# Best SSD => 120GB =< $319 US



## Mindweaver (Aug 25, 2010)

Hey all I need a little help or a push!

 I have an Intel 40gb G2. Now I would like to update my laptop that I use mainly for work. I want to install XP on to the drive (Please no one say WHY XP you should use Win7). I plain to upgrade to Win7 down the road when some of the programs i use support Win7. 

Now for the big question! What is the best SSD greater than or equal to 120gb and under $319. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Sandforce 1200 is the latest and greatest for SSD. I'm looking for fastest read and fastest write possible for the price. And something that has XP software to use the Trim support feature. 

I have been looking at the OWC Mercury Extreme pro, but I've seen some reviews and its not the fastest. Thanks!


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## ron732 (Aug 25, 2010)

I don't think you can get TRIM support with XP. You could run Win 7 and use your legacy XP programs in Win 7 XP mode.


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## Mindweaver (Aug 25, 2010)

Sadly, I've tried Legacy XP in win7 and no go on some of them. I've been told that within the next few months there should be an update for them. But i want SSD now..lol

EDIT: Nobody? can help?.. sorry i'm impatient.. hehehe I'm looking at the G.SKILL Phoenix Pro Series FM-25S2S-120GBP2 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)


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## ron732 (Aug 25, 2010)

Have you tried running XP in a virtual machine? At work we use Oracle VirtualBox to do Red Hat Linux development on Windows XP machines. Never had any problems running Red Hat in a virtual machine. We also just started doing Android development in a virtual machine running Ubuntu. If I had Windows 7 I would try XP in a virtual machine for you but I haven't upgraded yet.


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## ebolamonkey3 (Aug 25, 2010)

You can definitely get a 120gb Agility 2 or Vertex 2 for less than $300. Crucial C300 has the highest read speed though.


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## Mindweaver (Aug 25, 2010)

Yea, I've thought about running it in a VM and I do have a few VM's on my machine now, but I don't want to share space on an SSD for 2 OS's. If i could afford a 240gb..lol maybe.. I'm also running a good number of test DB's on this machine as well.


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## ron732 (Aug 25, 2010)

There are some decent Sandforce drives under $300.

G.SKILL Phoenix Pro Series FM-25S2S-120GBP2 

Corsair Force CSSD-F120GB2-BRKT 

The Crucial C300 doesn't use the Sandforce controller and is a SATA 3 drive.


Yay! My 25th post! Got another star! LOL


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## joytime360 (Aug 26, 2010)

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1377/
more details, maybe useful for you !


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## Hayder_Master (Aug 26, 2010)

u want my advice, if u look for extreme speed and equal to 120GB also 320$ range
2xOCZ vertex 2 60GB on raid 0 , nothing better at all


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## RejZoR (Aug 26, 2010)

ron732 said:


> I don't think you can get TRIM support with XP. You could run Win 7 and use your legacy XP programs in Win 7 XP mode.



Actually with Intel SSD drives you get an on-demand TRIM tool which can also be scheduled to run daily/weekly or whatever interval you prefer. Not automatic on OS level, but it does the job.


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## GENTLEMEN (Aug 26, 2010)

hayder.master said:


> u want my advice, if u look for extreme speed and equal to 120GB also 320$ range
> 2xOCZ vertex 2 60GB on raid 0 , nothing better at all


He's using a lappy, so it may or may not support 2 drives. Single SSD would be better if the lappy can't raid.


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## a_ump (Aug 26, 2010)

A-DATA S599 AS599S-128GM-C 2.5" 128GB SATA II Inte...

A-Data, not the best known but according to it's spec's it has the great speeds. Idk how A-data does with their SSD's, but i had a set of ram from em that ran fine and still do in my bro's comp.

EDIT: saw the g.skill ones that people posted up, the phoenix Pro forsure.


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## Mindweaver (Aug 26, 2010)

I just pulled the trigger on the G.Skill Phoenix Pro with sandforce sf-1200 chip for 279.99 @ the Egg. It thought about the Intel but I couldn't drop down to 80gb and the 160 is out of my price range. I like my 40gb drive reads, but the write leaves a little to be disired. The indilinx chip is good, but I like the specs on the sandforce sf-1200 with it's dura last tech (wear leveling). 

  I've read a lot of reviews from mac users and they were good. I say mac because it doesn't support trim command like XP. I've already purchased win7 pro x64 a few weeks ago to test all the software myself, but i have one SQL server running sql 2000, and i'm worried it won't let me install query analyzer or the manager. I guess i'll see. hehehe Thanks guys for all the help!


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## $immond$ (Aug 27, 2010)

I own the G.Skill Pheonix Pro 120Gb. Pretty solid drive, I wouldn't settle for anything less that is unless you RAID 0 some Cheaper SSDs but you def lose TRIM.


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## surfingerman (Aug 27, 2010)

OHH this is GOOD, SSD prices are finally dropping like a stone, they used to just stay flat for months!!







looks like the golden age of SSD is coming, id say golden age is when 120GB costs under 120$, looks like maybe 14 months?

also anyone know if all this SSD mania, will lead to increase in ram performance,  or drop in ram prices, due to volume>? just curious would be awesome to have some 3500hmz DDR4 lol


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## $immond$ (Aug 27, 2010)

I hope within 3-5 years HD's will be phased out completely and replaced with SSDs.


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## surfingerman (Aug 28, 2010)

HDs will always have a place as long as they're cheaper than SSD's


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## $immond$ (Aug 28, 2010)

I heard that about floppies in 1995.


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## surfingerman (Aug 29, 2010)

ok smart guy, 


> I heard that about floppies in 1995.


Floopies arnt chepaer than CDs per GB, i guess i should have added in cheaper per GB,

if i could put 600MBs on a floppy for 1/2 the cost of CDs then i would probably be doing it even if it was slower, however the point is almost moot as cds are so low cost the difference is in cents which kind of defeats the price issue altogether in which case the only decision point left is convenience and performance, if a SSD cost 10$ and a HD cost $1 id buy the SSD, however were talking much larger figures

so lat me qualify my original statement that HDs will always be here while they are margin-ably cheaper than SSDs per storage volume AND their cost has not become completely trivial


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