Ordering my macbook, a few questions...

[PolySciSurfer]

I really like the idea of having an SSD drive. I'm ordering the 2.4 macbook, but I can't decide if I should go with the stock 250 drive, then upgrade the drive myself (which I don't know how to do) or if I should go ahead and pay the money to have the 128 ssd pre installed. Any suggestions?

Also, say I get the stock drive, and buy an ssd to install on my own. How does one do this? How do I install osx on this new drive?

Are the ssd drives apple uses, of good quality? They want 337 dollars to upgrade the macbook to an 128 ssd drive, with student discount. Is that a good price?

Also I should add one of the reasons I want to get a different hard drive, is because my brother bought the 2.4 macbook and kept getting a ? in the middle of his screen. He took it into apple and they had to replace the hard drive. His computer was only 2 months old. So that left me a little unconfident in the 250 drive apple is using. Any other user experiences?

 

[Buskape]

You might want to get the stock 250 gb drive, buy an enclosure for 15 bucks, so you can use it as an external backup hard drive/time machine.

Then buy an SSD at a price that suits you.

It is really really easy to change the hard drive of the macbook, it is the world's easiest notebook to change the hard drive, just open the bottom case, unscrew the hard drive, place the ssd screw it in and close the bottom case, done. There is even a guide on the apple.com support section.

Then you install Mac Os X from the DVD that comes with the macbook, just put it in and it's all done!

 

[PolySciSurfer]

You might want to get the stock 250 gb drive, buy an enclosure for 15 bucks, so you can use it as an external backup hard drive/time machine.

Then buy an SSD at a price that suits you.

It is really really easy to change the hard drive of the macbook, it is the world's easiest notebook to change the hard drive, just open the bottom case, unscrew the hard drive, place the ssd screw it in and close the bottom case, done. There is even a guide on the apple.com support section.

Then you install Mac Os X from the DVD that comes with the macbook, just put it in and it's all done!

Wow! That is easy, but what about Apples 128 ssd option for the macbook? Is it a good quality drive? Is 337 dollars a fair price for the drive?

 

[Buskape]

Wow! That is easy, but what about Apples 128 ssd option for the macbook? Is it a good quality drive? Is 337 dollars a fair price for the drive?

I don't know if it is a good quality drive, but it will probably work fine without problems and all, but 337$ is a fair price from apple considering that 128gb SSD's run around 270$

But you don't get to keep the 250gb hard drive

 

[PolySciSurfer]

Is there anything the 128gb ssd drive will not be as good at, as the 250gb hdd?

 

[Olivier L.]

Is there anything the 128gb ssd drive will not be as good at, as the 250gb hdd?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive#Disadvantages

Out of the points mentioned on the wikipedia page, I would say "Slower write speeds" is the key. The SSD is apparently slower writer than the HD.

I think I read something along thoses lines: SSD not really recommended for audio recordings for examples, if you need to record several channels in parallel, etc.

 

[Kingcodez]

In the $400 range, I'm looking at the OCZ Vertex, It had many great reviews, and is as good or better at certain things as the Intel X25.

Read Write speeds are like 5x faster than a spinner, and unless you are really really retentive, you will like the SSD better in all areas.

Someone might prove that it's a tad slower doing this over that, but that difference is probably hardly noticeable unless the SSD is a bad one.. If your just using the computer for screwing around on the internet and typing junk, it wont ever matter. Heavy Heavy Audio/Video encoding might be different, but if you were doing that you wouldn't be here asking about SSDs.

Apple uses a Samsung SSD IIRC, quality is great (I'm using one right now) but it's the speed which should be looked at.. A new OCZ is maby 3x faster than the older samsung drives. Wether you actually need one that is 3x faster than that is the real question. but since the prices are nearly the same, it's one hardly worth debating.

 

[mousouchop]

I have been using the stock 250GB HD from Apple since October with no problems whatsoever. Have it filled nearly to full capacity. When I upgrade, I plan on getting a 7200RPM 500GB HD, if I can ever find one in stock anywhere that is... haha. Arg!

I think you should be fine either way. There is always a certain failure rate for any piece of hardware that you get. You could buy a Macbook that has a bum logic board that dies after the first 4 months-- Does that mean you are going to forgo buying any product ever because there is a slight failure rate?

I suppose if money is no object get the SSD, as that is the "next thing." But if you are looking for larger storage that is already included in the base price of the system, then stick with the HD.

Good luck with your new Macbook!

 

[PolySciSurfer]

In the $400 range, I'm looking at the OCZ Vertex, It had many great reviews, and is as good or better at certain things as the Intel X25.

Read Write speeds are like 5x faster than a spinner, and unless you are really really retentive, you will like the SSD better in all areas.

Someone might prove that it's a tad slower doing this over that, but that difference is probably hardly noticeable unless the SSD is a bad one.. If your just using the computer for screwing around on the internet and typing junk, it wont ever matter. Heavy Heavy Audio/Video encoding might be different, but if you were doing that you wouldn't be here asking about SSDs.

Apple uses a Samsung SSD IIRC, quality is great (I'm using one right now) but it's the speed which should be looked at.. A new OCZ is maby 3x faster than the older samsung drives. Wether you actually need one that is 3x faster than that is the real question. but since the prices are nearly the same, it's one hardly worth debating.

Thanks for all the info guys. There seems to be a lot of people praising the OCZ Vertex. Where is the best place to buy one? Also, I have no idea which one to get, looking at SSD specs is mind numbing.

Since I plan on buying Apple care with my macbook, I need to know if the OCZ Vertex SSD will cause any problems with apple care coverage. If something happens to my computer and I send it to Apple, and they see I have a Vertex drive, then they tell me sorry your warranty is void. I really do not want to run into those problems.

For this reason, is it better to go with Apple's SSD?

 

[ux4all]

In the $400 range, I'm looking at the OCZ Vertex, It had many great reviews, and is as good or better at certain things as the Intel X25.

Read Write speeds are like 5x faster than a spinner, and unless you are really really retentive, you will like the SSD better in all areas.

Everything I have read does not line up with what you have posted here.

1. It is hard to compare the Vertex to the X25. One uses cache to prop up performance #s and the other uses channels (I don't understand this, just saying).

2. Read/Write speeds are about 3x faster in literal numbers. (Compared to a Velociraptor).

3. FYI, here is a link showing SuperTalent MMX crushing everyone in File Copy and Create....

It's all about perspective.

 

[gan6660]

Also wait until june to buy it so you get a free ipod. Thats what I am doing.

 

[PolySciSurfer]

Everything I have read does not line up with what you have posted here.

1. It is hard to compare the Vertex to the X25. One uses cache to prop up performance #s and the other uses channels (I don't understand this, just saying).

2. Read/Write speeds are about 3x faster in literal numbers. (Compared to a Velociraptor).

3. FYI, here is a link showing SuperTalent MMX crushing everyone in File Copy and Create....

It's all about perspective.

Ok all of that was way over my head. I just need help deciding if I should buy Apple's 128gb SSD. Help?

 

[Germwise]

I read somewhere that the back to school deals don't start until august.

also, unless you are really doing a lot of video/audio encoding an SSD is not worth it.

If you had troubles with an HDD in the past remember that 95% of all computers in the world use HDD. Its a proven technology. you just got unlucky.

 

[gan6660]

I read somewhere that the back to school deals don't start until august.

also, unless you are really doing a lot of video/audio encoding an SSD is not worth it.

If you had troubles with an HDD in the past remember that 95% of all computers in the world use HDD. Its a proven technology. you just got unlucky.

In the US it starts in june and ends in early september in the UK i believe it starts in august.