SSD Debate/rant

[johnnj]

Not everyone wants to void their warranty & Not everyone doesn't need their dvd drive. I don't use the dvd drive often but i still need it once or twice a month.

Replacing hard drives doesn't automatically void the warranty. They just won't fix it if you screw it up.

The manual states:
WARNING:  Apple recommends that you have an Apple-certified technician install replacement drives and memory. Consult the service and support information that came with your computer for information about how to contact Apple for service. If you attempt to install a replacement drive or memory and damage your equipment, such damage is not covered by the limited warranty on your computer.

 

[CHSeifert]

Get the 750 gb HDD in the optibay and the SSD in the SATA 3 slot 🙂

 

[mikeytwice]

I use the cloud sparingly, due to security and accessibility issues. For my main storage I use NAS, a great way to keep your files secure & readily available.

I share the sentiment. Music on the cloud means no music on the subway, no music on airplanes, no music on trips out of the country, etc.

Though of course I don't listen to all of my 100+gb of music regularly, it's nice to have it accessible.

It's only a matter of time till SSD prices come down, and as hard drive swaps or easy I have no problem waiting a year or two.

 

[iMackPro]

How can people justify installing an SSD 128GB over either 750GB/500GB 7200 drives? This is after reading sooo many people hyping on and reccomending 128GB SSDs.

SSDs granted ARE amazing but if you're using your macbook pro as a primary device, you are going to need all the space you can get! this day in age, IMO 128GB is simply not enough. my PC ATM has in use around about 960GB in use of which 500GB of that is films/tvshows/music.

also SSDs ATM are so expensive that in a years time they will be bigger, better and CHEAPER.

technology ATM is at a point that for most users, whats offered will definitley be enough. its so frustrating to me (or maybe i am ignorant, please englighten me?) why users are splashing out on 8GB of RAM + SSDs when their described uses/needs won't warrant the outlay. I could understand a year later wanting a speed bump and installing an SSD then but people are spending all this money and stuff they really don't need and won't use to anywhere near its potential.

wheres the common sense that i'll upgrade the RAM or harddrive when i need it? afterall, RAM/harddrives are going to get cheaper as time goes on. i can understand investing in a better processor/screen/GPU because these can't be upgraded and allow future proofing to a certain degree..

BTW im in the process of buying a MBP hopefully in the next week or two so i'm interesting in opinions/advice! thank you.

thats why you buy a time capsule or another sort of external HD. i love my 128 SSD. im very very happty with it. its lightening fast and i have zero problems with it, yeah i could use a bit more space. but 128 gigs is more than ill ever need at once. I have about 10 gigs of music on it (the music i listen to on a daily basis) and the rest of my library on my TC. 128 Gigs is plenty for word documents and a couple movies and games. After watching the movie i transfer it to my TC or i just delete it, depending on how good the movie was.

I dont see why people think 128s are terrible, i paid 120$ for mine and you cant beat that anywhere. I dont see how anyone would ever need more space than that in a given amount of time. If youre at home and need massive strorage you shouldnt rely on a single HD anyways you should have some sort of external

 

[s.hasan546]

Replacing hard drives doesn't automatically void the warranty. They just won't fix it if you screw it up.

The manual states:
WARNING:  Apple recommends that you have an Apple-certified technician install replacement drives and memory. Consult the service and support information that came with your computer for information about how to contact Apple for service. If you attempt to install a replacement drive or memory and damage your equipment, such damage is not covered by the limited warranty on your computer.

i was talking about getting an opti-bay + HDD in the superdrive slot. Please show me where it states that replacing your superdrive (NON-user replaceable item) is covered even if you don't damage anything.

 

[s.hasan546]

i ordered the new owc 120 gb sata III drive. Im still skeptical though. I might return it though.

I tested the MBA 11" and it took about 19 seconds to boot. My MBP 13" i5 only took 30 seconds. I couldn't care less about 10 seconds on a boot since i almost never turn off my computer.

I compared application opening, and it wasn't that far off. My itunes, safari, office; etc all opened within 1-1.5 seconds.

This is all with the stock 5400 rpm drive. I might just return the owc and get a cheap 7200 rpm drive or the momentus XT. Their cheap $50-$100. Im more than ok with 128 gb. I just don't know if the $250 price difference is worth it to me IMHO. I might just wait for prices to come down and later on put the momentus xt in a enclosure.

 

[johnnj]

i was talking about getting an opti-bay + HDD in the superdrive slot. Please show me where it states that replacing your superdrive (NON-user replaceable item) is covered even if you don't damage anything.

Yeah, ok. Notice where it says "drives"? It doesn't specify hard/optical/super.
So.... the warranty does not specifically exclude the end user replacement of the optical drive with another drive. A drive is a drive.

Since when is the superdrive a NON-user replaceable item? It's got like 3 normal screws and a ribbon cable, not exactly brain surgery. You can also get more of them and replace them if that's what you mean by not replaceable.

And furthermore (in Foghorn Leghorn voice), if something did break and you were concerned about Apple being mad at your, it is pretty simple to put the optical drive back in. It's not like it self destructs when you remove it.

 

[NickZac]

this day in age, IMO 128GB is simply not enough.


BTW im in the process of buying a MBP hopefully in the next week or two so i'm interesting in opinions/advice! thank you.

That is a silly statement...'not enough' depends on the user. There is a reason that people are spending more money on a smaller drive and liking it, and that is because of their speed, reliability and durability.

IMO if you get a current model MBP without a SSD, you are not making full use out of a system that is both expensive and spectacular by design.

 

[aoaaron]

i pulled the trigger today.

as much as i wanted an SSD, i couldn't justify the lack of space without spending way too much. I wanted to store all my music with me (60GB atm) and some videos/downloads along with windows + mac osX and maybe a few games off of steam on the window side of stuff.

once SSDs come down in price, i'll definitley hit one up.

an external harddrive was an option but a) not portable enough for me going to lectures etc., secondly failure rates, thirdly i like my itunes loading up everything very neatly without any problems i.e. it all being on one drive.

also i dont feel i can utilise an SSD to its capabiltiies. i'm more of a digital hoarder, less of a video maker/someone who imports data such as photos. therefore i'd be using an SSD simply to shave of 10-20 seconds off of boot time (when i sleep my laptop) and 1-2 seconds on app launches (the apps i use anyway).

 

[NickZac]

IIRC Intel has a 320GB SSD coming out which is supposed to drop prices, as well as a 160 'value' SSD which is supposed to be very affordable relative to current models.

Congrats though! You can always upgrade the hard drive later on...you got the right computer and that's what counts 🙂

 

[falconeight]

I did an xbench test one with the stock oem 500gb hdd and one with a Intel x25m 90gb and the 500gb stock oem in the optibay. I think the difference is enough to justify spending $100 on a small ssd.

 

[johnnj]

I did an xbench test one with the stock oem 500gb hdd and one with a Intel x25m 90gb and the 500gb stock oem in the optibay. I think the difference is enough to justify spending $100 on a small ssd.

How come you're talking about drive performance and the screenshots are only of the CPU and RAM tests?

 

[falconeight]

How come you're talking about drive performance and the screenshots are only of the CPU and RAM tests?

I really only wanted to post the overall score, which is up top.

 

[DarkFlame]

Not everyone wants to void their warranty & Not everyone doesn't need their dvd drive. I don't use the dvd drive often but i still need it once or twice a month.

External enclosure? Problem solved.



Original Poster:

I would normally agree with you, but here are my justifications:

I understand where your logic comes from, but I buy a computer every four years. I was lucky enough to get a macbook pro for the same price as I paid for my white macbook four years ago. I threw in 8GB of ram for 65 dollars (won't get much cheaper - I'll never go 16 either). I'll run virtual machines or have several images and spaces up and this comes in handy.

I was able to get an OCZ Vertex 3 120GB for $275 dollars shipped in MARCH. I get a computer every 4 years, why not put the latest and greatest in it and get the best and longest use possible out of it? Especially w/ the sata port at 6GBps - the FASTEST speed the hardware will let me get (along the lines of non-upgradeable factor that you mentioned).

External enclosure and optibay: 75 bucks. OEM 320gb drive moved to the opti is plenty of space as I bought a...

1TB goflex that WILL support thunderbolt for 57 dollars shipped. Keep all my TV series and Bluray 1080p rips.

Once they get those hybrid SSD/HD get tp 7200RPM and 1TB at a reasonable price - I might swap for a completely internal solution..

The point is, this computer can't get better. It just can't. 16GB of Ram or a bigger SSD won't make a difference to my style usage. The drive can't get any faster at todays speeds, and this computer is stunningly different than my old macbook... I'll leave you with this:

I no longer need patience to use a computer - it is the single most noticeable change since being able to burn mix mp3 cds with 4X IDE drives 11 years ago. SSDs change the way you INTERACT with the system - imagine everything is minimized...but it isn't! SSDs do this, this makes them priceless.

For all of this, I paid 1450 after everything was set and done. That is close to what MOST people have paid for my computer bone stock after taxes.

You just can't say not to this setup! and trust me, swim will get covered under warranty if it requires it.