC or OCZ for example.

I have the same doubt. Isn´t OWC using SF-2282?

240GB Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G SSD Specifications:

Specifications
ControllerSandForce 2282 Series Processor with 7% Over Provisioning

Hellhammer · Nov 12, 2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saback

I have the same doubt. Isn´t OWC using SF-2282?

240GB Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G SSD Specifications:

Specifications
ControllerSandForce 2282 Series Processor with 7% Over Provisioning

The only difference is that SF-2282 support 16-byte lanes. Otherwise it's the exactly same die. In real life, that means nothing because SATA 6Gb/s is the bottleneck and up to eight dies (64GB) can be packed in a single NAND package, making the max capacity 512GB for 2281 (2282 can support up to 1024GB in theory since you can have two NAND packages per channel (8 channels)).

Ice Dragon · Nov 12, 2011, 09:59 PM

Hellhammer - Should I go with the Samsung 470 or 830 for my 2011 Mini? The 470 has a proven track record for reliability though the 830 is SATA III and the Mini supports SATA III?

Would it be risky to go with the 830 given that it is relatively new?

Hellhammer · Nov 13, 2011, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ice Dragon

Hellhammer - Should I go with the Samsung 470 or 830 for my 2011 Mini? The 470 has a proven track record for reliability though the 830 is SATA III and the Mini supports SATA III?

Would it be risky to go with the 830 given that it is relatively new?

830 hasn't had any problems from what I have heard so it should be a good option too. IMO this boils down to the price. What are the prices of these SSDs? I wouldn't pay much more for 830.

Anastacio · Nov 13, 2011, 05:00 AM

If I'm buying a MacBook Pro 13", which SSD should I buy? Or should I just go with the 128GB added from Apple?

Hellhammer · Nov 13, 2011, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anastacio

If I'm buying a MacBook Pro 13", which SSD should I buy? Or should I just go with the 128GB added from Apple?

Crucial M4
Samsung PM830
Samsung 470 Series
Intel 320 Series

In that order, IMO.

Anastacio · Nov 13, 2011, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellhammer

Crucial M4
Samsung PM830
Samsung 470 Series
Intel 320 Series

In that order, IMO.

Thanks. Can you be more specific in what's the difference is from each of the brands? And can I get it in there myself? It'll be my first MacBook.

Hellhammer · Nov 13, 2011, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anastacio

Thanks. Can you be more specific in what's the difference is from each of the brands?

The controller is the biggest difference, they all have different ones. Controller affects things like performance. Crucial M4 and Samsung PM830 are both SATA 6Gb/s drives, hence faster than the other two which are SATA 3Gb/s. However, the difference in real life is negligible, so paying a lot more for 6Gb/s isn't worth it IMO.

No matter which one you pick, you most likely won't notice any difference. Look at the prices and see which one is the cheapest.

Quote:

And can I get it in there myself? It'll be my first MacBook.

Yes. It's fairly easy and there are several instruction videos.

jon08 · Nov 13, 2011, 12:33 PM

Do you think the Mercury Extreme PRO is worth the extra $50? (120GB)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_6G/

Ice Dragon · Nov 13, 2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellhammer

830 hasn't had any problems from what I have heard so it should be a good option too. IMO this boils down to the price. What are the prices of these SSDs? I wouldn't pay much more for 830.

It is $20 more for the 128 GB option. Average of around $209 for the 470 and $229 for the 830.

Hellhammer · Nov 13, 2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon08

Do you think the Mercury Extreme PRO is worth the extra $50? (120GB)

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_6G/

No. The only difference is that Mercury has synchronous NAND, which makes it slightly faster. Not noticeable in real life, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ice Dragon

It is $20 more for the 128 GB option. Average of around $209 for the 470 and $229 for the 830.

Up to you. It's only $20 so might as well go for the faster drive.

jon08 · Nov 13, 2011, 01:57 PM

I was referring to Mercury Electra vs. Mercury Extreme.. Is that what you meant?

Hellhammer · Nov 13, 2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jon08

I was referring to Mercury Electra vs. Mercury Extreme.. Is that what you meant?

Yes. Forgot that it was called Mercury as well.

r17z · Nov 13, 2011, 04:47 PM

I'm thinking of getting a 120Gb SSD for my mid 2010 MBP (MC371/A), I was looking to get the Mercury EXTREME Pro 3G SSD but then found the Corsair Force Series 3 (http://bit.ly/umGyLC) which is only about £10 more expensive, about £130.

I know its a SATA 3 drive and my MBP is SATA 2. I guess I was just thinking about future proofing and the ability to move the SSD to a new machine if and when needed

What do you think? Has anyone had issues with this either drive or the SATA 3/2010 MBP combo?

fisherking · 05:07 PM

am planning a new 13", and probably the samsung 830 (or the M4).
should i power up, make sure everything's ok, register my mac, THEN shut down and install the SSD?

i want a clean start. i made a Lion DVD when i first installed lion.
so could i install the new drive, boot from the DVD, and install Lion?

and..where would i get the iLife apps?

thx..

PAPO · Nov 13, 2011, 05:39 PM

I'm curious what anyone has heard about OCZ's new 1TB Octane drives, with their new indillix controller, 'cause I've heard some people had issues with the Vertex 3 but that it was more of a Sandforce issue, I'm desperate for a bigger HDD than I have, and I want an SSD so I don't really have the time to wait for anything more than the earliest kinks to be ironed out.

Ice Dragon · Nov 13, 2011, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAPO

I'm curious what anyone has heard about OCZ's new 1TB Octane drives, with their new indillix controller, 'cause I've heard some people had issues with the Vertex 3 but that it was more of a Sandforce issue, I'm desperate for a bigger HDD than I have, and I want an SSD so I don't really have the time to wait for anything more than the earliest kinks to be ironed out.

The specs are here.

http://www.ocztechnology.com/ocz-oct...i-2-5-ssd.html

PAPO · Nov 13, 2011, 07:32 PM

I know that stuff, but I was wondering if the more knowledgeable people had any further insight, or if anyone know when I'd be able to get one

seanmorr · Nov 13, 2011, 08:15 PM

any idea if any of the newer drives will be on sale around black friday?

I would think they wouldn't be discounted much since they are new...the older models might be though

danimal917 · Nov 13, 2011, 09:58 PM

This has been a very useful thread. Thanks!

I was hoping for an opinion/advice on my current situation:

I'm upgrading from a 2009 Pro to a new 15" (base model). Right now I have an Intel X-25M (2nd gen) 80GB drive which has worked like a dream for the last 2 years. Would I notice any substantial performance boost by upgrading to a Crucial M4 or something similar? Storage space isn't an issue as I'll have a 750GB HDD in the Optibay for media. Basically, is it worth it?

Cedthebeast · Nov 13, 2011, 10:56 PM

If i buy a mbp and later on decide to put in an ssd say 6 months later...Would I be able to boot off the ssd and keep all my files and information still from the 5400rpm hdd? Like I understand that I'd be using my hdd and boot off it, but how do you get the operating systems on the ssd? Or do I have to buy the ssd before using my mbp? sorry im a noob

ET3SW · Nov 14, 2011, 08:30 AM

Does anyone have any opinions on the Corsair Force 3? I can get a wicked deal on one right now. Any thoughts?

Nov 13, 2011, 05:00 AM	#83
Anastacio macrumors regular Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Denmark	If I'm buying a MacBook Pro 13", which SSD should I buy? Or should I just go with the 128GB added from Apple? __________________ Currently Have Mac Mini (Spring 10') \| MacBook Air 13" (Oct 11') \| Apple TV 2 (Dec 11') \| iPhone 5 [32GB] (Sep 12') \| iPad Mini [32GB] (Nov 12') To Get iMac 27"
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 12:33 PM	#87
jon08 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Nov 2008	Do you think the Mercury Extreme PRO is worth the extra $50? (120GB) http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/Mercury_6G/ __________________  15.4" MacBook Pro (late 2011), 2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7, Crucial 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 512GB SSD, AMD Radeon 6750M   iPhone 5 16 GB 
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 01:57 PM	#90
jon08 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Nov 2008	I was referring to Mercury Electra vs. Mercury Extreme.. Is that what you meant? __________________  15.4" MacBook Pro (late 2011), 2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7, Crucial 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 512GB SSD, AMD Radeon 6750M   iPhone 5 16 GB 
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 05:02 PM	#93
fisherking macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jul 2010	am planning a new 13", and probably the samsung 830 (or the M4). should i power up, make sure everything's ok, register my mac, THEN shut down and install the SSD? i want a clean start. i made a Lion DVD when i first installed lion. so could i install the new drive, boot from the DVD, and install Lion? and..where would i get the iLife apps? thx.. __________________ mbp@10.8.3 • 4S@6.1.1JB Last edited by fisherking; Nov 13, 2011 at 05:07 PM.
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 05:39 PM	#94
PAPO macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Australia	I'm curious what anyone has heard about OCZ's new 1TB Octane drives, with their new indillix controller, 'cause I've heard some people had issues with the Vertex 3 but that it was more of a Sandforce issue, I'm desperate for a bigger HDD than I have, and I want an SSD so I don't really have the time to wait for anything more than the earliest kinks to be ironed out. __________________ Now: 15" MBP 8,2 (SB), 2.3Ghz, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7.2kRPM, Hi-Res Glossy // 64GB iPhone5 Soon? 15" MBP Haswell, 8GB RAM, lots of GB's in a HDD that spins at lots of R's per M, Hi-Res Glossy
	0

Nov 12, 2011, 02:51 PM	#76
seanmorr macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2011	so you would recommend the m4 over the owc drive? are there specific pros/cons thanks
	0

Nov 12, 2011, 04:22 PM	#77
DeafWhisperer macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2011	First of all, thank you so much for the guide and this thread! It was very helpful! I'm in the same boat. I was going to buy SSD from OWC but want to make sure... I came from the PC side. I will order MacBook Pro this Monday. I am much more familiar with the companies from the PC side. For example, I love Corsair. But the name OWC comes up often. I've read that OWC SSD is the only one that allows you to update the firmware on the Mac. True? Do I care about this? Suppose I need to update Corsair or Crucial, how does updating firmware works after installation?
	0

Nov 12, 2011, 09:59 PM	#81
Ice Dragon macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2009	Hellhammer - Should I go with the Samsung 470 or 830 for my 2011 Mini? The 470 has a proven track record for reliability though the 830 is SATA III and the Mini supports SATA III? Would it be risky to go with the 830 given that it is relatively new?
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 04:47 PM	#92
r17z macrumors newbie Join Date: Feb 2011	I'm thinking of getting a 120Gb SSD for my mid 2010 MBP (MC371/A), I was looking to get the Mercury EXTREME Pro 3G SSD but then found the Corsair Force Series 3 (http://bit.ly/umGyLC) which is only about £10 more expensive, about £130. I know its a SATA 3 drive and my MBP is SATA 2. I guess I was just thinking about future proofing and the ability to move the SSD to a new machine if and when needed What do you think? Has anyone had issues with this either drive or the SATA 3/2010 MBP combo?
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 07:32 PM	#96
PAPO macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Australia	I know that stuff, but I was wondering if the more knowledgeable people had any further insight, or if anyone know when I'd be able to get one __________________ Now: 15" MBP 8,2 (SB), 2.3Ghz, 8GB RAM, 500GB 7.2kRPM, Hi-Res Glossy // 64GB iPhone5 Soon? 15" MBP Haswell, 8GB RAM, lots of GB's in a HDD that spins at lots of R's per M, Hi-Res Glossy
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 08:15 PM	#97
seanmorr macrumors newbie Join Date: Nov 2011	any idea if any of the newer drives will be on sale around black friday? I would think they wouldn't be discounted much since they are new...the older models might be though
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 09:58 PM	#98
danimal917 macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2008	This has been a very useful thread. Thanks! I was hoping for an opinion/advice on my current situation: I'm upgrading from a 2009 Pro to a new 15" (base model). Right now I have an Intel X-25M (2nd gen) 80GB drive which has worked like a dream for the last 2 years. Would I notice any substantial performance boost by upgrading to a Crucial M4 or something similar? Storage space isn't an issue as I'll have a 750GB HDD in the Optibay for media. Basically, is it worth it?
	0

Nov 13, 2011, 10:56 PM	#99
Cedthebeast macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2011	If i buy a mbp and later on decide to put in an ssd say 6 months later...Would I be able to boot off the ssd and keep all my files and information still from the 5400rpm hdd? Like I understand that I'd be using my hdd and boot off it, but how do you get the operating systems on the ssd? Or do I have to buy the ssd before using my mbp? sorry im a noob
	0

Nov 14, 2011, 08:30 AM	#100
ET3SW macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Western, NY	Does anyone have any opinions on the Corsair Force 3? I can get a wicked deal on one right now. Any thoughts?
	0

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