SSD MacBook Pro and usage question

[itpromike]

So I'm thinking about getting a Samsung 830 for my MBP however I skimming some of the posts relating to Windows and SSD's there are several steps people suggest when you first get your drive to make sure you get good performance (different utilities to run and BIOS changes etc...). I'm wondering if there is anything I need to do in OS X (Mountain Lion) to accomplish the same? Also I had a question concerning which Samsung 830 to buy... there are notebook upgrade kits which cost $20 to $30 more than just buying the drive... how would I know if I need the 'Notbook Upgrade Kit'? And lastly, I'm ALSO thinking about getting a SSD for my tower, however I do video editing and I'm wondering would the SSD even improve my video editing performance since the OS itself will be stored on the SSD but chances are the project files and video files will not (since SSD's are so small)? So to recap:

1.) Do I need to do anything in OSX or run any utility to maximize drive performance?
2.) Can I just buy the drive or do I need to buy the 'Notebook Upgrade Kit'?
3.) Will SSD's improve video editing performance at all since only the program itself will be stored on the SSD and the project files probably won't?

MBP 2009 13"
MacPro 2008

Thanks a lot for any guidance guys.

 

[Compman55]

Do you need a SATA to USB adaptor & norton ghost 15? If no, do NOT purchase the notebook kit, but rather the bare drive. I did need the adapter and the software because I can use it in alot of different ways to make it affordable.

The drive itself is absolutly no different.

I cannot comment on OS X operation with an SSD.

But I will say that even in a worst case basis, the SSD will still blow the doors off a platter drive in its best condition. Only from what I read, Sansung has a very good garbage collection algorithm. No worries.

 

[itpromike]

Thanks for the input

Anyone else have any insight?

 

[n0x1ous]

I have a late 2009 macbook that I put a 128GB Sammy 830 in. I am not a fan of cloning for that type of thing so I did a clean install on Lion (since upgraded to Mountain Lion) Most of the utilities and tweaks you read about are Windows only and won't work in OSX including Samsungs magician tool. However, the performance has been excellent even though im limited to SATA 2 on my Macbook. The 830 is the right choice since it is what is used as the OEM SSD by Apple however Trim only works on their OEM units and I didnt have any interest in trying the hack.

I believe the 830's garbage collection isn't as agressive as Sandforce and the others so about once a month I leave it sit at the login screen plugged in for about an hour to let the Garbage collection do its thing. I have had great results to this point. still feels like the day I installed the OS. Hope that helps.

 

[Compman55]

Another option is to install windows 7 an a small partition using bootcamp. Run the Samasung Magician software from there.

 

[StarTech]

I believe the 830's garbage collection isn't as agressive as Sandforce and the others so about once a month I leave it sit at the login screen plugged in for about an hour to let the Garbage collection do its thing. I have had great results to this point. still feels like the day I installed the OS. Hope that helps.

Is there anything magic about the login screen ? Would going out for lunch every day work ? Or just having the thing mostly idle for long whiles ?

 

[n0x1ous]

Is there anything magic about the login screen ? Would going out for lunch every day work ? Or just having the thing mostly idle for long whiles ?

Just being idle is what does it. being at login screen isnt necessary, just a way to keep it idle

 

[itpromike]

Another option is to install windows 7 an a small partition using bootcamp. Run the Samasung Magician software from there.

Hmm... now that's interesting. So the drive optimizations that the software performs are exactly that, DRIVE Optimizations and not Windows specific optimizations? Also if Windows is only on a small partition will it optimize the whole drive or just the portion of the drive that Windows is installed on?

 

[StarTech]

Hmm... now that's interesting. So the drive optimizations that the software performs are exactly that, DRIVE Optimizations and not Windows specific optimizations? Also if Windows is only on a small partition will it optimize the whole drive or just the portion of the drive that Windows is installed on?

AFAIK all would gain is the ability to force a garbage collection run which may use the allocation table to perform TRIM like cleanup.

 

[JerryOneMillion]

I cloned a Corsair 240GT into my GF's older MBP. After cloning I updated the system a of couple of times. I installed all the drives in my Win7 tower and cloned it from there.

I have had ZERO issues so far. Her old MBP runs SATA 1.5 (not 3 or 6) and you can see how fast it boots here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tRS1oqk__s


ASRock Z68 Extreme4
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz
CORSAIR GT Series CSSD-F240GBGT-BK 240GB SATA III
Intel 510 Series (Elm Crest) SSDSC2MH120A2K5 2.5" 120GB SATA III
Western Digital Caviar Black WD2002FAEX 2TB
Western Digital Caviar Green WD20EARS 2TB
CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 1866 CMZ8GX3M2A1866C9
PowerColor SCS3 AX6850 1GBD5-S3DH Radeon HD 6850
SeaSonic X Series X650
LITE-ON 12X Blu-ray Burner IHBS112-29
Dell 30" U3011
Dell 19" E198WFP
Samsung 56"
Wacom 5 Medium
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
Lian Li PC-9F

 

[aviator78]

1.) Do I need to do anything in OSX or run any utility to maximize drive performance?
Just run a clean new installation of your OS, that should be enough

2.) Can I just buy the drive or do I need to buy the 'Notebook Upgrade Kit'?
Like mentioned, if you need cables/adapters - buy the kit, if not, buy the rare drive

3.) Will SSD's improve video editing performance at all since only the program itself will be stored on the SSD and the project files probably won't?
If you do not store the target file on the SSD it will not perform much better. On things like video encoding you should always use two different drives for source and target files.