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Could someone please tell me whose SSDs are most RELIABLE?

L

Leek

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 2, 2012
29
0
I just got a late 2011 17" MBP and I'd like to max it out. I've been reading this forum and was tempted by a lot of posts recommending OWC for performance and service. But then I also found an alarming number of posts about OWC drives failing within the first few months. I am now leaning towards a Samsung 830. Is there anything more reliable than that? I'd like good performance but dependability is more important to me.

Thank you. :)
 
Most SSDs are reliable.
Do a search on this forum because there are millions of same threads.

I bought M4 since it was the cheapest (bought it for 70bucks in Japan).
But since 2011 MBPs have SATAIII, get Samsung 830, Intel 520, or Vertex 4.

I really prefer the 520 from that list but 830 can do the job.
 
Intel SSD drives are the most reliable. The premium you pay for an Intel drive is more than just the name. I believe they get to cherry pick the premium NAND flash memory because Chipzilla has deep enough pockets to acquire it. Intel also used to program all if not most of the controllers on their drives. Samsung drives are probably the next on the list of reliability.
 
It's like asking what RAM is most reliable, you should be fine on pretty much anything, but, like all products, there can be some problems. Also remember that those with a problem are going to be much more vocal than those who have everything working fine.
 
Samsung and Crucial rank among the highest. Intel is probably next.

Speed wise is probably goes:

Samsung 830
Crucial M4
Intel


I felt the Crucial M4 was the bang for the buck. I installed one on my 2011 MBP before I upgrade to the MBPr. Excellent drive! Latest firmware, trim enabled, and it just screamed.

I could never go back to a pokey HD. :)


Newegg has some great deals. I bought mine during a 20% off sale so I got it for less than $350 (I also had another coupon).
-P
 
They are all about the same ;) Never rely on an SSD, or any storage medium. More reliable usually means having 1% less change of failure, and given that failure rates are already extremely small, its not a chance worth betting at. Any storage medium can fail any time and usually will fail during 5 years or so. Backup often.
 
You'll definitely find Samsung mentioned a lot in this thread. I would go for it if I were you. Just my opinion.
 
A couple of facts related to this discussion:

1. Micron is the parent company of Crucial.

2. In a joint venture, Intel and Micron created a company, IM Flash Technologies, that produces NAND flash chips.
 
I really like Samsung myself too.

My next choices are Corsair and OCZ Vertex 4. I know a lot of people dont like OCZ, but Ive owned 5 different model SSDs from them with no issues ever.
 
Pentad said:
Samsung and Crucial rank among the highest. Intel is probably next.

Speed wise is probably goes:

Samsung 830
Crucial M4
Intel

-P
Click to expand...

So an Intel 520 is slower than a M4? OK. Good to know all the testing sites are wrong on the net.
 
derbothaus said:
So an Intel 520 is slower than a M4? OK. Good to know all the testing sites are wrong on the net.
Click to expand...

Sandforce ranks up in speed when comes to compressible data, when not using that the controller is slower than most out there.

Sincerely not that it matters, I would never buy sandforce again until they solve all the issues still abound in their controller.

But basically, either buy samsung 830 or the crucial m4, plextor launched a new ssd with the new controller from marvel, Im still waiting testing to be done to it.
 
Mr MM said:
Sandforce ranks up in speed when comes to compressible data, when not using that the controller is slower than most out there.

Sincerely not that it matters, I would never buy sandforce again until they solve all the issues still abound in their controller.
Click to expand...

Intel has very little issues with their firmware. And the rest is just not true. Yes slower than with compressible but still faster than an M4. Look down the results for Incompressible data figures.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/355?vs=529
 
derbothaus said:
Intel has very little issues with their firmware. And the rest is just not true. Yes slower than with compressible but still faster than an M4. Look down the results for Incompressible data figures.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/355?vs=529
Click to expand...

intel has the same issues with their firmware than the others. That major firmware fix that was released some months ago was due to that partnership. Basically, I own one, I one how it fares, I know I dont want to buy another until the issues are fixed.

Im not defending any company, its simple, samsung 830 and the crucial m4 are the most reliable out there.

Sandforce has gotten a lot better.

thanks for the link, strangely I remember those same numbers quite differently
 
We all have differing experiences. My initial OWC 6G's were problematic with standard SF firmware. The Intel firmware I didn't think made it's way to the rest of the distros yet as you can tell on the stability of copy and read/write parity. No one is close yet so I figured no one else has it yet. But I have no issues at all with my 520's. I had 1 OWC die.
Just curious, what are the issue you are having as I have heard nothing regarding the Intel 520 as being anything but great and wished it was available prior to the OZC Vertex 3 bad publicity?
 
Also check out Plextor. Their drives generally get good reviews, and my M3 Pro has been working like a champ (knock on wood).
 
I've used both Samsung and OWC and have no problems to report with either of the two.
 
I doubt anyone had true statistics on reliability of products except the makers. What you will hear on a BBS is anecdotal opinions. For example I have nothing but success with Vertex SSDs.

Got to Newegg and Amazon and check the ratings.
 
I don't know which one is most reliable, but I saw a lot of posts here mentioned Samsung 830, so I got one.
 
Reliability of those mentioned is essentially unknowable. What is known is the Samsung 830 is roughly the fastest but the firmware is not upgradeable in OSX or externally in Windoze. The M4 is cheaper, slower on write only, and upgrade able if new firmware should come out.
 
Any drive has a chance of failing unfortunately - just get which one you can for the best price in terms of the capacity you need, any reputable brand will do.
 
The Intel X25-G2, the Samsung 470 and the Toshiba HG 3 series. These are SATA II drives. Sata III is still too new and there are still incompatibilities between some of the SSD controllers and the logic board.

Don't get hung up about the speed unless you are into wrting large sequential files. The major advantage is no seek / write delay which in a normal HDD is around 10 - 13 milliseconds. In a SSD these delays are measures in nanoseconds The other advantage is no noise.

If you want to be absolutely safe then get a genuine APPLE SSD. Apple will have done exhaustive testing to ensure no incompatibility. It is fine if you want to take a risk with another brand but is loosing your time worth the price difference?
 
For samsung 830s should TRIM be enabled or disabled? Which gives better performance?
 
FuNGi said:
Reliability of those mentioned is essentially unknowable. What is known is the Samsung 830 is roughly the fastest but the firmware is not upgradeable in OSX or externally in Windoze. The M4 is cheaper, slower on write only, and upgrade able if new firmware should come out.
Click to expand...

Agree with most of what you said. But, even as a M4 owner myself, a) samsung in general makes good stuff (and copies from the best :p) and has a great rep, b) apple uses samsung to make many of its own apple branded SSD's, and c) they do make all their own components top to bottom and program their own firmware.

Realistically, both are good dependable drives and heavily recommended by MacRumor's own resident SSD expert for Anandtech. The conventional wisdom is to get the best price you can on the size you need, and then use the best performance specs if there's a tie or close race. Unless you are a true power user, it's doubtful you can even tell much of a difference between the top SSD's, especially when doing run of the mill consumer tasks.

If you're not using FCP or doing PS on massive files, any of the latest top tier drives will work fine. If you want the M4 because it was the best deal available at the time, that's a valid choice. If you want a Vertex or Samsung because you want the theoretically fastest SSD's available despite a price difference, that's a valid choice, too.
 
I personally own 2 240GB OCZ Vertex III SSD drives and they have performed flawlessly since I purchased them about 6 months ago. Superfast also!
 
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