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Atoria

macrumors newbie
Aug 3, 2009
12
0
its you....

the intel 160gb is a good deal....499cad vs 415cad for the vertex with less space and slower sequential speed and somtimes has issues.

the intel is now cheap and has a very reliable track record.

Hmmm Intel = $449 and OCZ = $329, I know the Intel is a 160gb and the OCZ is a 120gb, but how much of a performance upgrade would you actually get? Maybe Photoshop would load up .2 seconds slower? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I really want to know because $120 is a lot of money to me. Space isn't really a premium for me, just want the most effective drive over 100gb. The WD passport 750gb will hold almost anything I need.
 

MacModMachine

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2009
2,476
392
Canada
Hmmm Intel = $449 and OCZ = $329, I know the Intel is a 160gb and the OCZ is a 120gb, but how much of a performance upgrade would you actually get? Maybe Photoshop would load up .2 seconds slower? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I really want to know because $120 is a lot of money to me. Space isn't really a premium for me, just want the most effective drive over 100gb. The WD passport 750gb will hold almost anything I need.

well the intel sequentially will provide a faster performance.

most will say there almost even....but i own both and find the intel faster for me.

easily worth the extra 120
 

emt1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 30, 2008
1,387
20
Wisconsin
Hmmm Intel = $449 and OCZ = $329, I know the Intel is a 160gb and the OCZ is a 120gb, but how much of a performance upgrade would you actually get? Maybe Photoshop would load up .2 seconds slower? I'm not trying to be sarcastic, I really want to know because $120 is a lot of money to me. Space isn't really a premium for me, just want the most effective drive over 100gb. The WD passport 750gb will hold almost anything I need.

Something else to consider is that only the Intel drives are known for maintaining their speeds. The OCZ drives do slow down considerably with time and can only be returned to the original speed with the wiper.exe program, which is currently only for Windows.
 

MacModMachine

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2009
2,476
392
Canada
Something else to consider is that only the Intel drives are known for maintaining their speeds. The OCZ drives do slow down considerably with time and can only be speed up with the wiper.exe program, which is currently only for Windows.

indeed,

intel does maintain its speed even when its full.

i find overall the drive is perfect. it works all the time without issue.

i have 3 of these 80gb and soon 2 160gb gen 2 ones.
 

stormtroopar

macrumors member
Feb 3, 2009
57
0
indeed,

intel does maintain its speed even when its full.

i find overall the drive is perfect. it works all the time without issue.

i have 3 of these 80gb and soon 2 160gb gen 2 ones.

Just curious.. what makes the intel ssd maintain its speed and the other doesn't?

MacModMachine, so with both your ocz and intel drives, do you find the intel is still faster for transferring large files (ie: 5 - 15 gig) than the ocz, i thought for stuff like that intel might be a bit slower.. maybe I am wrong?

Thanks.
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,257
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
Just curious.. what makes the intel ssd maintain its speed and the other doesn't?

MacModMachine, so with both your ocz and intel drives, do you find the intel is still faster for transferring large files (ie: 5 - 15 gig) than the ocz, i thought for stuff like that intel might be a bit slower.. maybe I am wrong?

Thanks.

The controller
 

stormtroopar

macrumors member
Feb 3, 2009
57
0
Which is why I am waiting on the updated 320 GB Intel drives. They will be faster and more storage. I can't go down to 160GB.

That is what I am thinking too. With Intel shrinked the die to 32nm, the 160GB only takes up one side, so they can easily make a 320GB with both side filled, hopefully it will be less than double the price.. If that becomes 600 - 700 bucks, I would buy that instead. Wonder when they are going to release that...
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,257
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
That is what I am thinking too. With Intel shrinked the die to 32nm, the 160GB only takes up one side, so they can easily make a 320GB with both side filled, hopefully it will be less than double the price.. If that becomes 600 - 700 bucks, I would buy that instead. Wonder when they are going to release that...

It'd definitely buy it. If they manage to go to 512 GB even more chances I'd buy.
 

kasakka

macrumors 68020
Oct 25, 2008
2,361
1,060
Which is why I am waiting on the updated 320 GB Intel drives. They will be faster and more storage. I can't go down to 160GB.

I don't really see them being faster, will most likely use the same tech as the current 2nd gen drives. The 320 GB model is supposed to be coming in Q4 this year. Most likely the price will be double, like it is with the 80 and 160 GB versions.

Personally I don't see a huge need for more than 160 GB at the moment. At the moment my OSX drive has about 80 GB on it including apps, OS, downloads, a few movies etc. For something like music etc having them on an external hard disk drive won't slow things down much. Startup times and app responsiveness are the main benefits of SSD drives so data that is loaded fast even on regular hard drives can stay on those.
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,257
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
I don't really see them being faster, will most likely use the same tech as the current 2nd gen drives. The 320 GB model is supposed to be coming in Q4 this year. Most likely the price will be double, like it is with the 80 and 160 GB versions.

Personally I don't see a huge need for more than 160 GB at the moment. At the moment my OSX drive has about 80 GB on it including apps, OS, downloads, a few movies etc. For something like music etc having them on an external hard disk drive won't slow things down much. Startup times and app responsiveness are the main benefits of SSD drives so data that is loaded fast even on regular hard drives can stay on those.

I need more than 160GB cause I keep all my media with me. So, anything lower than 250GB won't cut it. 250GB is the minimum I am willing to buy.
 

wakemac

macrumors member
Aug 14, 2009
59
2
NC
"Apple" 256GB SSD

I just reread this entire thread, and am still confused as to everyone's opinion of the 256GB SSD that Apple uses in the MBP. I understand that they have used Toshiba and Samsung in the past, but has anyone received a new MBP in the last week or so that can confirm what is shipping currently? The performance difference between the two brands and the numbers that have been quoted in this thread differ greatly. I would really appreciate any help.
 

emt1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 30, 2008
1,387
20
Wisconsin
I just reread this entire thread, and am still confused as to everyone's opinion of the 256GB SSD that Apple uses in the MBP. I understand that they have used Toshiba and Samsung in the past, but has anyone received a new MBP in the last week or so that can confirm what is shipping currently? The performance difference between the two brands and the numbers that have been quoted in this thread differ greatly. I would really appreciate any help.

Don't buy an SSD from Apple. Upgrade yourself.
 

nightfly13

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2008
679
0
Ranchi, India
Don't buy an SSD from Apple. Upgrade yourself.

While I agree with this advice entirely, let me just add a word of caution from my own mistake in this regard. I have a current-gen MBP and at some point of the swapping in and out process (didn't do it the smartest way and ended up putting the original hard drive back in after swapping a SSD in - the SSD is now in the optical bay so I have both). Somewhere during the swapping process I tore the very flimsy, paper-thin SATA connector ribbon. Not totally torn, but enough that it stopped working. Thankfully I had a cool Genius who didn't charge me labor or void my warranty. I paid around $30 and waited like 8 days for him to order the part, then drop off the MBP and then pick it up a couple days later. I had to take the optical-bay SSD out of course so it looked like normal when he got it - on his advice.

All that to say, yes it's absolutely worth it to swap it out yourself (you'll also net the stock HDD and have a great selection of SSDs to chose from) but do take care with the connector ribbon. I think I actually went wrong flipping the hard drives over, wrapping the ribbon around the drive to get it seated back in place - but I'm not totally sure when the damage occurred.
 

vitaeergo

macrumors newbie
Jun 23, 2009
6
0
Beware of SSD with 2009 MBP

Buyer beware. I've a two month old 15" MBP that I purchased a new Intel X25 for. After the 1.7 Firmware update, it will not see the drive. Nor will it see a new replacement X25 either. In fact, it will not see any drive other than the stock that came with the unit.

There's a complete thread (57 pages at the moment) on this issue over at Apple Forums.
 

bamf

macrumors 6502
Feb 14, 2008
413
0
I ordered a 2nd Gen X25-M yesterday (from a place that claims to have them in stock on Amazon). I can't wait to through this in my Early 08 MBP to give it that "new" feel again.
 

dazey

macrumors 6502
Dec 9, 2005
327
55
Has anyone out there got any experience or opinions on the Crucial SSDs? Is it a sensible choice or am I better off looking somewhere else? Cheers
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,257
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza

spacecadet610

macrumors 6502
Mar 11, 2006
389
4
I just bought the Corsair x256 256gb SSD (~$460 AR + cashback) so we'll see how it is when i get it soon in the mail.

I was really going to wait for the G2 Intel SSds but couldn't pass up the deal.

hopefully with the slower random access, I won't notice a difference. Then again, this is my first SSD so i'll probably be amazed anyways.
 

emt1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 30, 2008
1,387
20
Wisconsin
I just bought the Corsair x256 256gb SSD (~$460 AR + cashback) so we'll see how it is when i get it soon in the mail.

I was really going to wait for the G2 Intel SSds but couldn't pass up the deal.

hopefully with the slower random access, I won't notice a difference. Then again, this is my first SSD so i'll probably be amazed anyways.

You will definitely be amazed. Ya lucky dog...
 
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