.

[BonzaiDuck]

Depends... I wouldn't recommend a wall of SSDs to store TB's of media for an HTPC streamer, wouldn't make $ sense. But a single SSD system, sized big enough to fit everything on it, including games, media and such? Sure, why not? I'm doing it now in both of my desktops... granted, I have both internal and external HDDs to back everything up on, but all my data in each machine is carried exclusively on an SSD.

Given the ways different types of volatile and non-volatile data can be stored, how OS, programs and data can be segregated, it looks more and more like a balancing act between price, capacity, and performance. What is the price of a 1TB SSD now? About $450 to $500? Some types of usage (as you mentioned) won't benefit much from SSD speed. One person might look at a different turnover strategy: replace and sell an older SSD. Somebody else might add a fraction of a watt to their power consumption, and simply buy a second 500GB SSD for use on a second SATA-III port. For the type of data which won't show much benefit for speedier access, a 2TB HDD costs ~$100.

I haven't seen much change in the trends: SSD capacity and speed have been increasing -- now at the 1TB limit for what's available; HDD capacity has been increasing, with some moderation in power-consumption.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Is there never any benefit to using multiple SSDs due to port or bus contention?

 

[aigomorla]

Is there never any benefit to using multiple SSDs due to port or bus contention?

I like to RAID R0 them...

Does that count?
Although I don't see any difference outside metrics on a synthetic benchmark.
But I do need stuff to fit inside my 2.5 backplane, and its cool watching the blue led's light up in series as its accessing the R0 array.

 

[tidy]

.

 

[Charlie98]

...and its cool watching the blue led's light up in series as its accessing the R0 array.

Any cost for the bling factor! :awe:

 

[Charlie98]

That's essentially what my question is.

I have 2 256GB SSDs hooked up to my main desktop right now (I'm setting up the other to replace the operating one with a fresh OS install... but it's on the system as a storage drive on the SATA1 port.) There appears to be no penalty in benchmarks (using ATTO and CDMark) even when running the benches simultaneously.... if that's the question you are axing.

 

[Deders]

It depends on the Chipset, H55 for instance had an overall maximum bandwidth for all the Sata ports. P55 on the other hand doesn't.