Should I get the Intel X25-V 40GB SSD?

[AVJunkie]

I think the 40GB drives show awesome results, especially in the random IOPS area, and the price seems right.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the Intel x25-M 160gb (SSDSA2MH160G2) and the Kingston branded drive (SNM225-S2)? The Kingston is A$100 cheaper and you get a usb enclosure for your old drive as well Acronis software (not that I actually want the use software). Just wondering how kingston could offer the same drive for so much less.....or is it not the same drive???

 

[Emulex]

kingston drive is phased - you probably looking at open box/refurb or something.

 

[AVJunkie]

kingston drive is phased - you probably looking at open box/refurb or something.

How can that be....refurb??? kingston advertises the intel drive on their website....refurb?!?!

what do you mean by "phased"

 

[rivethead]

Besides no noise, SSDs also:

-produce no heat
-are lighter
-much more durable
-use less energy (not 100% sure on that...just something I've read but never seen quantified).

 

[Emulex]

since intel x2-v is direct competition to kingston 40gb they will move to 30gb to compete with ocz. so the original product is end of line. just because its on their website doesn't mean they haven't moved on to better/smaller ?

 

[rivethead]

I don't think Intel is in direct competition with Kingston anymore. The Kingston 40GB SSD is dead as a product now.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

since intel x2-v is direct competition to kingston 40gb they will move to 30gb to compete with ocz. so the original product is end of line. just because its on their website doesn't mean they haven't moved on to better/smaller ?

How can Intel be a competitor of the Kingston when Intel makes the Kingstons? (get it? Kingston pays Intel for each Kingston SSD sold.)

 

[Emulex]

because intel has a big say in where their chips go namely the controller. and how it will be used. kingston can't sell the X25-V for less - it just doesn't make sense when intel can't keep stock on their own goods in the channel. 30GB is a loser size for just about everyone except raid-0 imo. 40gb you can run a business pc or laptop off with another drive for mass storage if necessary. 30gb - hard to rock out with that.

 

[shiznit]

I am about to order this drive, it should be perfect for me. Reads are almost as fast as the 80/160s and I don't really care about writes. The kingston version is a bit cheaper but it's a hastle to get Intel's firmware and utilities to work. After I vlite windows 7 there should be plenty of room for the OS and my everyday applications, I'll just install games to my Raptor as access times don't really matter once the level is loaded. I would love to have the 80gb but $280 is too much for me right now and by the time I can afford more Intel should be able to get TRIM working with RAID0 and I'll just get another 40.

 

[Emulex]

i am really impressed by the x25-v throughput (read) its stupid fast. go for it. if you don't like it probably sell it for near same cost.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

@shiznit - I am of the same mind regarding timing vs. cost and paying a little more $ for Intel firmware. I'm interested in knowing how much is shaved off with vlite. I already activated my Win 7 copy, so I don't think I can reinstall, or can I? I think Win 7 x64 took up about 19 gigs on my X25-V right after install, for a point of reference.

 

[shiznit]

@shiznit - I am of the same mind regarding timing vs. cost and paying a little more $ for Intel firmware. I'm interested in knowing how much is shaved off with vlite. I already activated my Win 7 copy, so I don't think I can reinstall, or can I? I think Win 7 x64 took up about 19 gigs on my X25-V right after install, for a point of reference.

you can reinstall it again and re-activate. you can't exactly just vlite it, it's more complicated now but if you go to the vlite forum there are guides on how to get it done. I don't fully understand it all yet but I'm reading and asking questions now so I'm ready when I order the drive. This thread has been most helpful: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=137765. It's relatively simple but it seems to me the batch file removes some things I want to keep, I'm waiting for someone there to clarify. Either way, you should be able to conservatively cut your W7 in half and more if you remove other things.

I also might hold out a couple weeks to see if that 60GB Agility drops to $130 again, that would let me put one or two key games on the driver.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

you can reinstall it again and re-activate. you can't exactly just vlite it, it's more complicated now but if you go to the vlite forum there are guides on how to get it done. I don't fully understand it all yet but I'm reading and asking questions now so I'm ready when I order the drive. This thread has been most helpful: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=137765. It's relatively simple but it seems to me the batch file removes some things I want to keep, I'm waiting for someone there to clarify. Either way, you should be able to conservatively cut your W7 in half and more if you remove other things.

I also might hold out a couple weeks to see if that 60GB Agility drops to $130 again, that would let me put one or two key games on the driver.

I'll def check out that link. Yeah, I have an nLite'd XP disc that I made. It was easy really. I uninstalled some windows 7 components that I don't want, but I think, like in XP, windows copies a lot of CAB files that aren't necessary.

 

[shiznit]

Not to derail the thread but the Agility 60GB is $129 AR at newegg, I couldn't resist.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

Not to derail the thread but the Agility 60GB is $129 AR at newegg, I couldn't resist.

And $99 for the 30GB version which is gimped out. Good luck with those OCZ rebates.

 

[shiznit]

yea if I don't get it I will raise hell, they seem to be pretty aware of their feedback there. It should hold me over until I can afford the Intel 80 or something better comes out.

 

[ChaiBabbaChai]

yea if I don't get it I will raise hell, they seem to be pretty aware of their feedback there. It should hold me over until I can afford the Intel 80 or something better comes out.

If I'm not dead & bloated by the time an affordable SATA 3.0 SSD comes out of Intel's labs then I'll take that thought to the bank.

 

[shiznit]

I figured out the vLite process for Windows 7, if you guys need help doing it so you can save room on this ssd pm me.

 

[TXAngel08]

All I can offer is my personal experience.

Last week I took NewEgg up on their combo deal for a 160GB G2-M & 40GB G2-V Intel drive ($549 for both, free shipping). The 160GB went into my desktop the 40GB went into my laptop.

Wow...

All I can say...

I've upgraded, built, etc. so many computers over the years, it isn't funny... This is hands down, the single biggest upgrade I can think of since my very first hard drive in the 80's (30MB, before that it was a pair of 160KB 5.25" floppy drives).

For a few hundred bucks, my computer just got 50 times faster anytime it needs the hard drive. No CPU/GPU/Memory upgrade has ever done that.

Windows 7 boots in 20 seconds from power button to complete desktop, shuts down in 5 seconds flat. It installed Windows 7 in less than 5 minutes from 1st USB memory stick boot to finished desktop, including all reboots. Office 2007 SP2 installed so fast, I thought it failed. Didn't time it, but it felt like it was less than a minute.

Game launch time is MUCH faster than before. First game I fired up was Mass Effect 2, at least 3 times faster to get into it, no lag or loading time or stutter. Other programs like Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Office 2007, almost instant.

It isn't about benchmarks, they don't do it justice. It is like the difference between a single core and a dual core CPU, the whole system is just, snappier, more responsive. All the lag is gone from the system. The single slowest part of my computer is now gone, and it is noticeable.

The little lags here and there, the pauses anytime the system touches the hard drive are gone. I have other computers with hard drives still in them, it is almost painful. I expect that after awhile, I'll end up with SSDs in everything because once you've experienced it, you just can't go back.

These are expensive, to be sure. Anand is not kidding when he says this is the single best upgrade you can do to your system.

The laptop is a Dell Vostro 1720. It had a 320GB 7,200 RPM hard drive in it (now the second drive). Installed Windows 7 clean on the 40GB Intel drive. Hibernate is now USEFUL... It comes in and out of sleep fast. It isn't as fast as the 160GB drive, but it is close enough, and it is a bigger overall improvement because the hard drive in my desktop was so much faster than the laptop drive.

The real proof is this, if I had it to do over again, would I spend the $549 again? Yes, every day of the week and twice on Sunday... Wish I had done it last year when I first installed Windows 7, it is worth every penny if you can afford it (not everyone can, I understand that)... Hard drives cannot go away fast enough.

 

[Seven]

What's going with Intel rebranded SSDs? Why is Intel doing this? Kingston first and now A-DATA?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...7;2080gb%20ssd

 

[Makaveli]

Its probably to hit lower prices points, Kingston and A-data still pay intel per drive sold and its there tech in these SSD's.

They can keep the higher margin on their own branded stuff, then let these guys sell cheaper versions and still make money off it.

 

[lbjgh]

My sentiments exactly... you nailed my impression of the upgrade as well... most impressive performance boost yet.

All I can offer is my personal experience.

Last week I took NewEgg up on their combo deal for a 160GB G2-M & 40GB G2-V Intel drive ($549 for both, free shipping). The 160GB went into my desktop the 40GB went into my laptop.

Wow...

All I can say...

I've upgraded, built, etc. so many computers over the years, it isn't funny... This is hands down, the single biggest upgrade I can think of since my very first hard drive in the 80's (30MB, before that it was a pair of 160KB 5.25" floppy drives).

For a few hundred bucks, my computer just got 50 times faster anytime it needs the hard drive. No CPU/GPU/Memory upgrade has ever done that.

Windows 7 boots in 20 seconds from power button to complete desktop, shuts down in 5 seconds flat. It installed Windows 7 in less than 5 minutes from 1st USB memory stick boot to finished desktop, including all reboots. Office 2007 SP2 installed so fast, I thought it failed. Didn't time it, but it felt like it was less than a minute.

Game launch time is MUCH faster than before. First game I fired up was Mass Effect 2, at least 3 times faster to get into it, no lag or loading time or stutter. Other programs like Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Office 2007, almost instant.

It isn't about benchmarks, they don't do it justice. It is like the difference between a single core and a dual core CPU, the whole system is just, snappier, more responsive. All the lag is gone from the system. The single slowest part of my computer is now gone, and it is noticeable.

The little lags here and there, the pauses anytime the system touches the hard drive are gone. I have other computers with hard drives still in them, it is almost painful. I expect that after awhile, I'll end up with SSDs in everything because once you've experienced it, you just can't go back.

These are expensive, to be sure. Anand is not kidding when he says this is the single best upgrade you can do to your system.

The laptop is a Dell Vostro 1720. It had a 320GB 7,200 RPM hard drive in it (now the second drive). Installed Windows 7 clean on the 40GB Intel drive. Hibernate is now USEFUL... It comes in and out of sleep fast. It isn't as fast as the 160GB drive, but it is close enough, and it is a bigger overall improvement because the hard drive in my desktop was so much faster than the laptop drive.

The real proof is this, if I had it to do over again, would I spend the $549 again? Yes, every day of the week and twice on Sunday... Wish I had done it last year when I first installed Windows 7, it is worth every penny if you can afford it (not everyone can, I understand that)... Hard drives cannot go away fast enough.