ssd ?

[bigstroff]

aside from better boot up times is there any value in getting a ssd for web surfing video streaming and playing mp3 music ? also how much Ram for these activities ? i guess i am looking for a speedy setup even at higher costs of ssd if it will make these activities perform faster. last question is how many gigs for ssd if recommended ?

 

[mfenn]

An SSD greatly speeds up every single thing that you do on your desktop. Probably the biggest difference is in how quickly applications load. 60GB is enough for a base Windows install and a decent number of apps. I'd recommend the OCZ Agility 2 60GB because it's a good deal at $90 AR.

 

[Zap]

Hello bigstroff, and welcome to AnandTech forums. I have moved your post to Memory and Storage.

With that being said, an SSD will to some degree speed up everything you do by a bit. Often it doesn't even feel that much faster, until you sit down at another computer that doesn't have an SSD and realize that a HDD is slow.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

What's the difference between Agi 2 and Vertex 2? I see they both use Sandforce, is one just a newer model series?

 

[bigstroff]

thank you for great responses. thinking about a computer operating a Q57 chipset and i5 640LM processor. have option to 8gigs ram. how much is needed for my basic use and what ssd would be optimal performance and longevity ?

 

[fffblackmage]

What's the difference between Agi 2 and Vertex 2? I see they both use Sandforce, is one just a newer model series?

IIRC, the Agility 2 has its IOPS capped at 10,000. The Vertex 2 runs at the full 50,000 IOPS. I think that number was more important for server/enterprise use. The impact should be pretty insignificant under normal use.

 

[Zap]

Who knows? OCZ usually comes out with a zillion similar products. Originally with the Indilinx controller the Vertex was the "premium" line using guaranteed certain brand of premium NAND, while the Agility used cheaper NAND that was supposedly a hair slower (by "hair" I mean maybe 2% or less). Then they came out with the Solid 2 using the same controller but even cheaper for unknown reasons. And then they mucked it all up because sometimes the Vertex was cheaper than the other two. Then they came out with an overclocked Vertex (indilinx controller running at a faster speed) which added another 2% performance at 20% price premium.

Think of it like all the different lines of RAM modules that OCZ releases. When you say that you have OCZ DDR2-800 memory, do you have their Gold, Platinum, Reaper, Fatal1ty, Vista or Value series? And, if the specs (voltages, latencies) are the same, what is the real difference?

 

[fffblackmage]

thank you for great responses. thinking about a computer operating a Q57 chipset and i5 640LM processor. have option to 8gigs ram. how much is needed for my basic use and what ssd would be optimal performance and longevity ?

Laptop? Hmm... if you're just using it for websurfing and whatnot, 4GB is plenty.

The Agility 2 60GB mfenn suggested would work, but it would depend on what you want to store on the SSD. I have a 60GB SSD for my laptop, but I don't keep data or music on my laptop, so I have a ton of free space.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

If you add another SSD later in simple JBOD, does having another brand with a different controller have any intricacies to consider?

 

[bigstroff]

thanks again and i was thinking 4gigs ram would be plenty. on the ssd i wonder about longevity because i will have some music maybe 2gigs worth and like to play and serf.

 

[Chaoticlusts]

I'd recommend the OCZ Agility 2 60GB because it's a good deal at $90 AR.

*cries*...sometimes I really hate living in australia....cheapest you can get one over here is $162 (and remember the aussie dollar is worth basically the exact same as the US dollar atm)

..at least we seem to get reasonable price conversion on normal hard drives for some reason (I think)