Sign in with
Sign up | Sign in
Your question
Closed

New Hard drive

Tags:
  • Power Supplies
  • Computers
  • Hard Drives
  • Components
Last response: in Components
Share
November 30, 2011 3:40:52 PM

I was thinking about updating my hard drive. My computer is Dell XPS 420 with 375 power supply. Intel Core Tpm (2) Quad CPU Q 6600 @ 2.40 ghz. 6 gb ram which I am updating to 8 gb. I was told my computer would need new power supply and or motherboard if i updated to CRUCIAL M4 ssd 2.5" 256GB. Could any members give me more detailed info and or confirm this as if so, the expenditure would be as to buy new computer, so I am told?
Thanks Howard

More about : hard drive

a b ) Power supply
November 30, 2011 4:01:24 PM

You'll need a new motherboard and cpu, since 775 doesn't support sata 6, unless you find a sata III controller card for a pci slot. Sata 3 controller cards normally fit the small pci-e 1x slot.
Score
0
a b ) Power supply
November 30, 2011 4:11:31 PM

It will work at sata 2 speeds, which is fine, as the main advantage of a ssd is access times. No need for a new psu. And really no need to get a new cpu and mobo if the pc is enough performance for you.

Oldie could you not say sata 6, it might confuse people thinking version 6.
Score
0
Related resources
November 30, 2011 4:50:33 PM

agreed. No reason to upgrade anything if you don't mind a max throughput of 3Gbps (or 300MB/s) on Sata II ports. That SSD can go up to 500MB/s read with a Sata III port.

There are PCIe x1 to Sata III controller cards, but it seems like they are hit or miss if they'll work and I'm not to sure you can boot off of one if you wanted to use this as an OS drive.
Score
0

Best solution

November 30, 2011 4:59:56 PM

k1114 is right in all respects - SATA is backwards compatible, so even though the Crucial M4 is SATA 6 Gbps, when used in your XPS 420, it will quite happily run at the 3 Gbps speed supported by your mobo.

Although SSDs are able to saturate a 3 Gbps line, the improved performance you'll notice from moving from a HDD to an SSD at 3 Gbps is in itself dramatic and more than adequate (see http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/356?vs=182 for a comparison of the m4 at 3 Gbps to a VelociRaptor).

You also don't need a new PSU - SSDs consume as much as (or lesser than) HDDs; nor do you need a mobo - the XPS 420 comes with adequate SATA 3 Gbps ports.

Finally, I hate to break this to you, but you can't actually upgrade the motherboard on your XPS 420. That uses BTX style of motherboards, which are no longer available since BTX never really caught on. When you decide to move on, you'll have to go in for an ATX case/mobo. I know, cause I own an XPS 420 myself.
Share
November 30, 2011 7:28:28 PM

Now these are all fine answers! So what you guys are saying is that I will indeed see a dramatic improvement and the technician I use should have either known this and or told me so; so it can be safely installed I imagine ?
Howard
Score
0
November 30, 2011 7:28:53 PM

Best answer selected by HowardMil.
Score
0
!