In the market for a cheap-o SSD

[Theocnoob]

I have a HP Pavilion 15-n241ca notebook. I don't know the form factor or thickness of drive it takes because I haven't taken it apart yet. It doesn't have a back door for the HDD so I'm going to have to take it apart.

I need suggestions for a cheap 120-128GB SSD. Something cheap, cheerful, and reliable. Ideally 480MB/s or higher reads. Writes don't matter to me as much, but can't be abysmal either.

Should probably keep it at 7mm just incase.

 

[freakdiablo]

Well, depends on how cheap you want to go. These are a few I saw on sale.

The 120GB Evos are on sale for $90.

An Adata SX900 for $80. The Adata drive in my HTPC has been going strong for over a year now.

And the bottom of the barrel Kingston for $60, however I believe they just moved to a lower end supplier and as you can see, the read speeds are a little lower than what you want at 450MB/s.

The Evos seem to be the go-to drives for most people these days. I looked at other manufacturers (Corsair, crucial, etc.) but didn't see many other 120gb drives in the <$100 range.

 

[wingman99]

I would purchase the Samsung 840 EVO.

 

[manu2b]

I would purchase the Samsung 840 EVO.

Same here 2X

 

[EarthDog]

Samsung 840 EVO or that ADATA is solid for 'bang for your buck' drives.

 

[Theocnoob]

Are the EVO and the SSD NOW! 7mm drives? I think I need a slim drive. I don't mind the idea of spending $60 even if the thing only pulls 450... I don't want to spend a lot of money on this laptop as it was free...

 

[EarthDog]

Yes.

 

[Theocnoob]

Yes they're 7mm? Or yes yes?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Yes they're 7mm? Or yes yes?

EarthDog gave you a link that answered your question, did you read it?

 

[EarthDog]

The EVO is 7mm as my link would confirm. The Kingston drive is also 7mm. You can confirm by looking that up at your leisure as I did not link it.

 

[Theocnoob]

EarthDog gave you a link that answered your question, did you read it?

I did check the link and didn't notice anything about it being 7mm. Sorry about that guys. I'll probably go with the cheapest POS SSD possible honestly. It's an A4 based system after all.

 

[EarthDog]

It was in the specs.

Grab this Kingston and call it a day.
http://m.newegg.com/Product/index?itemnumber=20-721-107

 

[Theocnoob]

link just took me to the newegg homepage. Whats the model of SSD?
Is it the one from earlier or is it a different one?

What about reliability issues? My intel 510 has lasted 4 years without a hiccup. Can I expect that out of a Kingston or a Samsung?

 

[EarthDog]

Yes, the one from earlier.

 

[Supertrucker]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7763/an-update-to-kingston-ssdnow-v300-a-switch-to-slower-micron-nand

I wouldn't support Kingston for doing what they did with the v300. And I certainly wouldn't pay actual real money for a v300.

 

[EarthDog]

MEH. Its what he wants. Cheap. Its $20/$30 less than the EVO.

 

[Garrett_hardy]

I tested TONS of SSd. The Samsung 840 EVO is pretty darn cheap and by far the fastest and most reliable on the market in my opinion. I just recently bought another 250gb ssd for $110. That is less than 50 cents a GB. It just slaughters all my other SSD's in reliability and speed. Plus they have good RMA process.

My first SSd was a kingston now SSD. I am very disappointed in that SSD. I have used it for 3 years or so. It performs like a normal HD the speeds are so slow. So I have stopped using it as my main drive. My samsung is doing 500-550 mb read and write. My kingston is now in the 50-100 mb read and write. Pay the extra few bucks for true SSD performance or else in a few years. You will have a regular HD out of it.

 

[Theocnoob]

Ok well if u guys think the Kingston is so bad I will get the Samsung. Who am I to argue with nerds??

 

[EarthDog]

I don't think its so bad. Im thinking that his SSD is having an issue or something...like its too full and can't TRIM properly... something. Performance shouldn't be close to a HDD if it is working properly.

But yeah, try the ADATA SX900 I believe, the oCZ vertex 460... those should all be in the same pricing ballpark.

 

[Garrett_hardy]

It's too old. But there is a lot higher chance to get a bad SSD from kingston then from samsung. Samsung also has much better support to replace in the chance it breaks. but it is only rated for 280-320mb/s read and write and the Evo is 500-500mb/s right and there is only a $10-$20 difference in them. Why not spend the extra few bucks for nearly 200% increased performance. Samsung also comes with really good SSD management software.