Thoughts on the Crucial C300 SSD? Anyone using them?

[RaistlinZ]

I'm torn between the C300 and the OCZ Vertex LE Sandforce drive. The C300 supports SATA 6G and seems to perform the best overall from Anand's review, but it has piss-poor random write speeds compared to the Vertex LE:

So my question is, how important is random write speed for everyday use? Can anyone who is using the C300 tell me how it performs compared to previous SSD's you've tried? Thanks. 🙂

 

[Ipreferspam]

I have yet to own any SSDs, but from what I've read on forum posts here, people seem to say that its hard to notice the difference in speed between Indilinx SSDs to Intel SSDs (let alone the newer C300 and SandForce drives). They point out that the difference in random writes is quite dramatic between SSDs and mechanical drive. However, the differences between these fast SSDs are hard to see in light workloads. I think the biggest difference between the faster SSDs would only be apparent under benchmarks or under very specific uses (server or I/O intensive activities, for instance).

 

[Hacp]

It depends if you're aligned or not. If you're aligned, write speed increases dramatically.

 

[Compddd]

What does it mean to be aligned or not? (Sorry SSD noob here)

 

[Hacp]

What does it mean to be aligned or not? (Sorry SSD noob here)

If you're using windows 7 or windows vista, you're aligned. If you're using windows xp, you need extra steps to get aligned. Aligned=better thats all you need to know.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I think you'll see alot of big improvements with 25nm SSD drives. Intel is currently working on ways to incorporate TRIM on a RAID-0 array, ONFI 2.2 or possibly 3.0 will be out by then, & we'll see more GBs for the $$$

EDIT: I too almost jumped on a C300 256g.. but if you are easily temped like me, New Egg is having a huge SSD sale tomorrow... get them while supplies last. Good Luck!

 

[brianz]

What about the recent problems that Anand has been uncovering with the C300 and writing about, what do you guys think? I've been speccing out a new build, and I was leaning toward the C300, but now I'm not so sure I want to buy it within the next month or two... it'll be a killer drive, but it seems they need to iron out a few bugs.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

What about the recent problems that Anand has been uncovering with the C300 and writing about, what do you guys think? I've been speccing out a new build, and I was leaning toward the C300, but now I'm not so sure I want to buy it within the next month or two... it'll be a killer drive, but it seems they need to iron out a few bugs.

He mentioned the 'internal firmware' so that may mean flashing the 'internal firmware' will require a full drive format...

I personally am holding off as I was really close to buying one. Crucial said mid April they will have a firmware ready for the C300.