MacBook Pro - Solid State Drive or Hard Disk Drive

rehanfarrukh · rehanfarrukh #1 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 09:57 PM

Now I am stuck with these two options and need some help here. Already placed an order for new MBP 17" 2.9Ghz, 4GB RAM.

Read lots of reviews online. I know SSD is more reliable than HDD but is it really worth spending an extra C$850 for 256GB? Does vibration/noise of HDD matters to me? Yes, to some extent. But what really is bothering me is SSD's limited write cycle. Does that mean at some point in time, it'll crash (sooner than HDD) and I will loose everything?

Yes, I use my notebook everyday but question is if its worth putting the money on SSD at this stage. The price will eventually come down every year.

Any thoughts, suggestions??? Thanks

Khris · Khris #2 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 10:22 PM

SSD's are *NOT* worth it right now. The cost is far too high for the marginal real world benefits.

You can buy enough replacement HD's for the price of the SSD that you'll outlast the life of the notebook.

Jaygray · Jaygray #3 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 10:33 PM

Save your money. It's just not worth it.

fletch33 · fletch33 #4 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khris

SSD's are *NOT* worth it right now. The cost is far too high for the marginal real world benefits.

You can buy enough replacement HD's for the price of the SSD that you'll outlast the life of the notebook.

agreed but looking forward to the day when they are worth it

XJ-linux · XJ-linux #5 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 10:35 PM

I love the SSD in my MBA - very fast. Still, I don't see the value in it as a paid upgrade for my MBP. It's not that fast yet and not very big.

rehanfarrukh · rehanfarrukh #6 (**permalink**)

01-08-2009, 11:57 PM

Thanks everyone for your advise. I'll change my order to 320GB 7200 rpm. My order says it will ship on 19 Feb but when I phoned Apple, they confirmed that although its showing 19 Feb, its gonna ship at the end of Jan. But I still don't know why so much delay.

Eric559 · Eric559 #7 (**permalink**)

01-09-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rehanfarrukh

Thanks everyone for your advise. I'll change my order to 320GB 7200 rpm. My order says it will ship on 19 Feb but when I phoned Apple, they confirmed that although its showing 19 Feb, its gonna ship at the end of Jan. But I still don't know why so much delay.

It's a custom ordered computer that is why. If it was stock specs it would ship sooner.

rehanfarrukh · rehanfarrukh #8 (**permalink**)

01-09-2009, 04:00 AM

even if its a standard stock spec, shipping is 3 to 4 weeks.

LindsayM · LindsayM #9 (**permalink**)

01-09-2009, 06:40 PM

Quick question, how easy is it to change over from standard hard drive to SSD. Is it basically plug and play once you have installed your operating system. In other words is it a case of removing hard drive and replacing with SSD, same connections etc.

fleurya · fleurya #10 (**permalink**)

01-09-2009, 09:04 PM

The write cycles are high enough that it'll most likely become completely obsolete before you ever reach the limit. They're extremely fast and energy efficient. (makes me wonder what the battery life gets up to with the SSD).

Having said that, the price doesn't justify the benefits to me unless you're so wealthy that $850 is comparable to $8.50 to the average person.

DVS_WiNdz · DVS_WiNdz #11 (**permalink**)

01-10-2009, 12:48 AM

Will Apple lower their price for the SSD? if so how long do you think it'll take?

brian0 · brian0 #12 (**permalink**)

01-10-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVS_WiNdz

Will Apple lower their price for the SSD? if so how long do you think it'll take?

1/2 years?
I asked myself the same question but it's not worth it at the moment.

Macaflan · Macaflan #13 (**permalink**)

01-30-2009, 10:57 AM

Since SSDs are based on flash technology, just look at the prices for Compact Flash cards for cameras and what not. You can pickup 2GB cards for <$10, and pro level write speed cards for perhaps only double that.

All technology comes down in price because since Americans (I am included), are always told to get the newest stuff with the fancy bells and whistles, the old stuff becomes of lower demand and the prices have to drop.

I just sold a $2200 dell laptop purchased in 2003 for $200, and I was fortunate to get that.

greggebhardt · greggebhardt #14 (**permalink**)

01-30-2009, 01:00 PM

I used a Thinkpad X300 with the new 128gb SSD and it was not that fast at all. Only a slightly faster boot up time was the only advantage I found and for the cost ! Not another for me for now. Just get the 320gb 7200rpm drive for now and wait a few more years till they get the SSD running better!

docmacps · docmacps #15 (**permalink**)

09-15-2009, 03:31 AM

Solid-State drive technology changed SOOOO rapidly in 2009. The biggest change was new controller chips from Indilinx and Samsung - both with more onboard cache - that just STOMPED on even high-end spinning platter drives. Period.

Any current crop of SSD's - OCZ Vertex, Patriot Warp III or Torqx, Intel X-25, SuperTalent ME -- relieve the last true bottleneck in computer performance. With 128GB around $300 it's an easy clone/swap in many Mac models. Best bang for the buck you'll ever experience from an upgrade, bar none.

Apple Mac SSD Drives : Solid-State Flash Memory Upgrade Disks

XJ-linux #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jul 02, 2007 Location: Going Galt... Posts: 3,125 Mac Specs: MacBookAir5,2:10.8.3-MacMini3,1:10.8.3-iPhone3,1:6.1.3	01-08-2009, 10:35 PM I love the SSD in my MBA - very fast. Still, I don't see the value in it as a paid upgrade for my MBP. It's not that fast yet and not very big. ,_____o00o _ //___l__,\____\,__ l_--- \___l---OlllllllO (o)_)-o- (o)_)--o-)_)
	QUOTE Thanks

fleurya #10 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 18, 2006 Location: Anytown, USA Posts: 4,876 Mac Specs: 27" iMac 2.7GHz Core i5, iPhone 4S, 3rd gen iPad	01-09-2009, 09:04 PM The write cycles are high enough that it'll most likely become completely obsolete before you ever reach the limit. They're extremely fast and energy efficient. (makes me wonder what the battery life gets up to with the SSD). Having said that, the price doesn't justify the benefits to me unless you're so wealthy that $850 is comparable to $8.50 to the average person. "Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others"
	QUOTE Thanks

Macaflan #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 26, 2009 Posts: 31	01-30-2009, 10:57 AM Since SSDs are based on flash technology, just look at the prices for Compact Flash cards for cameras and what not. You can pickup 2GB cards for <$10, and pro level write speed cards for perhaps only double that. All technology comes down in price because since Americans (I am included), are always told to get the newest stuff with the fancy bells and whistles, the old stuff becomes of lower demand and the prices have to drop. I just sold a $2200 dell laptop purchased in 2003 for $200, and I was fortunate to get that. No signature
	QUOTE Thanks

docmacps #15 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 07, 2008 Location: USA Posts: 13	09-15-2009, 03:31 AM Solid-State drive technology changed SOOOO rapidly in 2009. The biggest change was new controller chips from Indilinx and Samsung - both with more onboard cache - that just STOMPED on even high-end spinning platter drives. Period. Any current crop of SSD's - OCZ Vertex, Patriot Warp III or Torqx, Intel X-25, SuperTalent ME -- relieve the last true bottleneck in computer performance. With 128GB around $300 it's an easy clone/swap in many Mac models. Best bang for the buck you'll ever experience from an upgrade, bar none. Apple Mac SSD Drives : Solid-State Flash Memory Upgrade Disks DocMac - MacGizmoGuy Mac SSD Drives \| TV Tuners For Mac \| Mac Webcams
	QUOTE Thanks

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rehanfarrukh #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 25 Mac Specs: iMac 24", 3.06 GHz / Late 2008 MBP 17" 2.6GHz high res. anti-glare, 4GB RAM	01-08-2009, 09:57 PM Now I am stuck with these two options and need some help here. Already placed an order for new MBP 17" 2.9Ghz, 4GB RAM. Read lots of reviews online. I know SSD is more reliable than HDD but is it really worth spending an extra C$850 for 256GB? Does vibration/noise of HDD matters to me? Yes, to some extent. But what really is bothering me is SSD's limited write cycle. Does that mean at some point in time, it'll crash (sooner than HDD) and I will loose everything? Yes, I use my notebook everyday but question is if its worth putting the money on SSD at this stage. The price will eventually come down every year. Any thoughts, suggestions??? Thanks
	QUOTE Thanks

Khris #2 (permalink)
Member Since: May 13, 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 506 Mac Specs: Unibody MacBook 2.4GHz/4GB Ram/320GB HD	01-08-2009, 10:22 PM SSD's are NOT worth it right now. The cost is far too high for the marginal real world benefits. You can buy enough replacement HD's for the price of the SSD that you'll outlast the life of the notebook.
	QUOTE Thanks

rehanfarrukh #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 25 Mac Specs: iMac 24", 3.06 GHz / Late 2008 MBP 17" 2.6GHz high res. anti-glare, 4GB RAM	01-08-2009, 11:57 PM Thanks everyone for your advise. I'll change my order to 320GB 7200 rpm. My order says it will ship on 19 Feb but when I phoned Apple, they confirmed that although its showing 19 Feb, its gonna ship at the end of Jan. But I still don't know why so much delay.
	QUOTE Thanks

rehanfarrukh #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 31, 2007 Posts: 25 Mac Specs: iMac 24", 3.06 GHz / Late 2008 MBP 17" 2.6GHz high res. anti-glare, 4GB RAM	01-09-2009, 04:00 AM even if its a standard stock spec, shipping is 3 to 4 weeks.
	QUOTE Thanks

LindsayM #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 14, 2008 Location: Falkirk Scotland UK Posts: 25	01-09-2009, 06:40 PM Quick question, how easy is it to change over from standard hard drive to SSD. Is it basically plug and play once you have installed your operating system. In other words is it a case of removing hard drive and replacing with SSD, same connections etc.
	QUOTE Thanks

DVS_WiNdz #11 (permalink)
Member Since: May 15, 2008 Posts: 16	01-10-2009, 12:48 AM Will Apple lower their price for the SSD? if so how long do you think it'll take?
	QUOTE Thanks

greggebhardt #14 (permalink)
Member Since: May 20, 2008 Posts: 27	01-30-2009, 01:00 PM I used a Thinkpad X300 with the new 128gb SSD and it was not that fast at all. Only a slightly faster boot up time was the only advantage I found and for the cost ! Not another for me for now. Just get the 320gb 7200rpm drive for now and wait a few more years till they get the SSD running better!
	QUOTE Thanks

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