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SSD Buying Guide

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sfoalex said:
It truly depends which benchmark app you use. And how the drive is used. They tend to better if you use them separate from the OS, which I don't do. I use mine as the OS boot drive.

Which specific benchmark app do you use? Do you have a link to it? If so, I'll use that app and give you the results.
Click to expand...
I am using AJA System test
128mb file size, 720x486 8-bit and disable file system cash is checked.
My results are 240 write and 250 read

But would I get more with a Mercury Extreme pro 6GBPS ?
 
finalcut said:
I am using AJA System test
128mb file size, 720x486 8-bit and disable file system cash is checked.
My results are 240 write and 250 read

But would I get more with a Mercury Extreme pro 6GBPS ?
Click to expand...

That app didn't work for me at all. It just blinks and doesn't show any results.

I downloaded a BlackMagicDesign benchmark from MacUpdate:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/38019/blackmagic-disk-speed-test

You should download that so you can do an Apples to Apples comparison.

Here is the result:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51301639@N07/6396102573/

and...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/51301639@N07/6396103005/

Sorry it took a while. I had no idea how to share and image and quickly created a flickr account to try and do this. Hope this works.
 
with your app, I get around 100mb write and 150 read! So 2-3 times less than you.

But what I am wondering is my bay is sataII only or I'm gonna get these speeds as well
 
finalcut said:
with your app, I get around 100mb write and 150 read! So 2-3 times less than you.

But what I am wondering is my bay is sataII only or I'm gonna get these speeds as well
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Oh no, I doubt you get what I get with SataII. OWC has a 30 day return policy. If you read the really tiny fine print, it's more like a 21 day return policy. That being said, I suppose you could buy one and try it and see how it does. But SataIII has twice the bandwidth as II. I don't know what would happen.

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finalcut said:
with your app, I get around 100mb write and 150 read! So 2-3 times less than you.

But what I am wondering is my bay is sataII only or I'm gonna get these speeds as well
Click to expand...

And yeah, according to BlackMagic Design:

Some SSD's use hidden compression when writing data to make their benchmarked speeds appear faster. Disk Speed Test will now measure the true speed of these SSD's so you know if they are suitable for high quality uncompressed video capture.

As is typical, most benchmarks tell the customer what they want to hear. Not what is reality.
 
finalcut said:
OWC Extreme pro 120GB is very tempting for me to replace my Corsair 120GB (200Write/230Read).
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Unless you are doing a lot of work with very large files like editing large videos, you are not likely to notice much is any difference between these drives in normal usage. If the Corsair drive it working for you, I would leave it alone.


finalcut said:
I've got a MBP 2011 and when I look at the data info on my system, it says that the HDD bay is 6mbps as speed link but 3mbps right now. Is it because my Corsais is only SataII or I simply can't get SataIII speed at all?
Click to expand...

Your link speed is show 3Gbps because your SATA II drive is only capable of connecting at that speed.
 
am trying to absorb everything about SSDs.

i just ordered a crucial M4 for a new macbook pro.
should i DL trim enabler? or not?? LOL...
just want to get the best out of what i'm using...
 
Help!!!

Hellhammer said:
Guides section is pretty much dead at the moment. MBP forum is where most of the SSD questions are asked, thus I think this is the best place for it.
Click to expand...

Hellhammer I have a question for you I hope you can help? I have a macbook pro 15" early 2011 baseline model, today I bought an ssd from owc the mercury electra 6g 60gig, can I install the ssd where the harddrive is, and then boot my computer holding command + R as I already have made a lion dvd would that work? Hope you can help!!
 
appleraj said:
Hellhammer I have a question for you I hope you can help? I have a macbook pro 15" early 2011 baseline model, today I bought an ssd from owc the mercury electra 6g 60gig, can I install the ssd where the harddrive is, and then boot my computer holding command + R as I already have made a lion dvd would that work? Hope you can help!!
Click to expand...

If you have a Lion DVD, just boot from that. You won't need to use Command-R.
 
sfoalex said:
If you have a Lion DVD, just boot from that. You won't need to use Command-R.
Click to expand...

thanks for your reply, so i just install my ssd, put the lion dvd in, after turning the computer on, and follow instructions, thats it. thank you for your help.
 
appleraj said:
thanks for your reply, so i just install my ssd, put the lion dvd in, after turning the computer on, and follow instructions, thats it. thank you for your help.
Click to expand...

I always prefer to attempt to format the drive externally first. What I typically do it attach a drive via USB or FireWire via the external enclosure. Format the drive. This also serves to test the drive to make sure I don't go through the trouble of installing it for no reason.

Once that is done, then I install the drive. You can always let the installer re-format it again during the Lion install. Takes few minutes longer this way but it ensures you don't waste your time.
 
sfoalex said:
I always prefer to attempt to format the drive externally first. What I typically do it attach a drive via USB or FireWire via the external enclosure. Format the drive. This also serves to test the drive to make sure I don't go through the trouble of installing it for no reason.

Once that is done, then I install the drive. You can always let the installer re-format it again during the Lion install. Takes few minutes longer this way but it ensures you don't waste your time.
Click to expand...

thanks,I dont have an external enclosure, but lion would format my ssd after installing,right. sorry for being such a naive.
 
appleraj said:
thanks,I dont have an external enclosure, but lion would format my ssd after installing,right. sorry for being such a naive.
Click to expand...

You'll need to format it prior to installing. The installer should walk you through it. If not, you may need to pull up the disc until and format the drive, then let the installer begin it's process. All of this can be done from that Lion installer DVD you made.
 
sfoalex said:
You'll need to format it prior to installing. The installer should walk you through it. If not, you may need to pull up the disc until and format the drive, then let the installer begin it's process. All of this can be done from that Lion installer DVD you made.
Click to expand...

so after installing the ssd, i turn the computer on and the computer will tell me how to format, after thats done, then put the lion dvd in. thank you so much for your time and help,thanks
 
appleraj said:
so after installing the ssd, i turn the computer on and the computer will tell me how to format, after thats done, then put the lion dvd in. thank you so much for your time and help,thanks
Click to expand...

No,

Insert the DVD
Shut down the computer
Open the back and installer the new SSD
Boot the computer, holding Command-C to boot from the DVD
Use the menus to go into disc utility and format the new SSD - HFS-Journal
Install Lion

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Do you have a second computer, just in case you get stuck and need to get back online?
 
sfoalex said:
No,

Insert the DVD
Shut down the computer
Open the back and installer the new SSD
Boot the computer, holding Command-C to boot from the DVD
Use the menus to go into disc utility and format the new SSD - HFS-Journal
Install Lion

----------

Do you have a second computer, just in case you get stuck and need to get back online?
Click to expand...
thank you sooo much, is there anything else i should know as you can tell how stupid I am. have an ipad in case of help needed. you put it in layman's terms. made me understand, thank you so much.

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appleraj said:
thank you sooo much, is there anything else i should know as you can tell how stupid I am. have an ipad in case of help needed. you put it in layman's terms. made me understand, thank you so much.
Click to expand...

SSD - HFS-Journal . what is this, could you please explain.thank you
 
appleraj said:
thank you sooo much, is there anything else i should know as you can tell how stupid I am. have an ipad in case of help needed. you put it in layman's terms. made me understand, thank you so much.
Click to expand...

If you have AIM on the iPad, add me: sfoalex

Try that now before you get started. If you run into trouble, I'll help via AIM / iChat

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appleraj said:
thank you sooo much, is there anything else i should know as you can tell how stupid I am. have an ipad in case of help needed. you put it in layman's terms. made me understand, thank you so much.

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SSD - HFS-Journal . what is this, could you please explain.thank you
Click to expand...

HFS Journaled is the Macs file system. Like NTFS is to Windows. You'll choose that as the format when you erase the drive for the first time.
 
sfoalex, should i buy this from OWC. OWC Express 2.5" Portable USB 2.0 Enclosure kit for SATA Hard Drives including Solid State Drives (SSD), all cables included. Sleek Silver Color. thanks
 
appleraj said:
sfoalex, should i buy this from OWC. OWC Express 2.5" Portable USB 2.0 Enclosure kit for SATA Hard Drives including Solid State Drives (SSD), all cables included. Sleek Silver Color. thanks
Click to expand...

Only if you wish to test the drive outside of the Mac in an external way first. That's what I like to do. I use a little plug from Western Digital that essentially translates SATA to USB2. For myself, I cloned my drive with SuperDuper and just popped it in with the cloned OS from the start. In doing so my own installation lacks the hidden boot recovery partition. For me that's not an issue at all. If I ever need to recover, it will be from a SuperDuper backup which I maintain anyway. You however, might want that recovery partition which you will get by doing a clean install.

Still in my humble opinion, an external enclosure is a tool to have for all kinds of reasons. I use them all the time to get data from old drives, etc. As you build confidence in resolving your own issues you'll come to appreciate having a few tools at your disposal. I say go for it. Think of it as yet another screwdriver.
 
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