Which SSD?

[oshirowanen]

I've read many times that the:

Crucial M4 7mm 64GB 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Hard Drive

is the SSD to get. Why is that?

It has the following spec:

Read Speed: 500MB/Sec, Write Speed: 95MB/Sec, Flash: MLC, Controller: Marvell.

Whereas the:

OCZ Agility 3 SATA III 2.5" 60GB Solid State Hard Drive

Has the following spec:

Read Speed: 525MB/Sec, Write Speed: 475MB/Sec, Flash: MLC, Controller: SandForce SF-2281.

The read speed is a little faster and the write speed is a lot faster.

So why do people always recommend the M4?

 

[computernewb]

crucial m4 is probably the most reliable. It averaged 5 stars on newegg after over 600 reviews while the agility 3 averaged 4 stars after over 370 reviews
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227725

19% of people who bough the agility gave it 0 stars (compared to 3% for the m4). If you read the reviews, many of them complain of the SSD malfunctioning and losing speed or breaking completely in a short period of time as well as other problems.

 

[l0v3rboi]

crucial m4 is probably the most reliable. It averaged 5 stars on newegg after over 600 reviews while the agility 3 averaged 4 stars after over 370 reviews
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148441
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227725

19% of people who bough the agility gave it 0 stars (compared to 3% for the m4). If you read the reviews, many of them complain of the SSD malfunctioning and losing speed or breaking completely in a short period of time as well as other problems.

what he said ^

 

[game junky]

Basically, OCZ's drive are unreliable because they made an effort to be first to market for Sandforce controllers. They didn't take the time in R&D to work out the kinks of how to keep these fast drives without burning up or slowing down over time. I had numerous issues with the Vertex 2 models - several RMAs and lots of hours of researching tweaks and update/downgrading firmware to get the best mixture of speed and reliability.

Their drives are still fast and very fast in the $/GB ratio comparison but having lost data and had plenty of outages, I would rather spend the extra money to feel secure with either Crucial, Samsung or Intel.

 

[tiger6k]

I have had 2 OCZ drives now. The first drive I had was a Vertex 2 120g. It died about 2 years after I got it. But, OCZ had a 3 yr warrantee, so I contacted them, and within a week I had a brand new Agility 3 120g, for free.

If you're only keeping Windows and a couple games on the drive, what does it matter? I had no information that I needed on it, and I got a brand new drive out of the deal. hehe. Hopefully this one will break after 2 years and I'll get a Vertex 4? Who knows.

 

[foscooter]

My preference, in this order:

Intel 520, OCZ Vertex 3 MaxIOPS, OCZ Vertex 3, Samsung 830, Crucial M4, others.

Now the Intel 520 and OCZ use the Sandforce controller, which had had issues, but with the latest firmware, I haven't had any.

Here is a good article about SSD posted speeds: The SSD Reveiw - Understanding SSD Advertised Speeds...

 

[jaraldo]

I did some SSD research a few weeks ago when I was building my comp and the Intel 520 & Samsung 830 were always highly recommended.
OCZ really sucks it seems for reliability.
Go with the M4 if your choosing between them.
I was going to pick the M4, but then a 120gb patriot pyro went on sale for $120