Help choosing SSD

[alonbl]

Hi guys, I want to buy a SSD before or when Windows 8.1 will be available. I'm currently using Windows 7 64 bit and the C drive used space is 150GB. I want to be able to put some games on it so I figured I need a 240-256 GB SSD. I'm not living in the US and the prices are high. I read that TLC flash memory is theoretically three times less long-lasting than MLC, so i want a MLC SSD (or if you have some info that TLC is good enough please share). Here are few SSD's which are in my price range tell me which best or advise something else:

SSD SanDisk Ultra Plus SDSSDHP-256G 256GB 2.5" Sata 3 (costs 35 usd less then the others)
Corsair Force LS CSSD-F240GBLS-BK 240GB SSD Sata III MLC
Plextor PX-256M5S Sata3 Marvell+24nm M5
Crucial M500 240GB SSD

 

[Fourstaff]

Toshiba THNSNH 256GB, fastest. or 840 EVO. Getting the cheapest one in the list works too.

You shouldn't bother with the endurance of of TLC vs MLC vs SLC, unless you are hammering the drive in server environments it should outlast your rig. Its a non issue for consumers like us.

Edit: Sandisk Ultra Plus is good, Sandisk Ultra is not

Edit 2: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190601

 

[EarthDog]

I wouldnt worry abuot TLC at this point. There are a couple of sites testing things out and HAMMERING drives with writing data and they died, but it was 10s of TB's written and hundreds in some tests. So, I wouldnt worry at all about that.

Samsung 840 Evo
OCZ Vertex 4
Crucial M4
Sandisk Extreme II

The drives you listed are in your price range because they are older models or slower. Some of the write speeds and IOPS on writes are really low. That said, they are still exponentially faster than a HDD. About the best bang for your buck seems to be the 840 EVO.

 

[alonbl]

So if it's true how is the Samsung 840 Series MZ-7TD250BW 250GB SSD (224 usd) ? it costs 50 usd less then the EVO

 

[EarthDog]

Its slower than the Evo by a lot in writes and IOPS. Look at the specs of both drives on newegg....

 

[alonbl]

The OCZ and the Extreme are way more expensive. These are my options:

Crucial m4 - 277 USD
Crucial M500 - 304 USD
Samsung 840 - 224 USD
Samsung 840 EVO 273 USD

What do you suggest?

 

[EarthDog]

The EVO out of those for sure.

Feel free to 'learn how to fish' by looking up the specs and seeing what I talked about (write speeds and specifically write IOPS). The newer drives will mention 4k aligned as most files are 4k give or take in size, so the faster it can read/write those files, the faster your OS 'feels'.

 

[alonbl]

The fact that Samsung using TLC and others MLC doesn't matter? There aren't reliability issues?

 

[EarthDog]

The fact that Samsung using TLC and others MLC doesn't matter?

Friend, how many people do you want to reiterate the same point... we have two so far...


Non issue.

 

[Fourstaff]

840 if you are willing to take the write speed penalty.

The fact that Samsung using TLC and others MLC doesn't matter?

Non issue, even if you chew through 15GB a day it will take you years to wear a TLC drive.

 

[alonbl]

Ok great thanks. Now I need to choose between the EVO and not-EVO.. I know you said

Its slower than the Evo by a lot in writes and IOPS. Look at the specs of both drives on newegg....

I know the w/r is slower but the question is it really worth the extra 50 USD? Will I feel the different in a regular home use? will it be noticeable with VMware?

 

[Fourstaff]

Ok great thanks. Now I need to choose between the EVO and not-EVO.. I know you said
I know the w/r is slower but the question is it really worth the extra 50 USD? Will I feel the different in a regular home use? will it be noticeable with VMware?

If you constantly write a lot of things to your drive, yes you will notice the difference. You will also notice the difference when you install games. However, the read times are not too different, so if you don't write too much its not really worth paying the extra $50 for the EVO version. Stick with the vanilla 840. By the sounds of it this is your first SSD, you will not be disappointed by the 840.

 

[EarthDog]

Get the best you can afford is my advice. If it was me, regardless of the feel, I would still get the EVO though. But, admittedly, I'm a little snooty when it comes to that stuff.

 

[migel_7prado]

I would recommend vertex 3 & Intel 520 for a boot volumee which are sandforce based which are truly reliable & performance is guaranteed. If someone likes samsung as a brand, I would request to think twice! I am sure you are still unware of their cheat play which was recently populated on tweaktown. getting Samsung EVO looks like a trap to me!

 

[rhino]

Hard Drive Upgrade?

Relax, kill all the birds with one stone.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5748/seagate-desktop-2tb-sshd-st2000dx001-review/index.html