Laptop hdd or ssd?

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

So I just ordered an x200 lenovo thinkpad. It comes with a 5400 rpm hdd. I'm assuming hitachi.

I plan on using the notebook for networking, learning virtual machines, linux, etc as well as going on the internet and word processing, things like that if I am studying somewhere when I'm not near my desktop.

I also plan on using win 7 pro since I only had to pay $30 for the license and I want to do networking stuff with it as well.

I don't know honestly what is the best drive to get. I want performance, but can I justify the cost of a ssd? I do own 2 SSDs right now, so I know the benefit (both ocz agility 30gig and 120gig).

I don't mind spending $240 or so on a drive, but if in reality I do not get very much performance, I'd rather have the space to dump music and run multiple OS's with a lot of room for partitions.

[Budwise]

id go SSD for sure. The performance increase is dramatic and it will improve heat and battery life as well.

[Computurd]

yes if the processor is fast enough to handle the input go with SSD!! however, it wouldn't be wise to put it on a slow lappy, like a athlon or whatever. that wouldnt be fast enough to benefit. something newer yes! you should post rig specs

[WhiteFireDragon]

i voted SSD. it's the single most useful upgrade to a decent laptop since storage is probably the bottleneck. you'll feel it being snappier since seek times are negligible. contrary to the first comment above, i wouldn't do it for the battery life. you'll only gain a few minutes at most. only downside is the size for the price. you won't be able to store a library of music for videos

[Jor3lBR]

SSD makes any laptop feel snappy as a big desktop!

[SteveRo]

I have SSDs as boot drives in all my machines, my daughters (those still at home) machines and my wife's machine.
Intel x25-m and ocz vertex (either regular or turbo) are both very good but if you can swing it, the intel x25-e is probably best (my opinion).

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Sorry for not listing specs. Its not a superfast laptop.

Intel p8600 (2.4ghz 3mb L2 cache 1066mhz bus)
2x2 gigs ddr3 1066

I don't think any other stats matter.

I've only run an ssd on an sb600 Phenom II 945 @ 3.75 ghz, so I don't know what lack of performance in comparison I'd get in a mobile rig w/ a 2.4ghz set up. I didn't go for the 2.53ghz version since it'll zap some battery life and 130mhz isn't worthy to spend an extra $60 on.

[SteveRo]

Sorry for not listing specs. Its not a superfast laptop.

Intel p8600 (2.4ghz 3mb L2 cache 1066mhz bus)
2x2 gigs ddr3 1066

I don't think any other stats matter.

I've only run an ssd on an sb600 Phenom II 945 @ 3.75 ghz, so I don't know what lack of performance in comparison I'd get in a mobile rig w/ a 2.4ghz set up. I didn't go for the 2.53ghz version since it'll zap some battery life and 130mhz isn't worthy to spend an extra $60 on.

2.4ghz/4GB mem should be plenty fast enough to notice SSD - I would go SSD with that setup.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

2.4ghz/4GB mem should be plenty fast enough to notice SSD - I would go SSD with that setup.

There's a deal on a vertex 120gig drive on newegg for $340. That's really tempting. Only about $100 more than 60gig agility.

Edit: The x-25e is just too costly @ 800 USD. I simply can't justify dropping that kind of money on a ssd while the laptop itself cost only 100 more.

[SteveRo]

Can your laptop do raid, do 32 "e" now and add another later?

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

The x200 is a very small notebook. 12.1" screen, no optical drive in sight. Just 1 2.5" drive bay.

Like I said, the extreme model just costs too much. I can't justify dropping that kind of money on a laptop drive when my desktop doesn't even have that kind of high end SLC ssd.

[SteveRo]

Looks like that 120GB vertex from the egg for 309 might be the ticket.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Looks like that 120GB vertex from the egg for 309 might be the ticket.

So I'm thinking...

Drop the vertex in my desktop. Pull the Agility and run that in the laptop.

120 gigs is enough to run Win 7, multiple versions of linux and even OSX (if I feel like being creative). I guess 15gig for win 7 + 10 for programs. Linux = at least 2 to 5 gigs per version. Say 2 or 3 versions max, so that's 15. OSX = say 10 to 15 gigs. 55 gigs total NOT including data, so I think 120 gigs is the way to go.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Well, I came home and the $310 vertex is OOS.

Do you guys think 120 is too much room? I won't be gaming or storing music/movies on the laptop itself. Win 7, OSx86, and linux is more than a 60 gig can handle with programs installed?

[Teemax]

I'd go SSD for a laptop with a simple reason: reliability, especially if you move around with your laptop frequently.