New Intel SSD drives are in!!!

[Sunday Ironfoot]

They're available in the UK at overclockers http://www.overclockers.co.uk/...1&catid=14&subcat=1427 though only the 160GB models

I've just bought one (160GB), will be installing Windows 7 RTM and doing some benchmarks over the weekend

 

[AbRASiON]

Fixed firmware or original?

 

[Sunday Ironfoot]

Originally posted by: AbRASiON
Fixed firmware or original?

Original one, I won't be setting a password for it

 

[AbRASiON]

Man I want them to COME OUT ALREADY I wanna re-install windows SEVEN

 

[IntelUser2000]

Did you guys hear Intel got the fixed BIOS and it'll be released by end of this week??

 

[taltamir]

Originally posted by: IntelUser2000
Did you guys hear Intel got the fixed BIOS and it'll be released by end of this week??

unless they find a new bug. they are currently testing it for stability.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Originally posted by: taltamir
speaking of silent computing... what do you do for a video card? my GTX260 is too noisy. But AFAIK the other performance cards are noiser or just as noisy...

There are aftermarket coolers for GTX series, but all of them are rather expensive, expect to pay around $50.

As far as I know there are 3 makers for aftermarket GTX heatsinks
-Thermalright
-Arctic Cooling
-SilenX

I've got SilenX one because when I bought mine Arctic Cooling wasn't available and I didn't want to go with Thermalright.

 

[taltamir]

ouch, i really wish that hybrid GPU power wasn't murdered in the cradle...

 

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: taltamir
speaking of silent computing... what do you do for a video card? my GTX260 is too noisy. But AFAIK the other performance cards are noiser or just as noisy...

HIS makes some impressive passively cooled video cards.
I'm using one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814161272

One downside is the heatsink on the back is actually larger than the card, and completely covers another slot.

 

[taltamir]

i dont think it will fit in my case.

 

[Denithor]

Does the Win7 now available through Technet come with TRIM enabled?

Does that mean Intel will get off their ass and release the promised firmware to enable this feature on these drives?

And how long after they do will drives with that preloaded show up at the online retailers?

 

[jkresh]

Denithor, intel need to get the fixed firmware out (bios password) so the drives can start shipping again, I would assume that the Trim firmware will be out before windows 7 hits retail but probably not that early (doesnt really mater until then as the # of people on technet/msdn or who got free keys because of the beta his reltaively small and all of them should be more then comfortable with installing the new firmware on the drives when it is ready.

 

[taltamir]

win7 RC has had trim, so does every later version like the technet. it needs the SSD to have it enabled too, and intel says its ready, but not to be released until windows 7 hits retail in october.

 

[AbRASiON]

Intel - pretty weak move to be honest, just release it now, jeez.

 

[jimhsu]

SSD observations after a week:

It's strange, but I think I'm actually CPU limited again (I have a E8400 dual core). When dumping two 100MB sql databases simultaneously, the SSD barely even cared (queue length ~ 0.5) but system ground to a halt. I looked in task manager, and both of my cores remained stuck at 100%. Response times improved when I set process priority to low.

In fact I'll say this: A good SSD justifies a quad core system - it just multitasks that well.

 

[AbRASiON]

That's a good thing!
I just want snappy windows and game loads!

 

[jimhsu]

Also on windows startup, both of my cores flatline at 100%. I can immediately start firefox though, and it loads in 3 seconds along with everything else in startup. Never seen that before with a hard disk.

/marks down i7 for next upgrade

 

[Cookie Monster]

Cant wait til my G2 drive arrives (end of this month due to firmware issues :/)

 

[AbRASiON]

End of the month? where from?

 

[Cookie Monster]

New Zealand if you know where that is

Its on pre order at the shop I get my hardware from, but they told me that i wont get my SSD til the end of this month. Firmware should be out this week or the next.

 

[AbRASiON]

I'm in Melbourne, I know where it is.
I'm hoping to import 2 of them from newegg, an 80 and a 160.

 

[rcpratt]

Originally posted by: jimhsu
Also on windows startup, both of my cores flatline at 100%. I can immediately start firefox though, and it loads in 3 seconds along with everything else in startup. Never seen that before with a hard disk.

/marks down i7 for next upgrade

My i7 dances around 40-60% (all 8 threads) for about two seconds in that situation. hehe.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Originally posted by: AbRASiON
I'm in Melbourne, I know where it is.
I'm hoping to import 2 of them from newegg, an 80 and a 160.

Doesn't any retailers at Aus have G2s on pre-order? importing could cost quite a fair bit on shipping alone.

 

[AbRASiON]

Markup / bastard tax in Australia is excessively high, almost always cheaper to import if you have a US contact
160gb G1 is about 750$ US at the moment!

 

[AbRASiON]

Still set to a 28'th date on Newegg and no final review from AT to boot!