120 SSD + 2TB or 250 SSD?

Prseto

Honorable
Nov 27, 2013
8
0
10,510
Hey im not sure what to go with. I am thinking of a 120 GB SSD with a 2 TB, OR just a 250 gd SSD. Both will cost me around the same, but im wondering what would be optimal or faster?

I want to install the OS and Guild wars 2 (a big MMO) onto the SSD as GW2 will benefit a lot from the loading times. Maybe max 3-5 games on it that are smaller than that. I may do a bit of editing also but not so much.

I would prefer not to run out of space, and then have to get a external HD.
 
Solution
You can use a 250GB a tremendous amount and it will last longer than you will want to use it. I would guess that Samsung EVO 250GB SSDs will do way over several hundred TB before they wear out.

My very first SSDs, a pair of old Intel X25M 80GB both have over 200TB writes to each (they are used now as Adobe scratch drives) and the Intel Toolbox still shows 100% life for them. My current OS drive has over 6TB of NAND writes since the first of the year and I expect that it will easily hit over 200TB, so I have 30 more years at current use rates, which is pretty heavy as I do lots of downloads and file decompression.

If performance starts to slow from too many uncompressed (video) files then you just do a secure erase after cloning...
well know an ssd isn't actually the size of it's advertised size. they HATE to be filled up, so a 120gb ssd is really a 100-110gb ssd. the 240 is really a 220 or so... i mean you CAN fill them up, you just don't want to... it really messes with them.

If you can afford the larger SSD now i'd get it. and then get a 1tb or larger hard drive down the road when you have a few dollars to kick around.
 

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
Once SSDs get past 80% or so full they generally don't perform as well. I would recommend a 250GB as prices have really come down on them (I bought a Samsung 840 EVO for $140 on Friday no rebates or anything, and there were deals even lower if you wanted to endure a rebate). The larger drive will also perform a bit better than a 120GB in most cases, although not apparent in every day use.
 

Prseto

Honorable
Nov 27, 2013
8
0
10,510
Thanks both of you i have decided to go with 250 GB, just one thing - i have been told SSD's don't like being used over and over, as in if i am to sys restore my comp or clean the SSD and use it again it won't work? Is this true?
 

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
You can use a 250GB a tremendous amount and it will last longer than you will want to use it. I would guess that Samsung EVO 250GB SSDs will do way over several hundred TB before they wear out.

My very first SSDs, a pair of old Intel X25M 80GB both have over 200TB writes to each (they are used now as Adobe scratch drives) and the Intel Toolbox still shows 100% life for them. My current OS drive has over 6TB of NAND writes since the first of the year and I expect that it will easily hit over 200TB, so I have 30 more years at current use rates, which is pretty heavy as I do lots of downloads and file decompression.

If performance starts to slow from too many uncompressed (video) files then you just do a secure erase after cloning your drive to something else and then clone it back and you will be back up to full performance.
 
Solution

Prseto

Honorable
Nov 27, 2013
8
0
10,510
Okay then thanks, so I guess the best thing to do would be when the SSD starts getting near the 200 GB mark, back up the data then wipe it. I am actually now going to do the 120 GB+ 2 TB HDD and use few games on my SSD.