Best SSD under $200

[alexb1]

I've read all the reviews and it is AS CONFUSING as can be! Different platforms, technologies, performance new vs. used, TRIM vs. Garbage collection, random access vs. sequential performance (like Intel is great in former but not in latter)!

I am finding it very frustrating that such a technology with that much promise is STILL lagging behind in development pace (compared to CPUs, GPUs, even HDD) and is at SUCH HIGH premiums!

Anyhow, I have a budget of $200, and I wanna build a Win-7 64-bit HTPC system, using AMD Athlon II CPU/chipset, and want to use SSD for OS and a WD Black drive for my Storage.

What would be the BEST SSD right now for OS under $200? I dont really care about storage too much, but I think for win-7 I gotto stay above 60-80 GB.

Thanks

 

[fffblackmage]

I am finding it very frustrating that such a technology with that much promise is STILL lagging behind in development pace (compared to CPUs, GPUs, even HDD) and is at SUCH HIGH premiums!

Are you kidding? SSD technology is relatively new compared to the rest of the computer. SSDs are also improving at a much faster rate than any other component in the computer. That high price premium has dropped faster than any other component found in a computer.

Anyhow, I have a budget of $200, and I wanna build a Win-7 64-bit HTPC system, using AMD Athlon II CPU/chipset, and want to use SSD for OS and a WD Black drive for my Storage.
What would be the BEST SSD right now for OS under $200? I dont really care about storage too much, but I think for win-7 I gotto stay above 60-80 GB.

60GB is enough if all you want is a boot drive. Currently, I have 35GB free in my 60GB SSD.
This Sandforce-based SSD is $112: A-DATA S599 AS599S-64GM-C 2.5" 64GB

 

[alexb1]

Thanks for your help, I slightly disagree as over the last 2 years, I've been monitoring SSD development and as much as it's been great, it's been buggy, poor performance under certain circumstances and IMO VERY slow to come down in price, only in the last couple of months it seems like SSD is coming down in price.

At any rate... thanks for the suggestion, is that A-Data similar to OCZ Sandforce SSDs reviewed here? and is that a better buy than Intel X25-M 80GB?

Also, since you said you got 35GB free on your drive, are you installing all of your programs to C: drive or you got Program Files elsewhere? For instance, if you installed a game (usually a few GB), do you keep the files on SSD or on the 2nd storage drive?

Thanks

 

[fffblackmage]

lol, maybe it's slow because you've been waiting 2 years.
And buggy-ness... well, that can't be avoided, since SSDs are still a maturing technology.

Pretty much all Sandforce SSDs are similar in performance. Small deviations between different brands/models in benchmarks won't be noticeable in the real world.

Is it a better buy than the Intel X25-M?
Yes, the Intel SSDs are just way too pricey.

I install all my apps, except games, on my SSD. Games go on my HDD.
Most apps I use are small though. The largest are just Photoshop and MS Office 2003.

 

[lmccrary]

Easy choice. OCZ's Vertex 2.

 

[alexb1]

Easy choice. OCZ's Vertex 2.

Better than that A-data?

or Corsair Force CSSD? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820233131

 

[LokutusofBorg]

If you read Anand's article about the "special sauce" firmware, it'll make it clear why the Vertex 2 is typically recommended above other SF drives. To match the Vertex 2's performance, other drives have to run non-production firmware.

 

[alexb1]

If you read Anand's article about the "special sauce" firmware, it'll make it clear why the Vertex 2 is typically recommended above other SF drives. To match the Vertex 2's performance, other drives have to run non-production firmware.

I think I read ALL the latest SSD articles, don't remember that one. Let me do another search.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Here you go: http://www.anandtech.com/show/3681/oczs-vertex-2-special-sauce-sf1200-reviewed

I think I read ALL the latest SSD articles, don't remember that one. Let me do another search.

If you're interested in the tech at all, and you haven't read Anand's anthology articles from months and months ago, they are the definitive material on the interwebs regarding SSDs.

 

[alexb1]

I am confused now... what's the difference between OCZ Vertex2 and OCZ Ability2?

 

[alexb1]

I am confused now... what's the difference between OCZ Vertex2 and OCZ Ability2?

Is it just the firmware? Looks like it, or does the actual NAND modules are also different?

 

[jaydee]

Just firmware.

 

[Voo]

Thanks for your help, I slightly disagree as over the last 2 years, I've been monitoring SSD development and as much as it's been great, it's been buggy, poor performance under certain circumstances and IMO VERY slow to come down in price, only in the last couple of months it seems like SSD is coming down in price.

What? It's nothing new that new hw/sw is usually more buggy, but it's not as if HDDs have an especially great history.
Poor performance under special circumstances was the last time true with the first Micro drives, who were criticized for exactly that - but again new technology needs some time to mature.

But VERY SLOW in coming down with the price? If more than halfing the price of gb in around a year is slow for you, then what is the development of HDD prices for you? Flash is getting just so much faster cheaper than magnetic drives ever did, so I'm really not sure where you get that data from.. and we're only a few months away from another price cut.

 

[Zap]

I've read all the reviews and it is AS CONFUSING as can be! Different platforms, technologies, performance new vs. used, TRIM vs. Garbage collection, random access vs. sequential performance (like Intel is great in former but not in latter)!

You're trying too hard.

Any modern SSD using a known "good" controller when installed/formatted with Windows 7 using AHCI/RAID setting in BIOS... is the same as any other to the seat of your pants for normal desktop usage.

I am finding it very frustrating that such a technology with that much promise is STILL lagging behind in development pace (compared to CPUs, GPUs, even HDD) and is at SUCH HIGH premiums!

No kidding. I found it frustrating that new car costs are increasing, but we still don't have supercar performance with hybrid gas mileage. I mean, car companies have been working on this for YEARS. Oh wait, development takes time. If you think progress should come along faster, then you need to put your butt in gear and make it so! Show these slow ass-dragging companies that they're doing it wrong by making and selling your own SSD with 2x the performance at 1/3 the price in 1/4 the time of current SSDs.

Can't do it? Well, neither can they.

But VERY SLOW in coming down with the price? If more than halfing the price of gb in around a year is slow for you, then what is the development of HDD prices for you? Flash is getting just so much faster cheaper than magnetic drives ever did, so I'm really not sure where you get that data from.. and we're only a few months away from another price cut.

It's the typical internet time warp. Stuff just can't happen fast enough. If your internet connection was down for ten minutes, you'd swear it was down for a half hour. :awe:

 

[alexb1]

I find some of the responses to my comment of slow SSD development totally out of line!

In almost ALL of Anand's SSD reviews, the slow pace of SSD development, and SLOW price drop is mentioned time and time again, and for some forum members to claim to the contrary is baffling to me! There was even an article last year where they PLEADED to the SSD manufacturers and OEMs to DROP the PRICE and introduce it more widely to consumers, to ensure that PCs survive the onslaught of new devices!

SSD has JUST RECENTLY become reasonably priced, and anything over 40GB was ridicolously priced last year. It's just a series NAND chips afterall, and is NOWHERE as complicated as HDD or CPU development.

Anyways, thanks for all other responses. I was just stating that I WISH SSD was developed faster so I could have migrated sooner!

 

[alexb1]

You're trying too hard.

Any modern SSD using a known "good" controller when installed/formatted with Windows 7 using AHCI/RAID setting in BIOS... is the same as any other to the seat of your pants for normal desktop usage.

Thanks. I think I am settled on OCZ Vertex 2 or Agility 2. Probably the 90GB as I am not sure if 60GB would be enough for the long run as OS drive.

 

[Voo]

I find some of the responses to my comment of slow SSD development totally out of line!

In almost ALL of Anand's SSD reviews, the slow pace of SSD development, and SLOW price drop is mentioned time and time again, and for some forum members to claim to the contrary is baffling to me! There was even an article last year where they PLEADED to the SSD manufacturers and OEMs to DROP the PRICE and introduce it more widely to consumers, to ensure that PCs survive the onslaught of new devices!

Ok let's see: I bought a Intel G2 160gb almost 1 year ago (give or take).. 160gb for 360€, which at the time was about the cheapest you could get here. For the guys taking notes that's 2.25€/gb (while most others were more in the 3€ range)

Today I can get a SF controller drive for <1.4&#8364;/GB and if I'm fine with a indilinx controller those go for about 1.18&#8364;/gb.
Which means in one year we had about a 50&#37; price cut.

You won't claim that HDDs got so much more cheaper in the same timespan, right? Sure they could be still cheaper, but development cost for controller isn't small, SSDs are still no commodity items and we'll see more price cuts with 25nm flash in a few months.

And in the end we're seeing much more competition in the SSD realm than in the HDD area, so in a few years flash won't be much more expensive than platter based disks (who took decades to get where they're now..)

 

[alexb1]

Ok let's see: I bought a Intel G2 160gb almost 1 year ago (give or take).. 160gb for 360€, which at the time was about the cheapest you could get here. For the guys taking notes that's 2.25€/gb (while most others were more in the 3€ range)

Today I can get a SF controller drive for <1.4€/GB and if I'm fine with a indilinx controller those go for about 1.18€/gb.
Which means in one year we had about a 50% price cut.

You won't claim that HDDs got so much more cheaper in the same timespan, right? Sure they could be still cheaper, but development cost for controllers isn't small, SSDs are still no commodity items and we'll see more price cuts with 25nm flash in a few months.

And in end we're seeing much more competition in the SSD realm than in the HDD area, so in a few years flash won't be much more expensive than platter based disks (who took decades to get where they're now..)

I am not sure what SSD is that, but right now, is the only time that 40GB+ SSDs are at a price point that makes sense to buy one ($2.80/GB). It was double that last year which was way to expensive IMO.

 

[Ben90]

SSDs haven't been dropping in price?

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2301/1

 

[alexb1]

SSDs haven't been dropping in price?

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2301/1

EXACTLY! You just proved my point!

How many bought a $1500 64GB drive back then? and I still didn't find it reasonable to pay $400 for 60GB last year.

 

[Ben90]

No, your point is that SSDs are not advancing or dropping in price very fast. Not even a year after that article was published, we have this one: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2527/1
Double the capacity, more performance for 2/3rds the price.

A few months later we have the legendary X25-M. http://www.anandtech.com/show/2614/1780GB
More capacity, more performance for 2/3rds the price.

10 months later we received the X25-M-G2. http://www.anandtech.com/show/2806
Roughly the same as the first X25-M, but released at less than half the price than the G1.


Pricing wars have continued to lower prices, and with 25nm flash around the corner, we can once again expect another substantial drop.

 

[Zap]

PLEADED to the SSD manufacturers and OEMs to DROP the PRICE and introduce it more widely to consumers, to ensure that PCs survive the onslaught of new devices!

SSD has JUST RECENTLY become reasonably priced, and anything over 40GB was ridicolously priced last year. It's just a series NAND chips afterall, and is NOWHERE as complicated as HDD or CPU development.

Now when has pleading and begging gotten anyone lower prices with a corporation, be it end user or web site?

First thing is that companies will price based on demand, and I believe there is sufficient demand to keep pricing hovering around where they are now (at least until Black Friday). This is evidenced by any hot deal on an SSD causing said SSD to go out of stock in short order.

Second thing is that SSD manufacturers are at the mercy of NAND manufacturers and spot market pricing. Apple has cornered the NAND market for its fruity gadgets and basically everyone else gets leftovers. Also, part of the cost is based on the process. Shrink the process to shrink costs, and that's not something which happens every day. How long does it take Intel to shrink their process for CPUs? How long does it take TMSC to shrink their process for AMD/Nvidia GPUs? These process shrinks can help drive down pricing, and they are not something that happens overnight.

The SSD market is pretty hot right now. Don't you guys think that if a company can make an SSD larger/cheaper/faster right now that it wouldn't do so? If a company was to come out (available and in stock to purchase) with a new SSD this coming Monday that was, say, 300GB for $150 that can saturate a SATA 6Gbps link... and have comparable $/GB at other capacity points... and stay profitable... I'd think that company would corner 100% of the SSD market overnight. They don't, because they can't (at least not yet).

Oh yeah, there's also costs/complexity of the controller too. You think it is easy? Heck, even Intel had a firmware screwup. They have more resources and money to dump into SSDs than all the little guys like Indilinx and Sandforce (who have also had firmware screwups).

If it was so easy, why aren't there fifty other tech startups out there one-upping each other with better/bigger/cheaper SSDs?

 

[flamenko]

IMHO.....

We always look at the SSD pricepoint as the normal suggested prices but fail to see that the ideal pricepioint is found in sales. Just yesterday, I saw the 60Gb Corsair Force for a $100 and the 40Gb for $80. So...we know we can pick up the absolute fastest SSD available (SF controller) $80 and now the issue comes down to storage.

Many are now considering secondary storage like swapping out the useless DVD drive or utilizing an external for all the tons of movies and piks that just arent needed to be stored on the ssd all the time.

With respect to reliability.... You read of the very slim minority for the most part. Its human nature that the unhappy will try to address the reason whereas the happy are mostly a very silent majority. People want to know why something happened and if it can be fixed.