[Divine_Madcat]

So, i have been an incredibly picky bastard, and made it difficult for my wife to find me an anniversary gift. However, i think i have an idea, but am stuck between two options, and would like to get some feedback.

On my main desktop/server, i do alot of mixed work, including file serving, gaming, and photo editing. The computer runs Win 7 Pro, and my software lineup looks like this:

Photoshop CS5
Lightroom 3
World of Warcraft
Battlefield : Bad Company 2
MS Office
(One or two others i may have missed)

My photos are on a RAID-ed set of Hitatchi 1TB drives, and other things like My Docs and swap file would be moved off the SSD as well.

So, what it comes down to, is what drive configuration makes the most sense. What i am looking at is either one drive:
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/SKUSearch...iteria=SA21000

Or two of these in raid 0:
http://www.frys.com/product/6366151

The sandforce seems to perform much better than Indilinx in writes, but given that once things are installed, it will be a heavily read-only drive. I don't have a huge budget ($120-130 once all said and done).. so what would you all say is the better option?

 

[Sin0822]

no sata3 huh? Your best bet is the OCZ vertex2, or the Corsair Force series. I was going to say crucial c300 but you dont have sata3.

 

[Aznboy1993]

that vertex 2 60gb is perfect for you. just enough space and uber fast read (and write if you ever need it

). i can vouch of it; i have owned the vertex 2e 120gb for 3 months.

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sin0822 no sata3 huh? Your best bet is the OCZ vertex2, or the Corsair Force series. I was going to say crucial c300 but you dont have sata3.

Yeah, no Sata 6GB/s ports..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aznboy1993 that vertex 2 60gb is perfect for you. just enough space and uber fast read (and write if you ever need it ). i can vouch of it; i have owned the vertex 2e 120gb for 3 months.

So, both of you recommend the single drive over raid. Is this one drive still really faster than two slower ones in RAID?

 

[Sin0822]

SSDs are a totally different ball game man, one vertex 2 will outdo a HDD in seek times, it might be a close call in sequential, but in everything else the ssd will beat 2 of those drives in raid. Honestly though just for storage sake, i would use the vertex for OS and programs only.

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sin0822 SSDs are a totally different ball game man, one vertex 2 will outdo a HDD in seek times, it might be a close call in sequential, but in everything else the ssd will beat 2 of those drives in raid. Honestly though just for storage sake, i would use the vertex for OS and programs only.

I know the SSDs will beat platter based HDDS, but that wasn't my question - i wanted to know if one Sandforce drive would beat two Indilinx based drives in RAID0....

 

[TheSSDReview]

Yes. Your two Indy drives, in RAID will not touch the Sandforce 4k write speeds...

 

[Sin0822]

i agree with thessdreview, sandforce is a much different animal, plus your two indy drives will degrade much faster than your vertex2

 

[Divine_Madcat]

One correction, niether drives are mine.. i was deciding between the two.

 

[Sin0822]

yea i know i was talking hypothetically

 

[TheDreadedGMan]

Sandforce single drive all the way

Never bother with RAID 0, it only increases sequential speed, which is already way high on Sandforce, and UNIMPORTANT.

Random 4k speed is faster on Sandforce then Indilinx, and since it's not improved by RAID, and TRIM doesn't function under RAID, then the single drive is really the BEST option.

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Thanks for the advice!

If you all dont mind, now about a follow-up question. I am now convinced on a single drive, but now my question is storage. To really justify my SSD "purchase (gift)", it needs to be something that i can fit all my programs on. So, i guess it comes down between two OCZ models:

The Vertex 2 60GB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227550

The Agility 2 90GB:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227604

I understand the difference between them is the different SandForce Controllers (Sf-1500 vs Sf-1200), and that the biggest difference will be in the 4k stuff, especially writes. I guess the question is, is the performance difference that big, that I would regret the larger size (if i really need it)?

 

[Sin0822]

dude VERTEX2 no agility 2.

 

[TheDreadedGMan]

Well it shouldn't make a huge difference when you compare to an HDD... but I just don't like companies selling Gimped products... so I won't recommend it on principle.

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sin0822 dude VERTEX2 no agility 2.

Perhaps a little more elaboration?

I understand the Vert2 to have higher IOPS for 4k random, but in reading, even the Agility2's IOPS is better than others.

I love performance, but i don't want a drive that i can't fit all my stuff on. A full list as i can think of it:

Win 7 Pro
MS Office 2007 Student
Photoshop CS5 (just PS, not a whole suite) & some associated plug-ins
Lightroom 3
FireFox
World of Warcraft (all expansions)
BF: Bad Company 2
Crysis
One or two possible games in the future.

If i can't fit all that on a 60GB drive, it is worthless, as i want the SSD for more than just a boot drive. I want my games and programs to benefit from the boost as well.

 

[Sin0822]

agility2 has a 10k capped iops. read and write. what other sandforce drive does it beat? the vertex2 is only a few more bucks it has a better sandforce controller and more iops.

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sin0822 agility2 has a 10k capped iops. read and write. what other sandforce drive does it beat? the vertex2 is only a few more bucks it has a better sandforce controller and more iops.

I dont know about sandforce specifically, but i know it is rated higher than some of the Intel drives.

Anyway, i dont mean to be rude, but i am not sure if you are reading what i was asking. The cost difference is minimal, but the size difference is not. I am not comparing a 60GB to a 60GB, i am comparing the 60GB V2 to the 90GB A2, because again, if i can't fit everything, it is really gonna feel like a waste for me.

I will happily follow the V2 advice, but i am just uneasy that i will fit everything on the 55GB of space...

 

[Sin0822]

oh i feel ya, i mean if you REALLLY need space i guess you could buy the agility2, but the vertex2 if one of the best drives out there. Do you have a second drive?

 

[zeyRay]

I dont know how much GB your WoW Folder has, but mine sits at 25GB.
Win7 ~ 20 , other Games + new ones u mentioned like maybe 30-50?

Sorry but 120GB is prob the MINIMUM you should get. And all quality
SSDs in that size range are above your budgetlimit.

So just get some HDDs, have alot of space and be happy; its not like
HDDs cant run ur system anymore since SSDs entered the market.

If however you want to up ur limit -> Force 120 and nothing else

bye bye

 

[Divine_Madcat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sin0822 oh i feel ya, i mean if you REALLLY need space i guess you could buy the agility2, but the vertex2 if one of the best drives out there. Do you have a second drive?

I do have a RAID 0 with two Hitatchi 7200 32MB 1TB drives.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeyRay I dont know how much GB your WoW Folder has, but mine sits at 25GB. Win7 ~ 20 , other Games + new ones u mentioned like maybe 30-50? Sorry but 120GB is prob the MINIMUM you should get. And all quality SSDs in that size range are above your budgetlimit. So just get some HDDs, have alot of space and be happy; its not like HDDs cant run ur system anymore since SSDs entered the market. If however you want to up ur limit -> Force 120 and nothing else bye bye

Hmm.. a tough reality, but perhaps a fair one...
I can't really justify anything more than the 60GB V2, or the 90GB A2 (which seems to not be liked at all).. so...