What brand of SSD do you recommend

[Weaselboy]

So now I'm trying to figure out which SSDs don't suck. lol. Crucial? Intel X-25M and 510? Is that about it?

After closely following all issues SSD the last few months, I would agree with you... Crucial or Intel. Intel seems to have a little better reliability. Both Crucial and Intel provide a way to upgrade firmware on a Mac.

The X25-M has been replaced by the Intel 320, and that is a solid choice for a SATAII MacBook.

I would not obsess too much over benchmarks where one drive is ten percent faster than another. In day to day normal use, you will not be able to tell the difference among any of these top drives as far as performance.

 

[Tyrion]

Again, when it comes to 25nm vs. 34nm, it appears to be a question of implementation. The 320 is consistently faster than its predecessor, and it's cheaper. The only downside in this case is that 25nm NAND has fewer write cycles, but that doesn't really matter, since the drives still have way more write cycles than an average user will ever need. If you're not an average user, get the Intel 510.

 

[Weaselboy]

The 320 is slow 25nm tech too, isn't it?

Read the Anandtech review of the Intel 320 here. They designed the drive for 25nm usage and it is not a problem.

Look at this test from the last page of the linked review. The Intel 25nm actually beats the older 34nm X25-M and even is a little ahead of the higher end Intel 510 in this test intended to represent actual usage.

 

[bozz2006]

Weaselboy, you've been fantastic in answering my questions (on a thread I hijacked - SORRY!). Thanks. Crucial says they're still using the old C300 drives until the C4 comes out later this month. Trying to decide whether to go with the older tech Crucial or the newer tech Intel 320. If I can even find a 320.

 

[Weaselboy]

Weaselboy, you've been fantastic in answering my questions (on a thread I hijacked - SORRY!). Thanks. Crucial says they're still using the old C300 drives until the C4 comes out later this month. Trying to decide whether to go with the older tech Crucial or the newer tech Intel 320. If I can even find a 320.

If your MBP is a 2011 model that has SATAIII I would be inclined toward a SATAIII drive like the Crucial or the Intel 510. If a 2010 or older that has SATAII drive, I would go with the Intel 320.

 

[bozz2006]

I'll be purchasing a new 15" macbook pro in the next few days.

 

[Weaselboy]

I'll be purchasing a new 15" macbook pro in the next few days.

Ahh... then it makes some sense to get the Crucial C300 or new C400... or Intel 510 if you want absolutely the best/fastest as they are SATAIII link speed. But honestly if don't want to lay out the extra money the Intel 320, even though SATAII link speed, will work just fine for you IMO.

 

[bozz2006]

I'm leaning toward the Crucial C300.

 

[scmarcos]

Which one has the best size/price ratio?

 

[RS2]

If your MBP is a 2011 model that has SATAIII I would be inclined toward a SATAIII drive like the Crucial or the Intel 510. If a 2010 or older that has SATAII drive, I would go with the Intel 320.

I totally agree. No problems so far with the Intel 320. I don't understand the SandForce hype. The measured speed is peak NOT sustained in many tests.

Who will win the race? The rabbit (OCZ Vertex 3) or the turtle (Intel 510)?

 

[lauph]

Check out the expresscard SSD. No need to replace your old drive. Works perfect for booting.
Expresscard SSD

 

[kobyh15]

People on these forums have expressed problems with the 510. Beachballs and all of that. There was a huge thread about it. Don't know if people are having better luck now. I know people have a problem with OCZ, but those on these forums that have just gotten the Vertex 3 are singing its praises. Absolutely no problems with hibernation or sleep at all. It's interesting.

 

[bozz2006]

Just put in an order at newegg for a 120GB Intel 320. I'm a little leery about the issues some folks have been having with SATAIII connections and even though this drive will be going in a SATAIII capable2011 MBP (which I will be ordering as soon as tomorrow, after the Mac Pro I sold to finance the MBP arrives safely with its new owner), I'm just not comfortable with compatibility at this point.

This way I can put the SSD in the optibay and keep the stock HDD in the HDD bay. Since it doesn't have SMS built in I wouldn't feel safe putting the stock HDD in the optibay and would have to buy a replacement HDD. And money's tight, so that will save me the cost of buying a replacement HDD if I needed to have a SATAIII SSD in the HDD bay.

I imagine that I probably wouldn't feel the difference between a 510 and a 320 much anyhow. Or hopefully I wouldn't! lol. If I were to go all out with a 510 and a replacement HDD it would cost me $150 more. I decided that the difference probably wouldn't end up being worth $150 to me. We'll see.

And with the 320 I'm buying, maybe when the SATAIII issues calm down in the next year or so, I can upgrade and put the 320 into my 2008 aluminum macbook. I think I've made a wise choice. I hope I've made a wise choice.

 

[kobyh15]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

Just put in an order at newegg for a 120GB Intel 320. I'm a little leery about the issues some folks have been having with SATAIII connections and even though this drive will be going in a SATAIII capable2011 MBP (which I will be ordering as soon as tomorrow, after the Mac Pro I sold to finance the MBP arrives safely with its new owner), I'm just not comfortable with compatibility at this point.

This way I can put the SSD in the optibay and keep the stock HDD in the HDD bay. Since it doesn't have SMS built in I wouldn't feel safe putting the stock HDD in the optibay and would have to buy a replacement HDD. And money's tight, so that will save me the cost of buying a replacement HDD if I needed to have a SATAIII SSD in the HDD bay.

I imagine that I probably wouldn't feel the difference between a 510 and a 320 much anyhow. Or hopefully I wouldn't! lol. If I were to go all out with a 510 and a replacement HDD it would cost me $150 more. I decided that the difference probably wouldn't end up being worth $150 to me. We'll see.

And with the 320 I'm buying, maybe when the SATAIII issues calm down in the next year or so, I can upgrade and put the 320 into my 2008 aluminum macbook. I think I've made a wise choice. I hope I've made a wise choice.

It sounds like you did homework. I think you'll be happy with your purchase. Keep us updated on how the 320 is performing.

 

[X2468]

240GB OCZ Vertex 3 is the sixth SSD I've used and it's the best by far.