Is the Solid State Drive worth it?

[iFanboy]

Put it this way, I installed an SSD myself in my 2009 Macbook Pro and now I can't use a laptop without one.

It's silent, the battery life is longer, and the computer is quicker.

If you want those three things then it's worth it. If you're not concerned then it isn't.

 

[DWBurke811]

Yes but since you have an early 08... i believe it only does 1.5gb/s and nt the full 3gb/s. But I could be wrong.

Basically what im saying is, you can get a sata2 ssd and be fine without spending sata3 price.

EDIT: Nevermind... Some sata3 120gb is the same price as sata2 120gb. WTF.

Ummmm

FWIW;

SATA3 = 6Gbps
SATA2 = 3Gbps
SATA1 = 1.5Gbps

 

[jbg232]

I think it really comes down to what kind of a mac user you are:

-If you constantly quit applications and then reload them then you might see the benefits of an SSD in real-world usage (aside from all the other stuff like durability, noise, etc).

-If you are one of those people (like me) who keep applications open and just close the windows (but don't quit) then you may not see a large benefit.

So OP - what kind of mac user are you?

 

[tranmillitary]

you guys buy a mac and tell me couple hundred isn't worth upgrading the hard drive?? Mac's are already expensive..... might as well get a ssd.

people here who says SSD is overrated and waste of money?? are u guys retards?? mac air are already ssd's only... macbook pros are going to be soon.

SSD are the future.. just like cd's to dvd... except the jump is more like cd's to blu rays....

I own a vertex 3 in my PC... and a macbook air... trust me when i say this, everything is faster and better. I a cavier black WD hard drive before my SSD.. it's one of the better hard drives in the market, and compared to the vertex it's slow as hell. We're talking about 7200rpm 3.5 hard drives which are faster then you're typical laptop hard drives too.

Who's says browsing doesn't matter on the hard drive?? Google chrome stores info so it can instantly bring up searches and webpages.

SSD's are a waste of money?? i guess more ram is a waste of money too because it only improves a bit... i guess up grading from a core 2 duo to a i5 sandy bridge is a waste of money because it only does everything twice as fast.

So much false info in this thread. There's a reason why SSD's are the future of HDD, just like how ddr 2 and ddr3.... core 2 duo to i5..... it's so much better. If people are that cheap... don't get a mac. You can buy a Pc that does everything mac can for 300 dollars. It's like buying a BMW and putting in regular gas. If you can't afford it, don't get a premium product.

 

[neenja]

Just make sure whatever you get that your model is compatible. One thing to consider is if you plan to upgrade your current model to a newer one, it maybe smart to go ahead and invest in the 6g model. Again though check compatibility. Price wise none of these companies seem to make a difference between the 3g and 6g models.

Per the web site:
This OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD is performance certified for use with all Macs and PCs equipped with SATA Revisions 3.0, 2.0, and 1.0 interfaces (SATA 6Gb/s, 3Gb/s & 1.5Gb/s) except for the following machines:

2011 MacBook Pro 17" (Model ID MacBookPro8,3)
There are sporadic reports of 2011 17" MacBook Pro "Core i7" models (model ID 8,3) exhibiting fluctuating performance results with ANY brand 6Gb/s SATA Revision 3.0 SSD. It has been determined this is related to an Apple manufacturing issue. Some customers have found the OWC Shielding Kit improves some or all of the performance results, however there are instances where it has not. The fluctuating performance results do not occur when using our '3G' (3Gb/s) SSD model in this machine.

2008 MacBook Pro 15" (Model ID MacBookPro5,X and Macbook 5,1)
While a 6G SSD does function in a 2008 MacBook Pro 15" and 13" Macbook, it will only do so at SATA Revision 1.0 (1.5Gb/s) speeds rather that the SATA Revision 2.0 (3.0Gb/s) the machine is rated for. We have also experienced odd behavior such as system lock ups and random stalls in performance. As such, a 6G SSD is NOT recommended for this machine. Instead, the Mercury Extreme Pro 3.0Gb/s SSD does run at the full SATA Revision 2.0 (3Gb/s) specification and is highly recommended for use with this machine.

Great info here! Thanks

I have an early 08 4,1 model, so it looks like ill be soon pullin the trigger for an ssd

 

[Naimfan]

people here who says SSD is overrated and waste of money?? are u guys retards??

For most people, yes, they are a waste of money. They are VASTLY more expensive on a per GB basis and offer minimal gains to most users.

Your ad hominem (look it up) also says a great deal about you.

I own a vertex 3 in my PC... and a macbook air... trust me when i say this, everything is faster and better. I a cavier black WD hard drive before my SSD..

Why should anyone "trust" you? You're offering an opinion--fine, that's your opinion. It is not a fact. And I'm sorry, but why should anyone trust you when your writing reads like someone in middle school?

So much false info in this thread.

For example?

The arguments against SSD are straightforward:

1. SSD is obscenely expensive per GB compared to HDDs.
2. For most people, the speed advantages are meaningless. SSD speeds up boot time and app launching time, but it does not make you write any faster in Word (and it obviously did not help your spelling or grammar!) or Excel, it does not speed up how quickly you browse the web, and it will not speed up iLife, etc. Sure, it can help with very large files, but most people are not working with files large enough for that to matter.

I've owned one and sold it on, because it did not make me any productive. I, along with most, do not reboot frequently nor do I open and close applications often.

Hence, if you like it, go for it. But please stop with the absurd "Get and SSD and everything is faster and better!" claims. When pricing comes down to the level of current HDDs, different story. But we're years away from that.

 

[Freyqq]

Me personally, I'm going to wait for SSD's to mature and OS X to support Trim.

osx supports trim.

 

[wallysb01]

you guys buy a mac and tell me couple hundred isn't worth upgrading the hard drive?? Mac's are already expensive..... might as well get a ssd.

Only, its not particularly good reasoning for me to pay another $200-$500 dollars simply because I've already payed $1500-2000 for my MBP. Even if SSD is a substantial upgrade. I didn't buy the 2.2 Ghz processor, that would have came with a better video card and an extra 250GBs of hard drive space, even though it would "only" be another $300 on top of about $1700. Another $300 or so was just getting out of my budget. And these machines are already screaming fast, so I didn't think the extra money for the 2.2 or a SSD was particularly worth.

Plus, some of us do have real issues with the amount of space a SSD allows for, especially given the price. Yes, we could also go the optibay route, but that's a little more work than most of us might want to do (especially if you have to start dealing with applecare), and some of us might not want lose the superdrive.

This is the great thing about the MBP as opposed to the Air. Each of us has a number of choices about how to best configure our MBP to fit our needs. If you want to pay $200-$500 for a 128-256GB on a SSD and use that as your only drive, GREAT! I'm sure it will be a great, fast computer. If you want a standard HDD with 500GB-3T at 5400 or 7200 RPM, cool. If you want swap the superdrive for SSD, thus having both the speed of the SSD and bulk storage of the HDD, that's great too. You'll just need to put in a little extra time and money, deal with an external CD drive, and possibly have to swap the optibay back out if you need to use Applecare.

It all just depends on what any particular user wants. No choice is right or wrong in for every user. I went for the base 15" MBP. In a year or two, I probably will move to a SSD in the SATA3, and move my 500GB HDD to an optibay. Maybe I'll even replace the 500GB with 1TB. But I don't feel like I need that now. The MBP with the 500GB 5400RPM HDD is still a very fast machine.

 

[neenja]

my mbp usually sits on my desk. i have an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a 2tb firewire external hd.

i figure for the time being, investing in an ssd would be good. once im able to put some major dough down for a new mbp, i can always throw the ssd into that one and put the existing hdd into the optibay.

with that said, put back the original hdd into the early 08, and sell it.

makes me happy either way

 

[DaveOP]

Getting a SSD added to your MBP is probably the best and most noticeable upgrade you can make. All the apps launch instantly, and the boot up and shut down times are crazy. The screen comes back on instantly. I got the Samsung 470 Series 128GB, and it works like a dream.

 

[mike crow]

OWC Issues in my early 2011 17" Macbook Pro so if I trusted any SSD drives I would just go ahead and bite the bullet and get it from Apple.

 

[2hvy4grvty]

^ Or just avoid Sandforce drives as aforementioned dozens of times over.

 

[OTACORB]

For most people, yes, they are a waste of money. They are VASTLY more expensive on a per GB basis and offer minimal gains to most users.

Why should anyone "trust" you? You're offering an opinion--fine, that's your opinion. It is not a fact. And I'm sorry, but why should anyone trust you when your writing reads like someone in middle school?

Speak for yourself, you don't speak for everyone else and you darn sure don't share my experience with an SSD.

Why should anyone trust you either? This is about sharing experiences and providing information. Then the other person can make the best decision for there need.

All this arguing back and fourth is just stupid!

 

[Nielsenius]

How can anyone say that the upgrade from a HDD to a SSD is "insignificant" or "meaningless to most users"?

Read and Write Speeds -

HDDs read and write at around 90MB/s. SSDs read and write at around 280MB/s (SATA II) and 550MB/s (SATA III). That's 3x and 6x faster (probably more like 2.5x and 5x real world).

Durability -

HDDs break easily if dropped due to moving parts. SSDs don't break if dropped (let's say from a desk or while walking).

Noise -

HDD = constant wrrrrrring
SSD = silence

Heat and Power -

SSDs generally produce no heat and use less power than HDDs.

Data retention and protection -

SSDs, theoretically, can hold data for far longer than HDDs which hold data for >10 years. It is much more difficult to extract data through forensic means from a SSD than from a HDD, making SSDs more secure.

Maybe SSDs aren't worth the extra $$$ if you don't give a **** about your computer and are still using a Dell from 2002. Any user can utilize a SDD in their laptop. The gains are instant. No more waiting for apps to load. Boot in less than 20 seconds. Copy, delete, and install huge files in seconds, not minutes. No noise or vibrations. The benefits of a SDD over a HDD are immense. Sure, any SSD over 128GB is quite costly, but that doesn't negate the benefits SSDs offer.

 

[OTACORB]

Great post Nielsenius! You summed it all up nicely!

 

[bad1550]

I am interested in a SSD for new 2011 13" MBP.

Can someone point me to a 128g one and do I need to buy any additional hardware to install?

Thx

 

[bad1550]

Wil this work with the 2011 MBP?
Crucial Technology 128 GB Solid State Drive SATA 6 SSD 2.5 inch

 

[OTACORB]

Wil this work with the 2011 MBP?
Crucial Technology 128 GB Solid State Drive SATA 6 SSD 2.5 inch

Yes, that should work, it is 6gb/s? I would also check out OWC over at macsales.com. I got a OWC Mercury Electra 120GB 6gb/s for $200 and they guarantee full compatibility with the MINI. This baby is fast too and in fact on there web site they compare it to Intel and Crucial drives and show higher throughput. Maybe worth looking into.

 

[bad1550]

Yes, that should work, it is 6gb/s? I would also check out OWC over at macsales.com. I got a OWC Mercury Electra 120GB 6gb/s for $200 and they guarantee full compatibility with the MINI. This baby is fast too and in fact on there web site they compare it to Intel and Crucial drives and show higher throughput. Maybe worth looking into.

The Crucial Technology 128 GB Solid State Drive SATA 6 SSD 2.5 inch
is on sale for $179

thx

 

[OTACORB]

The Crucial Technology 128 GB Solid State Drive SATA 6 SSD 2.5 inch
is on sale for $179

thx

Great price! I'd say go for it! Once you go SSD, it is hard to use a spindle drive on a notebook.

 

[Young Spade]

Speak for yourself, you don't speak for everyone else and you darn sure don't share my experience with an SSD.

Why should anyone trust you either? This is about sharing experiences and providing information. Then the other person can make the best decision for there need.

All this arguing back and fourth is just stupid!

While I agree with you, you obviously have no idea what you're talking about. The aforementioned posters correct, the SSD is only worth it for certain people use extensive applications that require a lot of data being read and written.

For most people, you don't need anything more than a 5400 RPM hard drive. This includes everybody who watches HD video, plays games, and surfs the Internet.

You are right, this form is about sharing experiences and opinions, but some are more correct than others.

 

[OTACORB]

While I agree with you, you obviously have no idea what you're talking about. The aforementioned posters correct, the SSD is only worth it for certain people use extensive applications that require a lot of data being read and written.

For most people, you don't need anything more than a 5400 RPM hard drive. This includes everybody who watches HD video, plays games, and surfs the Internet.

You are right, this form is about sharing experiences and opinions, but some are more correct than others.

While I agree that some may benefit more than others, I don't think that precludes anyone else from seeing some benefits.

This sound rather silly, but we don't need cell phones cause we can user our home phone or just wait till we get to work, we don't need washers and dryers, we can just go to the laundry matt. The original poster is considering getting an SSD and asked about the benefits. They also asked if they got a regular HD and then wanted to change it later. So, it boils down to what someone wants and if they would see any benefits and the answer to that has been made very clear by multiple posters. They didn't ask if you thought they should get one or not, they can decide that for themselves!

Your experience or opinion isn't anymore right than anyone else's on this subject, so don't even go there. My experience on the subject would indicate that I've seen great benefits and I am happy that I made the purchase. No one in this forum is going to tell me what I know to be true for me. I suggest others find out for themselves and let there experience speak for itself.

 

[natejohnstone@g]

I'm switching to SSD

I've had 5 Apple hard drives fail in the last 2 years ... FIVE! Recockulous.

I'm switching to SSD (or a Hybrid ... WHY does Apple not give the option for a Hybrid HD like everyone else????) because as a deployed US military family, getting our computers repaired via Apple Care is insanely difficult. So I'm in it for the stability. Speed is a nice bonus, though.

But then again, I keep my iTunes and iPhoto libraries on external HDs, so I don't need a ton of space.

 

[Spiral21x]

If you have a new MBP w/ Sandy Bridge and a default 5400 rpm hard drive, the hard drive is most definitely the bottleneck of the machine. I just swapped my vertex 2 into a new 13mbp i5, night and day difference. If you are a power user to any degree it is highly recommended. People saying it's just for booting and launching apps probably haven't had a fast ssd, or they are just very casual computer users. Just about every program is reading stored info off the hard drive while you're using the app, not just during the launch. It really makes everything faster.

 

[OTACORB]

I've had 5 Apple hard drives fail in the last 2 years ... FIVE! Recockulous.

I'm switching to SSD (or a Hybrid ... WHY does Apple not give the option for a Hybrid HD like everyone else????) because as a deployed US military family, getting our computers repaired via Apple Care is insanely difficult. So I'm in it for the stability. Speed is a nice bonus, though.

But then again, I keep my iTunes and iPhoto libraries on external HDs, so I don't need a ton of space.

You may want to do a good bit of research on those Hybrid's because I've sen a lot of issues reported with these, unlike pure SSD drives. However, with that said I really have no experience with them, so I am just reporting what I've read.

Just food for thought!