# I need some SSD advice



## sam0016 (Dec 26, 2012)

So I am looking at buying a SSD I don't know much about SSD's but they are faster that is about all I know lol and I want to get one.  The SSD I am looking at is a "60GB Intel 330 Series, 2.5" SSD, SATA III - 6Gb/s, SandForce 2281, 25nm MLC-Flas".  By the way I have done some research searching around and stuff and from what I have seen the Intel 320 Series seems to be popular on FreeBSD.  Is the one I posted good?  The Intel 330 Series, does it have good performance on UFS on FreeBSD?  This is for a desktop.  Also would it be fine to have all the system stuff root /var etc on the SSD and then mount /home on a 1TB SATA hard drive or should I keep it all on the SSD and just mount the 1TB hard drive as my main users home or something like that?  Also sorry if this gets asked a lot, I just really wanted to make sure I didn't with my graphics card and ended up having to buy a new one due to bad performance.  It was an ATI card.


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## sam0016 (Dec 26, 2012)

I cant find how to edit my thread but I forgot to add in I will be running FreeBSD 9.1.


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## wblock@ (Dec 26, 2012)

Don't buy an SSD that's too small.  Then you'll have to buy a bigger one anyway.  Happened to me, although I reused the original elsewhere.

If you're going to buy a Sandforce SSD, Intel is probably the safest one to get.  Most other OEMs just use the Sandforce firmware direct, Intel is supposed to have their own version.  Incidentally, TRIM is not always right on Sandforce, even with recent firmware: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6107/corsair-force-series-gs-240gb-review.

Some of the non-Sandforce drives have good reputations.  Crucial's M4 and the Samsung drives are popular.  I use and like the Plextor drives.

The trick is to put all the files that are frequently read on the SSD to take advantage of the speed.  Not being able to think of an elegant way to do that, I went brute-force and put everything on it.


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## wblock@ (Dec 26, 2012)

The Intel 320 series is an earlier SSD.  They use Intel's own controller.  About double the cost, about half as fast as current SSDs, but highly regarded for reliability.


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## sam0016 (Dec 26, 2012)

Maybe I will go for a other SSD then that was just the one that looked good to me also I will probably go for a 120 gig now just to be safe what are good current SSD's that work well with FreeBSD on UFS? Reliability is high priority but so is speed for me I guess I will have to do more research on OEM's I will also have a look at some Crucial's M4 and the Samsung drives right now thanks for the help by the way.


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## sam0016 (Dec 26, 2012)

Also after reading that article you posted I think I would rather not go for a SandForce.


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## wblock@ (Dec 26, 2012)

Maybe it was a typo--the original post mentioned both Intel 330 and 320 drives.  The 330 is newer, Sandforce-based.


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## sam0016 (Dec 26, 2012)

So now I am stuck between 2 drives I also had a look at Plextor SSD's and they all seem to be a bit out of my price range if I get a 120GB. The 2 drives I am stuck between now are the Crucial 128GB M4 SATA 6Gb/s and Samsung 840 Series 120GB 6Gb/s also the 320 was a typo sorry I am having trouble deciding lol.


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## wblock@ (Dec 26, 2012)

Some are on sale, so the Samsung MZ-7TD120KW, the Plextor PX-128M5S, and the CT128M4SSD2 are all within $10 of each other at Newegg right now.  The only bad thing about the Plextor is that they went to cheaper flash memory than the earlier M3 series, so it draws more power.  Still less power than a hard drive, though.


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## sam0016 (Dec 27, 2012)

I cant buy from Newegg I live in the UK and they don't post to the UK.


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## sam0016 (Dec 27, 2012)

I am going to get the Crucial 128GB M4 seems like it is good and reliable thanks for the help.


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## throAU (Dec 27, 2012)

Don't buy OCZ


As with anything you often get what you pay for.  Whatever SSD you consider, my advice would be:

- forget comparing performance unless you REALLY need the absolute fastest device you can buy - they're all FAST compared to spinning disks, even slow SSDs are "fast".
- Google for reliability reports, check the support forums for the product, etc.

IMHO, reliability in SSD land is far more important than shooting for max performance.


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