Drives: Corsair Neutron GTX 480 GB
A Silent System Drive: Corsair Neutron GTX 480 GB
Large SSDs aren’t exactly cheap, but nobody said building a completely silent PC was easy. If only to satisfy our curiosity, we decided to use the 480 GB Corsair Neutron GTX. Our team in Germany hadn't used an SSD based on Link_A_Media Devices' LM87800AA controller yet.
As we know, Corsair buys the controller logic and flash memory used in its SSDs. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as the components work well together so that the finished product is solid. The GTX version employs MLC NAND with a Toggle-mode interface, which is the highest-end enthusiast-oriented flash we've tested.
Installation: Finger Exercise
The picture below does a good job of showing that the SSD needs to be screwed in very close to the bottom of the case. It’s located underneath the external 3.5” drive bay and still leaves enough room to install a 3.5” mechanical hard drive. Capacity-wise, 480 GB is enough for what we're doing, but it's still nice to have the option to add another drive. You could even use that space to install a second SSD using a 3.5”-to-2.5” adapter. Coincidentally, Corsair's Neutron GTX 480 GB comes bundled with one.
The screws on the very bottom of the case present more of a challenge when it comes to installing the SSD. We found that it’s easiest to turn the case upside down and hold the plate. You might even want to wedge a dry sponge in the 3.5” bay to pin the SSD in place.
We're still just a little put off by the combination of black and silver screws. Moving on, though, the installed SSD's connectors point toward the back of the case. So long as they're angled upward, SATA power connectors should fit. Fortunately, we found that the Nightjar's cables work well, so you won't need an adapter.
