Which Solid State Hard Drive should I buy?

Which Solid State Hard Drive should I buy?Not all SSDs(Solid State Drives) give the same performance so here are some good and bad, listed by controller chip used plus drives that use the controller.

Best SSDs to buy
These are all known good SSDs that give reasonably high performance and are resilient to performance degradation. The most popular ones are listed first.

DISCLAIMER: This is just a list for performance. If you want a problem free drive the best choice would probably be the older generation Intel G2 (purchased new). New Intel 320 has a firmware bug. New SandForce drives ALWAYS have firmware bugs. Heck, older SandForce still have firmware bugs (AFAIK occasional wake from S3 bug was not 100% fixed). And of course OCZ drives should always make the buyer wary, due to the volume of complaints. Also, most (but not necessarily all) problems are discovered and fixed within the first 6 months of the release of a drive model. If you don’t want to pay to be a beta tester, don’t buy a drive that is brand new on the market.

SandForce SF2200/SF2500 series controller based drives
OCZ Vertex 3, Vertex 3 Pro, Agility 3, Solid 3
OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G
Corsair Force Series 3, Force GT
Marvell controller based drives
Micron C400
Crucial m4
Micron C300
Crucial RealSSD
Intel 510
Plextor PX-M2
Corsair Performance 3
Intel controller based drives (oldest G1 doesn’t have Trim support)
Intel 320
Intel 311 (Larsen Creek, AKA the 20GB SLC for SSD caching)
Intel 310 (mSATA form factor)
Intel X18-M, X25-V and X25-M (look for “G2” after capacity in part number)
A-Data ASINTS series (Intel G2)
Kingston 40GB V Series (pseudo G2, no Trim firmware from Kingston but may be capable of cross-flashing Intel firmware with Trim)
Intel X18-M, X25-M and X25-E (look for “G1″ after capacity in part number)
Kingston SSDNow M series and E series (straight rebrands of Intel G1 drives?)
Dane Elec SSD kits (uses Intel X18-M and X25-M G1 drives)
SandForce SF1200/SF1222/SF1500 controller based drives
(Currently one of the top controllers to get, yes Trim is supported, very good on compressible data)
OCZ Vertex 2, Agility 2, Vertex LE, Vertex 2 Pro, Colossus 2
Corsair Force
OWC Mercury Extreme
Mushkin Enhanced Callisto Deluxe
Mushkin Enhanced Callisto DX2 (uncapped IOPS version?)
G.Skill Phoenix, Phoenix Evo, Phoenix Pro, Sniper Gaming
Patriot Inferno
A-DATA S599
Micro Center G2 Series (A-DATA S599 rebrand)
Indilinx Martini controller
OCZ Vertex Plus
Samsung 2nd gen controller based drives
Samsung 470 series
Corsair P256
Toshiba T6UG1XBG controller
(Trim is supported, very aggressive garbage collection so works well with OS or controllers that don’t support Trim)
Kingston SSDNow V+100 series (note the + in name, different controller than V 100, newer firmware than older V+)
Kingston SSDNow V+180 (1.8” version)
Kingston SSDNow V+100E (full disk encryption)

Best SSDs to buy for operating systems that do not have Trim support –
This means YOU with the WinXP/OSX/etc
(Trim currently requires Windows 7 and a SATA controller that supports AHCI mode)
Kingston SSDNow V+100 (Toshiba T6UG1XBG, same as Macbook Air)
Intel SSDs
Sandforce controller SSDs

Not as good SSDs to buy
Not as good as the best, but still better than spindle drives and decent choices if price is right. Translation: If it is significantly cheaper than the “good” SSDs.
Indilinx Barefoot controller (DEMOTED – was good except newer controllers got better)
OCZ Vertex, Agility, Solid 2, Vertex Turbo, Agility EX, Vertex EX, Vertex Mac Edition, Colossus, Z-Drive, Colossus LT
Patriot Torqx
Super Talent UltraDrive ME, GX, LE
Corsair Nova, Extreme
Crucial M225
G.Skill Falcon, Falcon II
Imation M-Class
A-Data Nobility
newer Jmicron controller (JMF618/612)
WD Silicon Blue
A-DATA S596 Turbo
Patriot TorqX TRB (JMF616, 32MB version half channels/writes)
Kingston SSDNow V series (JMF618, except 30GB model)
Kingston SSDNow V 100 series (JMF618, no + in name)
Toshiba T6UG1XBG controller (maybe a rebranded “new” Jmicron)
Kingston SSDNow V+ series
Kingston SSDNow V series 30GB (only this size)
newer Samsung RBB controller
(mediocre performance, hit/miss on Trim support)
Samsung PM800, SS805
OCZ Summit
Super Talent MasterDrive SX
Kingston SSDNow V+ series (older ones)
Corsair P series
Phison
Patriot TorqX 2
Patriot PS-100

Do not buy
Indilinx Amigo controller
(slow/crippled version of Indilinx Barefoot controller, meant to be really inexpensive not really fast, regular Indilinx got demoted so Amigo gets demoted too)
OCZ Onyx
older Jmicron controller (JMF602, JMF602B, JMF602B x2)
(huge performance problems, no Trim, terrible random writes)
OCZ Core, Apex, Solid, Core V2
Super Talent MasterDrive RX, PX, OX
G.Skill Titan
Kingston SSDNow V series (older ones)
older Samsung controller
(just bad performance all-around, no Trim)
many OEM SSDs found in name brand notebook computers in years past
Samsung FlashSSD
Corsair S series
G.Skill FlashSSD
Plextor (except latest PX-M2)

PCIe card SSDs
These get their own section for now. They come with some caveats that they are incompatible with some motherboards, and of course can’t be used in a notebook. However, if you are looking for huge capacities with huge performance and have the huge wallet to afford them, these are the ones to get.

OCZ RevoDrive (PCIe x4, twin SandForce 1200 in internal RAID)
OCZ RevoDrive 2 (PCIe x4, quad SandForce 1200 in internal RAID)
OCZ Z-Drive (PCIe x8, quad Indilinx Barefoot in internal RAID)
OCZ Z-Drive R2 (PCIe x8, eight Indilinx? Barefoot? in internal RAID, using removable NAND modules that look like SODIMMs)
OCZ IBIS (PCIe x4-to-HSDL controller, basically HSDL is like a PCIe x4 connector using a cable, the “drive” is a quad SandForce 1200 in internal RAID that looks like a normal 3.5″ HDD with an HSDL connector)

Related Links: Top 20 Most Popular Solid State Hard Drive on Amazon.com

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What Are SSD-Optimized File Systems?

SSD-Optimized File SystemsPrior to SSDs, or solid state drives, all data was stored on magnetic spinning hard disk drives (HDDs). Many computers still have HDDs, but this is changing due to the better performance of SSDs. For instance, HDDs have moving parts, are more susceptible to breakage, are louder, heavier, and provide irregular performance when it comes to accessing data. SSDs fix all of those problems.

A cheap example of a solid-state drive is a thumb drive used to store a gigabyte or two of data. It is becoming more and more cost-effective to create larger SSDs to hold data due to their increased speed and performance. However, there is one problem: SSDs typically don’t last as long as HDDs unless the file system is optimized to accommodate them. They can’t handle as many write/erase functions as HDDs, meaning they don’t last as long. If an SSD is being used as a hard drive, files may be written and erased hundreds of times per day, making it necessary for operating systems to take certain precautions for solid-state drives.

If a file system is optimized to work with solid-state drives, the SSD can last as long as a hard disk drive of similar caliber. As more and more netbooks and computers are being built with SSD file storage hardware, it is becoming more and more necessary for the operating systems on these machines to have SSD-optimized file systems.

Who Are SSD-Optimized File Systems For?

Anyone whose machine uses a solid-state drive such as people involved with web hosting, streaming video, equities trading or another high-data-volume pursuit should be sure that they have a SSD and that their file system is optimized. While few netbooks, laptops and desktop computers produced for mass consumption have solid-state data drive hardware, there are several notable ones. These include:

* Asus Eee PC
* MacBook Air
* Lenovo Thinkpad
* Toshiba Portege R600
* Intel X-25E Extreme

As you can see, these include both low-end netbooks and high-priced laptops. As SSDs become less expensive to produce, analysts predict that more new computers will use SSD hardware. Many a dedicated server may also use SSD file storage due to the increased need for speed. Readers should check with their computers’ manufacturers to see if their machine uses an SSD file storage system, and should optimize their file systems accordingly. Non-optimized file systems run the risk of burning out the SSD prematurely, making it impossible to write or erase data and necessitating the purchase of new hardware.

Advantages of SSD-Optimized File Systems

* Operating system’s processes are better suited to solid state drives
* Make SSD hardware last longer

Disadvantages of SSD-Optimized File Systems

* May require an upgrade

Examples

The following operating systems represent SSD-optimized options you can take if you want to ensure that your system is its most efficient.

* Windows 7
* Sun Microsystems ZFS
* FreeBSD
* A variety of Linux systems
* Mac OS X 10.7

Conclusion

As stated before, not everyone needs to have SSD file storage. Currently, SSDs are still about ten times as expensive as comparable HDDs, though their performance improvement is arguably enough to offset the cost. As costs go down, more and more systems will be built with SSD hardware.

Given the fact that the big two OS providers, Apple and Microsoft, are switching to SSD-optimized file systems for their flagship products, many people won’t even have to worry about having an SSD-optimized system in the future. However, if you are still using an older operating system but plan to upgrade to newer file storage hardware, you should definitely consider switching to an SSD-optimized file system as well. Solid state may be on the horizon for mass consumption, but it is not yet fully here.

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Useful Solid State Drive Articles

Useful Solid State Drive ArticlesSolid State Drive Buyer’s Guide
Should you consider upgrading to a solid state drive? Weigh all the pros and cons and evaluate the cost and value of doing so by reading this guide.

The Ins And Outs Of Solid State Storage
The benefits introduced by solid state drives are undeniable. However, there are a few pitfalls to consider when switching to this latest storage technology. This article provides a rundown for beginners and decision makers.

17 SSDs Rounded Up
Which SSD should you buy today? Seventeen flash-based drives battle across a benchmark suite that include throughput, I/O performance, consistency, power consumption, efficiency, and the best overall bang for the buck. The time is right to upgrade.

A look at the NAND itself. How an SSD works at the lowest levels:

http://www.lostcircuits.com/mambo/ […] 9&Itemid=1
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/ […] hp?t=65372

Write caching, wear levelling and the importance of partition alignment:

http://www.lostcircuits.com/mambo/ […] 2&Itemid=1

A broad overview of everything SSD (including TRIM):

http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3531
http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631 (A follow-up of the previous Anandtech article. Touches on a few more details, but it’s more of a review of OCZ drives than a good overview of SSDs. Worth reading if your SSD has an Indillinx controller.)

More links will be added here when I find them or when somebody else points me to them.

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Top 20 Most Popular Solid State Hard Drive on Amazon.com

Solid State Hard Drive A solid-state hard drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive interface, thus easily replacing it in most applications. An SSD using SRAM or DRAM (instead of flash memory) is often called a RAM-drive, not to be confused with a RAM disk.

The original usage of the term solid-state (from solid-state physics) refers to the use of semiconductor devices rather than electron tubes, but in this context, has been adopted to distinguish solid-state electronics from electromechanical devices as well. With no moving parts, solid-state drives are less fragile than hard disks and are also silent (unless a cooling fan is used); as there are no mechanical delays, they usually enjoy low access time and latency.

See More: Solid-State Hard Drive

Popular Manufacturers: Intel, Super Talent, OCZ Technology

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Solid-State Hard Drive

What is Solid-State Hard Drive?

A solid-state hard drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent data. An SSD emulates a hard disk drive interface, thus easily replacing it in most applications. An SSD using SRAM or DRAM (instead of flash memory) is often called a RAM-drive, not to be confused with a RAM disk.

The original usage of the term solid-state (from solid-state physics) refers to the use of semiconductor devices rather than electron tubes, but in this context, has been adopted to distinguish solid-state electronics from electromechanical devices as well. With no moving parts, solid-state drives are less fragile than hard disks and are also silent (unless a cooling fan is used); as there are no mechanical delays, they usually enjoy low access time and latency.

Features

A solid-state hard drive (SSD) is a drive that has no moving parts and is therefore virtually silent in operation. SSDs can achieve this by using semiconductors to store memory instead of a magnetic surface like traditional hard drives. Although commonly recognizable as thumb drives or travel drives, there are also larger-capacity SSDs that can be used as main boot drives. Solid-state drives also allow for accelerated access to files and applications, allowing for increased overall performance for a computer.

Comparison to Hard Disk Drives

Hard disk drives (HDD) are bulkier and slower than SSDs. This is because the HDDs have moving parts that need to start spinning to access information. Although the time it takes for access may not be long at all, a SSD provides nearly instant data access. The time difference can be especially notable during startup.
Hard disk drives are more prone to failure than SSDs. Dust can get into the drive, or the spinning part can become faulty. Because SSDs can be designed to be airtight and because there are no moving parts, SSDs are not prone to these problems.
As of 2009, the cost of solid-state drives was high. HDDs with 10 times the capacity of solid-state drives could be purchased for a fraction of the cost.

Benefits to Laptops

One of the main benefits for SSDs is its application in laptops. The physical size of SSDs is smaller than HDDs. Also, the SSD’s faster memory access means faster overall performance. The result is a more portable, compact laptop that does not necessarily sacrifice performance.

Misconceptions

Because of the SSD’s nearly instant data access, there is a conception that the drive would cause the computer to be more efficient not only in terms of data access, but also in terms of energy consumption. Although the drive itself may be more efficient than a hard disk drive, the bottleneck that a computer experiences when pulling or writing to a HDD is removed with a SSD. The result is that the computer is able to process information quicker, causing other components such as the processor to be more active. Thus, although drive efficiency may improve in the future, in 2009, there is not a clear result as to whether the drives produce energy savings.

Speculation

Although in 2009 solid-state drives are expensive and limited by capacity, as with other drives, that will change. Hard disk drives used to be about $1 for every gigabyte of capacity. Currently, there are some 1 terabyte drives for less than $100. In the same way, as production costs drop and sales rise, the cost of a SSD will start to fall. Likewise, as manufacturers make better drives, capacity will increase. In the future, most computers may be using SSDs.

How Do Solid-State Hard Drives Work?

  1. Unlike magnetic hard drives, solid state hard drives have no moving parts and do not rely on magnetic fields to store data. Because they use electrical current, rather than motors and magnets, to store data, they can access data noiselessly and with less power consumption. Solid state drives are also not subject to the same physical damage from impacts or large magnetic forces, making them suitable for mobile computers.
  2. Solid state hard drives use a series of transistors, pieces of silicone and semiconductors to transfer the electrical current. Each piece is microscopic and can be affected by the transfer of a few electrons. Like all data storage, solid state drives use binary, a series of 1s and 0s, to represent data. A 0 is represented by a transistor that cannot accept an electrical current, while a 1 is represented by one that allows the flow of electricity.
  3. A blank drive, or a blank section of the drive, is denoted by all 1s. All transistors in this section will allow the free flow of current. When data is recorded, voltage is applied to one piece of silicone, known as the control gate. This process transfers electrons to another piece, the floating gate. When the floating gate is filled with electrons, current will not pass through it and the drive reads it as a 0.
  4. As you write or delete data from the drive, the information is converted by the program to binary data. This is sent to the drive’s writing center, where it is converted to electrical currents and used to realign the transistors. To read data, the read center of the drive sends a current through the portion that holds the data to be read and returns the sequence of 1s and 0s. This sequence is sent to the program and presented as information you can read.
  5. The writing process of solid state drives offers several benefits, such as the ability to use the drive while in motion, but the technology is subject to limitations. Most notably, each transistor can only be written to a certain number of times before it will no longer function. Each drive employs advanced methods, known as wear leveling, to prevent a particular section of the drive from premature wear. Even with wear leveling, solid state drives eventually need to be replaced as sections become unwritable.
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Western Digital Enters Solid State Drive Market

western digital Western Digital, a world leader in hard drive storage for computing and consumer electronics applications, announced that it has completed a $65 million cash acquisition of SiliconSystems, Inc., Aliso Viejo, Calif., a leading supplier of solid state drives for the embedded systems market.

Since its inception in 2002, SiliconSystems has sold millions of SiliconDrive® products to meet the high performance, industrial, embedded-computing, medical, military and aerospace markets. These markets accounted for approximately one third of worldwide solid-state drive revenues in 2008. SiliconSystems’ product portfolio includes solid-state drives with SATA, EIDE, PC Card, USB and CF interfaces in 2.5-inch, 1.8-inch, CF and other form factors. SiliconSystems has developed extensive intellectual property to address the stringent embedded systems market requirements to ensure data integrity, eliminate unscheduled downtime, protect application data and software and provide for data security and protection through its patented and patent-pending PowerArmor®, SiSMART®, SolidStor® and SiSecure™ technologies.

WD’s storage industry leadership, worldwide infrastructure, and technical and financial resources will enable further growth in SiliconSystems’ existing markets and customer relationships. SiliconSystems’ intellectual property and technical expertise will provide additional building blocks for future products to address emerging opportunities in WD’s existing markets.

“We are delighted to have the SiliconSystems team join WD,” said John Coyne, president and CEO of WD. “The combination will be modestly accretive to revenue and margins as a result of SiliconSystems’ existing position as a trusted supplier to the well-established $400 million market for embedded solid-state drives. SiliconSystems’ intellectual property and technical expertise will significantly accelerate WD’s solid-state drive development programs for the netbook, client and enterprise markets, providing greater choice for our customers to satisfy all their storage requirements.”

Integration into WD begins immediately, with SiliconSystems now becoming known as the WD Solid-State Storage business unit, complementing WD’s existing Branded Products, Client Storage, Consumer Storage and Enterprise Storage business units.

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Flash memory data recovery and solid state hard drive design Info

Information presented by Scott Moulton about Flash Memory data recovery and Solid State Hard Drive Design. How to rebuild and do data recoveries and fix hard drives yourself for fun or business. Enjoy saving your data.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj_81H-yC3k

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8evK3SehMw0

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02VokYmWOGA

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZCI6x0x0Yg

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz6bBD6mBbQ

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk0M3klxLog

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