Corsair 240GB Force 3 or OCZ 240GB Agility 3

[2danny9]

Hi everybody!

I want to buy an SSD for my HP Netbook. I want to purchase a 240/256GB SSD as it will be more than enough for me.

One is £130 (Force 3) and the other is £140 (OCZ Agility 3) - prices are from scan.co.uk (cheaper elsewhere please tell me!!! )

Is there something I should be looking for from these two or is it just simply down to brand choosing?

I've read guides etc. set AHCI etc. but I doooo have one question: would be installing my SDD just like my HDD over the years? This will be my first SSD to own and to install. Just plug her in my netbook (set BIOS to AHCI), install W7 and have an orgasm over the speed?

Force 3:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/240gb-corsair-force-series-3-25-sata-6gb-s-sandforce-ssd-read-550mb-s-write-520mb-s-85k-iops

Agility 3:

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/240gb-ocz-agility-3-ssd-25-sata-6gb-s-sandforce-2281-read-525mb-s-write-500mb-s-85k-iops

Or could you guys/girls could (suggest a better option)?

****Firmware, not sure but is there a way to uggrade the firmware without me having to install W7 and then running the firmware tool? Also, when do I upgrade the firmware - should I simply look up on forums or the manufactures website and check to see if they recommend the firmware upgrade or not? I think like the BIOS: if good = no flash.

Many thanks and many thanks for looking. Thanks.

Dr Nick (Daniel)

PS Wierd that their both 3, no?

 

[Dereck47]

You won't notice any real-world difference between the 2 drives. Get the cheapest one.

Update the firmware to the latest version on whatever SSD you decide to buy.
You should also make sure your motherboard's BIOS is on the latest version.

With the Vertex 3 you can't update the firmware if the SSD is your boot drive, so you have to use OCZ's Linux bootable tools.

Yes, after you install the O/S on your SSD use it the same way you would a HDD.
Run WEI (Windows Experience Index) after install which will disable disk defragmenting.

 

[2danny9]

You won't notice any real-world difference between the 2 drives. Get the cheapest one.

Update the firmware to the latest version on whatever SSD you decide to buy.
You should also make sure your motherboard's BIOS is on the latest version.

With the Vertex 3 you can't update the firmware if the SSD is your boot drive, so you have to use OCZ's Linux bootable tools.

Yes, after you install the O/S on your SSD use it the same way you would a HDD.
Run WEI (Windows Experience Index) after install which will disable disk defragmenting.

Thanks for the reply? I don't know really, I've come accross people who say yes Mobo BIOS always up to date and some say noooo!
Right, looks like I'll go with Corsair, it seems to be a more reputable brand?

Any more ideas guys/girls!

Thanks again,

Dan

 

[Dereck47]

Motherboard BIOSs do not update themselves. If you've never updated it then it has the same version as when it left the factory.

Netbook/Notebook/Laptop manufacturers don't update BIOSs as often as desktop motherboards, so they're probably no updates for your Netbook anyway.
An easy way to find out is to go to HP's website and check.

 

[2danny9]

Motherboard BIOSs do not update themselves. If you've never updated it then it has the same version as when it left the factory.

Netbook/Notebook/Laptop manufacturers don't update BIOSs as often as desktop motherboards, so they're probably no updates for your Netbook anyway.
An easy way to find out is to go to HP's website and check.

I never said Mobo BIOS update themselves, I said that some say no need to if it is fine.

I however update BIOS accross laptop/desktops if I get problems or the BIOS update give me some nice new things


Thanks for answering though,

Chao.

 

[Tedd]

I am having problems with a Crucial Froce 3 240 gig but would not avoid them based on it. These things do occur. The vendor is replacing the drive. On the other hand I do note that their latest firmware update dropped TRIM support. Their blog indicates this will be fixed but that situation needs to be taken care of by Crucial or I would avoid them. On the other hand, the drive is operationally screaming fast. Maybe I'd see the same thing with any SSD but the drive's speed = Wow!

 

[RetiredChief]

^ " having problems with a Crucial Froce 3 240 gig" You did mean corsair not Curcial - correct.

1) Both should perform nearly Identical as Both are SF22xx based controller using Async NAND chips (Slower, and cheaper, NAND when compared to Sync and Toggle NAND Chips)
2) They both should perform about the same on SATA II interface as They do On SATA III (reason for Low cost is that they are a SATA II SSD dsressed up as a SATA III drive).
.. Explanation. The only parameter that exceeds sata II is manuf listed Sequencial read/writes. This is somewhat bogus as it is Basted on ATTO ( a HDD benchmark) that uses data that is readily compressable. (A) Sequencial is the LEAST important parameter for an OS + Program Drive - It's the 4K random performance that is important. (B) while OS and program files do compress, the compression ration is not high so no real advantage from a SSD controller that "tries" to compress the data.
** SATA II/III performance was documented in a review of the Agility III, and I verified using my two 128 gig Agility III SSDs in a i5-2500K system).

DO NOT get me wrong, Both are an Exceptable Choice as long as Cost is well below the "hiher" end SSDs uing Sync NAND chips. Either will Blow the doors off when compared to a HDD.

The agility III is well supported by OCZ (at Least AFTER the 8 months to FIX it). That is the method of updating the firm ware (I prefer the Bootable Linux disk method) Plus the toolbox that they have for doing a secure erease if needed. The Corsair does appear to have lower user problems, BUT that is not a given.
My choice between the two, is the one that seems to be best supported by the manuf (Look at manuf forums).

Probably could flip a coin and be equally satisfied with either.

As always My recomendation for SSDs is Cucial M4, plextor M3, or Samsung 830 - Which one, well ofcoarse which ever is cheapest at time of purchase.

Have 3 Crucial M4's, 3 Samsung 830s, and 2 Agillity IIIs.

 

[RetiredChief]

^ Are these scores for Sequencial read/writes, or the MORE important 4 K ramdom read/writes. They look like the sequencial performance, reason I ask.

 

[RetiredChief]

^ This is one of the problems of benchmarks.
In the case of Crystaldiskmark. I believe you can set the data type to use data that is either Highly compressable (Tends to favor SF based SSDs) or to use data that is Not compressable. And unfornatutely it does not indicate.

My benchmark of choice is one that simulates REAL world programs (such as PC mark vantage). The only other one I even look at is AS SSD, and then I ignore Sequencial performance. Uses Uncompressable data, While still not "real" worl, it closer than one that uses highly compressable data.

I find that there is little diff between top end SSDs (Syncs or toggle NAND) in real world usage. There is slightly more diff between them and the Lower end "budget" SSDs that use Async NAND.