13" MBP upgrade - RAM or SSD?

[suklee]

Mid 2009 model with 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo. Have 4GB now & a 500GB 7200RPM HD... I've stopped using VMs just cuz it's soo slow with my current config and I assume the RAM would help a lot, but I've heard that SSDs fly! what would be a better upgrade for general web development usage - browsers with lots o' tabs, Coda, occasional Adobe CS.

• 2x4GB RAM ~$80
• Optibay + SSD (Intel 320 Series 120GB G3 Postville?) ~$260

 

[dmw16]

If VM performance is a key concern then I'd say the RAM hands down. In general I'd say RAM as that is my default answer at least until you get to 8GB.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

What kind / number of VMs are you using, and for what?

4 GB might be enough, (say, to run a linux webserver for development work) but when we did our ESX and Hyper-V benchmarks in class this year, in a default configuration, disk access on a VM was <1/4 the speed of the host system.

We didn't do any testing with SSDs, but I have to assume they would help that, if your VM work is I/O intensive.

if it's not I/O intensive, then RAM is your better bet. (Cheaper, too!)

Have you considered one of the Momentus XTs, or a similar hybrid SSD/HD?

 

[dmw16]

What kind / number of VMs are you using, and for what?

4 GB might be enough, (say, to run a linux webserver for development work) but when we did our ESX and Hyper-V benchmarks in class this year, in a default configuration, disk access on a VM was <1/4 the speed of the host system.

We didn't do any testing with SSDs, but I have to assume they would help that, if your VM work is I/O intensive.

if it's not I/O intensive, then RAM is your better bet. (Cheaper, too!)

Have you considered one of the Momentus XTs, or a similar hybrid SSD/HD?

Do your research before investing in this type of drive. Many users have reported issues. I think there is a reason they haven't taken the market by storm with their otherwise excellent mix of capacity, performance, and price.

 

[silverpig]

I have the same laptop. I upgraded it with an SSD (OCZ Summit - Samsung controller) right off the bat. The drive isn't the best SSD on the market by far, but it is light years ahead of even the fastest mechanical drives. It ran circles around my desktop (Q6600, 4GB, 74 GB raptor) on loads.

A few months ago I put the Summit in my desktop and put a Vertex 2 in my laptop, and upgraded it to 8 GB. I feel I got at least another 2 years out of it with that.

 

[rugby]

8GB of ram costs around $100, I'd start with that.

 

[secretanchitman]

i put in 8GB the moment i got my laptop. it was $65 (now i see it for around $80ish on newegg). however, if that still isnt enough for your VMs, i would suggest getting an ssd (i just did today, and i personally cant wait for it to arrive).

 

[suklee]

Thanks guys, I found someone to take my current 2x2gb for cheap (~$25 usd) so I'll get the 8GB. I hope the 8GB will help even just in OS X, when I have a good number of apps open it seems to bog down a bit.

If I find that it's still not enough, I'll think about the SSD. not really looking forward to reinstalling the OS, unless migration assistant will help?

 

[adairusmc]

Just use Carbon Copy cloner, thats what I did for my drive.

I ended up going with the 8gig kit myself, but getting a Hybrid laptop drive instead of the SSD (needed/wanted 250gb+ hard drives space, got the 500gb momentus XT). Carbon copy cloner worked flawlessly for me.