Can someone help me hone in on a SSD drive?

[SaltyNuts]

So based on this link:

http://techreport.com/review/27252/tr-fall-2014-system-guide/6

I figured I'd get an Intel 530 series 240GB, as it seems to perform better than the crucial mx100 at this link:

http://techreport.com/review/26532/crucial-mx100-solid-state-drive-reviewed/4

(although, its not the Intel 530 series in that link, but its a lower series, so I'm assuming the Intel 530 is faster).

So I go to amazon to order, and I type in Intel 530 into the search box, and get a billion options:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ords=intel+530

Which one do I actually want? There are several 240gb options. This is for a home build - want to make sure i get one that is not some older model and one that will come with whatever cables, software, etc. that I may need (never installed a SSD drive before).

And, of course, if this is actually a bad choice for a SSD drive please let me know!

Much thanks!

 

[Essence_of_War]

newegg

B&H

amazon

All about the same price, it looks like the amazon one is the retail kit which includes a sata cable.

It's a very nice SSD. I think it's somewhat overpriced compared to the MX100 for ordinary usage, but it's a good product that has been reviewed very well. Just don't fill it completely to capacity with incompressible data

 

[SaltyNuts]

Most excellent essence of war - many thanks! Oh, I'm sure I'll need to be upgrading to a 1TB model soon after mine fills with incompressible (or is it uncompressible) data.

 

[Charlie98]

I put a 120GB Intel 530 in a build we gave to the in-laws last Christmas, I chose it because I wanted rock-solid reliability... because not only am I on the line for support, I would look like a fool if it didn't work 100%

So far, so good! The Intel also comes with a nice toolbox.

I would probably take the Intel over a Samsung, but if the MX100 was less expensive, I'd go with the MX... not that the Intel is a bad choice.

 

[Blastman]

The MX100 is rated 550MB/s read speed, so when loading things it's pretty well going to be as fast as anything out there. Sequential writes speeds are about 350MB/s for the 256GB model, which is pretty decent, and faster than the Intel 520 240GB. Unless you're writing huge video files a lot, you won't really notice this in everyday usage compared to even the top performing SSD's.

The mx100 256GB is also slightly larger than the Intel 530 240GB

Formatted capacity …

mx100 …. 238GB
Intel 530 … 223GB

16GB is well … 16GB's larger … if that matters to you.

I like the mx100 better, I think it's a little faster and bigger, but you might want to go with whatever is cheaper and/or more easily available. They're both pretty good,

 

[Essence_of_War]

Additional note, if you're willing to buy in a 3-hr window today between 9am PST and 12pm PST, you can get the 512 GB MX100 for $190, free shipping.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Additional note, if you're willing to buy in a 3-hr window today between 9am PST and 12pm PST, you can get the 512 GB MX100 for $190, free shipping.

[I get my Newegg promotional e-mails daily. DON'T tell everybody about those bargains! they might be sold out before I hit the checkout button! :biggrin: ]

Seriously, though. When I finally decided to spring for a standalone SSD to replace the 60GB Pyro plus HDD in ISRT, I picked the 840 Pro and it wasn't any great price bargain. It was only a bargain for the capacity and performance.

When it gets down to it, I make practical compromises on storage. For that reason, I'll take the MX100 over either Pro/EVO or an Intel. I truly like the Samsung software (which everyone tries to diss), but there are other ways to do that . . . too . . .

As someone said, with the read-rate over 500 MB/s and the high write-rates (all sequential benches), a couple MB/s here or there doesn't seem to make a hilla-beans difference.

You can always search for THE top-end performer with these, but really -- it starts to look like picking fly-shit out of pepper. . . .

If a "last grain of rice" in performance costs so much more, you just have to ask yourself . . . . Is that last grain worth the extra ducats?

Darn. It's 12:57 PT here, and . . . I'm [blank]ed . . . just [blank]ed . . . .

 

[Essence_of_War]

[I get my Newegg promotional e-mails daily. DON'T tell everybody about those bargains! they might be sold out before I hit the checkout button! :biggrin: ]

Heh, heh, I'm doing your pocket-book a favor