Search
Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Solved

Upgrading to SSD

Tags:
Last response: in Storage
Share

In a month or two, I plan to upgrade my system to an SSD. The system is pretty solid overall, but it just missed the SATA III boat. I plan on getting a 120 GB SSD, and I am still deciding which brand to go with. However, my question is which option would be best:

1) Purchase a SATA II SSD
2) Purchase a SATA III SSD, and use it on the SATA II connection
3) Install a SATA III expansion board, and use that to make use of a SATA 6g drive.

I don't mind spending the extra forty bucks on an add-on board if it will be worth it to upgrade the bandwidth.

I have a Windows 7 64-bit system. Here are the basic specs:

Intel Core2 Quad Q9400
Asus P5q-e MB
8 GB RAM
GeForce GTX 285
1 TB mechanical HDD
320 GB mechanical HDD

Thanks in advance, and please let me know if you need more info!

More about : upgrading ssd

Register or log in to remove

Best solution

My advice would be to go with a SATA II SSD and call it a day. The improvement over your mechanical HDD will be great enough that I don't see the need to spend the extra money on 1) a SATA III device and 2) a SATA III expansion board (PCIe adapter).

As for brands, I would recommend either the Intel 320 GB (don't be to scared away by the recent "bug" being reported IMO) or the OCZ Vertex 2. These are two of the best SSD's for a SATA II... IMO

tecmo34 said:
My advice would be to go with a SATA II SSD and call it a day. The improvement over your mechanical HDD will be great enough that I don't see the need to spend the extra money on 1) a SATA III device and 2) a SATA III expansion board (PCIe adapter).

As for brands, I would recommend either the Intel 320 GB (don't be to scared away by the recent "bug" being reported IMO) or the OCZ Vertex 2. These are two of the best SSD's for a SATA II... IMO


Okay, thanks for the recommendations!

^5 +1 what tecmo said.

I just want to add that you might experience compatability and/or performance issues with the lower priced PCIe 2.0 x4 add-in cards. At the other end the high quality, high performance add-in cards are expensive.
Related ressources
Ask the community

JohnnyLucky said:
^5 +1 what tecmo said.

I just want to add that you might experience compatability and/or performance issues with the lower priced PCIe 2.0 x4 add-in cards. At the other end the high quality, high performance add-in cards are expensive.

Okay, so then the question really is, would I get any increase in performance by running a SATA III SDD over a SATA II connection? Or is it best just to stick with a SATA II drive, as mentioned?
Thanks for your time.

I recommend sticking with a SATA II 3Gb/s ssd unless you are planning to upgrade your motherboard in the near future.

Articles indicate there is a slight improvement in SATA II 3Gb/s performance when a SATA III 6Gb/s ssd is connected to a SATA II 3Gb/s motherboard. You would not notice the difference unless you ran synthetic benchmarks.

Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate the feedback guys. This will be my first SSD, so I was just a bit unsure of the speed difference of each drive on a 3 Gb/s channel. I'll go with the SATA II drive. Thanks again!
Storage Expert

I 2nd what Johnny and techmo34 said:
(1) very little performance diff between a good Sata II (and the 470 is certainly that) and a Sata III on Sata II. Price wise that normally favors the SATA II.

However, at Newegg:
About 10 mins ago, I pulled the plug on The Crucial M4 128 gig SATA III SSD.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820148448
$250 - 15% = $212 (have to use prom code BTEKCJB22 to get the 15% discount.
Brings it very close to the 470's cost.

Cruical's web site say's it compatable with my Samsung RF711 (SB) laptop - so here's hoping

I ended up being able to upgrade my motherboard, so I just went with a SATA III drive! Newegg had one on a pretty nice sale, so I couldn't pass it up. I just wanted to thank you guys for the input again.
Register or log in to remove
 
Ask the community
Read discussions in other Storage categories
!