Actually, I couldn't leave it at just one... Of course.
One other thing I would mention (in addition to agreeing with the others who posted - especially about the noise) is that if you can afford it, I would try to get a 128GB drive, even if you don't need the space now. Two reasons:
1. You might need the space eventually. 64GB is awfully tight for Windows 7 if you want any applications on the drive, and once you see the performance improvements, and the lag when you access stuff on your old spinning disks, you'll want more space. Remember that you need to leave room free for swap and temp files and whatnot.
2. More importantly, the 64GB drives don't perform very well. The "sweet spot" for performance right now is definitely the ~128GB drives, but performance scales pretty much linearly based on the number of dies on the drive, and the number of channels on the controller. So, the bigger drive you get (up to the limits of the dies and controllers available now) the better it will perform[/url]. Many of the 64GB drives right now operate on a single channel, and (while still much better than a spinning disk) the controllers really aren't optimized to run that way.
If you can afford it, get a 128GB. They're actually cheaper per GB than the 64GB drives anyway (and the 240-256GB drives are often cheaper per GB still and perform even better). Take a look at this article for more:
http://techreport.com/articles.x/22358I'd look at three options:
1.
Crucial M4 128: not the fastest drive on the block, or the latest controller, but they're cheap and have a very good reliability track record. I have this exact drive in my Server, and it has been great.
2.
Corsair Force Series GT 120GB: This drive is based on the newest Sandforce controller. This controller is
very fast, but had some problems with firmware and reliability early on. However, those problems have now been resolved with current firmware versions, and Corsair has a good track record for service if you ever need it (unlike some other high-profile SSD vendors).
TR gave it a best buy recommendation a while back, and I agree. They are usually the best deals around, and the GT version is the fastest version of the drive. Great drive. I have the
240GB version in my HTPC (on-sale right now at Newegg).
3.
Samsung 830 128GB: This is arguably the
fastest drive on the block right now, with the possible exception of the brand-new (and still commanding a price-premium) OCZ Vertex 4. They usually aren't quite as good of a deal as the Sandforce based drives though, and Samsung has a mixed record on support.
I'd sign up for the Newegg email deals and watch and wait for one of those to go on sale (they do regularly, especially the Corsair, which has a hefty rebate right now, actually).
If you decide you can't afford it, even with a 64GB drive you'll still see a big difference in boot times and general system operation. The biggest difference I see in boot times is actually after you login to the desktop. All that stuff that loads in your System Tray by the clock and hammers on your drive as it does? Yeah, they'll load WAY faster. Instantaneously in most cases. Application launches and switching are much smoother, and then there's the noise. There's none. Even if you use a spinning disk for secondary storage, it'll spin up way less often, and thrash about much less frequently.
Until they came down to around the $1/GB price point, I was skeptical of the value. But now... Once you have one, you'll never want to go back. That's the best thing I can say.
Author
Topic: Is it worth to buy a ssd for my htpc ? (Read 5301 times)