SSD capacity buyers remorse?

[bozz2006]

Hey all, I currently have a 120GB Vertex 3 + an optibay HDD setupin my 15" MBP. I'm looking to ditch the optibay setup, replace the ODD, and buy a larger capacity SSD.

I'm pretty comfortable spending ~$300 for a nice 256GB model, most likely a Crucial M4. This would mean ditching ~300 GB worth of videos from my laptop, and that's fine. I won't miss them.

HOWEVER, I'm getting the itch to go with a 512GB SSD so I wouldn't have to worry about what will or won't fit on the SSD, both now and in the foreseeable future. I'm reluctant to take the jump from a $300 investment (edit: down to $250! wow.) for the 256GB model to the $560 investment on the 512GB.

So I'm wondering what your experiences have been. Have you bought a 256 and wish you gone with a 512? Or, gotten a 512 and wish you'd have saved some money and gone with a 256 instead?

 

[DrNick8404]

Even though I have the $$ for it, I am comfortable with the$300 M4 because the price will come down soon enough. I have +4 TB externals so having the SSD for me is for boot+Apps load and function.

 

[motoracer1486]

Is gaining your optical bay worth $560 to you?

 

[dlimes13]

256 GB for $300 or less is a sweet balance between storage and price. 512 GB SSDs are overkill for the price right now. I personally use a 128 GB and a 1 TB in my optical drive bay. The 256 GB would be overkill for me, but that's just me.

However, Newegg has a couple of Crucial M4's 256 GB for $249.99 right now, which is just an insane deal.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...87&IsNodeId=1&bop=And&Order=PRICE&PageSize=20

 

[jimray]

I got the 256 crucial M4, it was the sweet spot for a price/storage tradeoff. I thought about getting the optibay, but I'm reading too many issues with the HDDs not spinning down. I have 5TB of space on externals, and i'm finding the 256 no problem to deal with.

 

[bozz2006]

I got the 256 crucial M4, it was the sweet spot for a price/storage tradeoff. I thought about getting the optibay, but I'm reading too many issues with the HDDs not spinning down. I have 5TB of space on externals, and i'm finding the 256 no problem to deal with.

That's my issue, not that it's a huge one. I have the folders for pictures, documents, videos, music symlinked to the HDD. It spins up for no apparent reason and doesn't like to spin down at times. And I'd like to re-gain the ODD. Seems like now is a good time to make the jump.

I'm leaning 99% toward the 256GB. 256GB for $250 is a great deal, the sweet spot for sure.

 

[Ccrew]

I started off with a 120, found myself having to manage space, that got old really quick, so I upgraded to a 240. Still have 110 free with everything on it. I have iTunes Match, so I keep my main library (4tb music and video) on NAS, and just stream to my MBP when I want to listen to music or play it on my tv via a jailbroken ATV2/XBMC. I don't really want to give up my ODD, I deal with having to burn a lot of ISO's as part of my work.

I've found that the 240 is more than ample if you are running whatever apps you want, and I have Adobe Master Suite, FCPX, etc on my machine so it's not like I'm just running textedit. I think it's about evaluating your real need versus the cost tradeoff. In my case I have multiple computers, were my MBP my only it might be a different scenario. But for the cost difference to get another 256 in SSD, I can get a 3tb WD MyBook Studio via firewire. Once you get past your apps and documents you need, what is it you really need that extra SSD space for, and does it really need to be an SSD? Heck, $89 will buy 1tb Passport pocket drive via USB that'll stream music and video if you really really have to have it all and you still have your ODD at the end of the day

I will admit to looking longingly at 512gb SSD's, but for what i'd actually store on it there are much cheaper options.

Just my thoughts.

 

[STxMacUser]

Started with a 256GB SSD and recently noticed that I was getting close to filling the drive. Turned the ODD to an external ODD and added an Intel 5 series 240 GB SSD in the optibay. Moving right along....NICE! The Intel 240GB drive was a little over $300 ... so you might consider an Intel.

 

[bozz2006]

I started off with a 120, found myself having to manage space, that got old really quick, so I upgraded to a 240. Still have 110 free with everything on it. I have iTunes Match, so I keep my main library (4tb music and video) on NAS, and just stream to my MBP when I want to listen to music or play it on my tv via a jailbroken ATV2/XBMC. I don't really want to give up my ODD, I deal with having to burn a lot of ISO's as part of my work.

I've found that the 240 is more than ample if you are running whatever apps you want, and I have Adobe Master Suite, FCPX, etc on my machine so it's not like I'm just running textedit. I think it's about evaluating your real need versus the cost tradeoff. In my case I have multiple computers, were my MBP my only it might be a different scenario. But for the cost difference to get another 256 in SSD, I can get a 3tb WD MyBook Studio via firewire. Once you get past your apps and documents you need, what is it you really need that extra SSD space for, and does it really need to be an SSD? Heck, $89 will buy 1tb Passport pocket drive via USB that'll stream music and video if you really really have to have it all and you still have your ODD at the end of the day

I will admit to looking longingly at 512gb SSD's, but for what i'd actually store on it there are much cheaper options.

Just my thoughts.

Thanks for your thoughts. I've been kicking around the idea of signing up for iTunes Match, but just haven't done much research on it yet. Are you happy with it?

 

[plucky duck]

I use 240GB SSD as my primary OS, another 240GB SSD for video/photo projects I need to work on, and transfer the raw data/completed work back onto my external 1TB mechanical drive. Works well for me.

240/256GB SSDs can be found for $200-$250 range now, prices have been dropping.

 

[jimray]

240/256GB SSDs can be found for $200-$250 range now, prices have been dropping.

Depends on where you live i guess Just got my 256 Crucial M4 locally for $309+ tax. Ordering online i often like to avoid, its not uncommon to have serious border delays in the name of "security" these days. I live in Canada

 

[Agent-P]

I honestly think that 250gb in a laptop is a nice balance between having enough space without having too much. It's not enough to put everything on it, so it sort of forces you to look at how you're filling your space and what you actually need. I feel like you don't always need all your files with you wherever you go. For me this is why I personally wouldn't get a SSD bigger than 256gb.

 

[Medic278]

I orignally bought a 120GBSSD but decided that I wanted more and exchanged it for a 240GB Intel 520 before I even opened it. 240GB is a sweet spot for me, its plenty of space and allows me to keep all of the movies and TV shows I actually watch on it and have 60GB left over. I now use my original 750GBHDD in an enclosure and use it as an external drive. I think 240/256 GB is the perfect SSD for a laptop, larger ones are nice but the price is insane. If you get a 240/256 youll be happy.

 

[cosmicjoke]

I honestly think that 250gb in a laptop is a nice balance between having enough space without having too much. It's not enough to put everything on it, so it sort of forces you to look at how you're filling your space and what you actually need. I feel like you don't always need all your files with you wherever you go. For me this is why I personally wouldn't get a SSD bigger than 256gb.

That's the most ridiculous **** I've ever heard, lol, you most certainly would go with a bigger SSD if the price point was right.

 

[Ccrew]

I've been kicking around the idea of signing up for iTunes Match, but just haven't done much research on it yet. Are you happy with it?

It's not without it's warts, but for the most part it works well and does what you'd expect. Biggest thorn in my side with it is that it doesn't stream to my iPhone, you have to download the songs you want to it (by design). But $25 a year equates to 1 Starbucks coffee a month so I guess it's all about your personal perspective on it.

 

[SDAVE]

That's the most ridiculous **** I've ever heard, lol, you most certainly would go with a bigger SSD if the price point was right.

Word.

You can never go wrong with more GBs.

However, due to price issues, I have a 256GB Samsung 830. Couldn't justify spending $650 on a 512GB. I can live with 256GB until the price comes down, just had to make adjustments to how I carry my files on my MBP.

 

[bozz2006]

Thanks folks. I put in an order for a 256GB M4 from Crucial. The price ($249) was just too good to pass up. If, in a year, the 512GB models come down to ~$300 or so, I'll just buy one at that point. That's what happened this past year. In June of 2011, I spent $289 on a 120GB Vertex 3.

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It's not without it's warts, but for the most part it works well and does what you'd expect. Biggest thorn in my side with it is that it doesn't stream to my iPhone, you have to download the songs you want to it (by design). But $25 a year equates to 1 Starbucks coffee a month so I guess it's all about your personal perspective on it.

Won't stream to iphone, huh? That may be a deal-breaker for me.

 

[maflynn]

I personally would have preferred a single 256GB SSD (or larger) then the dual 120GB SSD set up that I have. With that said, the cost of the SSDs was the reason why I opted for two smaller SSDs then one larger.

I bought a single 120 SSD when it was on sale, 6 to 8 months later the intel SSD was on sale and I jumped on that. 120GB is too small in this day where file sizes are so large.

 

[Agent-P]

That's the most ridiculous **** I've ever heard, lol, you most certainly would go with a bigger SSD if the price point was right.

Well of course when the price point comes down, but I'm talking about currently for the amount various sized SSDs cost, I wouldn't get one bigger than 256gb.

 

[takeshi74]

Or, gotten a 512 and wish you'd have saved some money and gone with a 256 instead?

Nope. As always there's no such thing as too much storage. A sizable chunk of mine is allocated to Boot Camp/Parallels. Do whatever works for you.

 

[ixodes]

Both ram & storage space are always a matter of personal preference & how one uses their computer.

For my needs & comfort zone, I buy my new MBP's with the default of each. Once I receive them my practice is to upgrade the ram to the maximum. In turn I've installed a Samsung 830 series, 512GB SSD.

This leaves me with the unused space I seek & piece of mind knowing the ram will enhance it's overall speed when having several apps open concurrently.

 

[Dweez]

When I bought my 512gig M4 I simply bit the bullet and did it. If there would have been a 1tb drive I would have bought that instead.

 

[plucky duck]

When I bought my 512gig M4 I simply bit the bullet and did it. If there would have been a 1tb drive I would have bought that instead.

Always buy the largest drive you can afford at that moment in time. If 512gb ssd drives are near $450 I would seriously consider it right now, but alas 256gb drives offer better value right now. I am in no way hurting for space, so I can definitely afford to wait for prices to come down, meanwhile still being able to take advantage of what 256gb ssd drives have to offer without breaking the bank.

 

[daneoni]

I made sure if i was gonna go the SSD route i would go all out once and for all and not try to micromanage a 64GB/128GB drive. Hence a 256GB Crucial purchase.

I have never come close to filling it.

 

[heeby]

I am not seeing the difference between all the Crucial M4 256GB drives on newegg. They seem to have identical specs and pricing. What am I missing?