Solid State Storage-SSD

[big_teee]

I got the NVMe 1TB all installed, and I did take it back apart, and removed the SATA HDD.
It runs and loads fast and boot time is under 12 seconds.
The Benchmark test, which I run on any new drive, gives mixed results.
It has a very fast read, and a much slower write than expected.
It was a discount drive, and is plenty fast for my use. So I'm going to keep it.
After adding both types of SSDs, SATA, and NVMe, I think the SATA 2.5 inch Samsung 860 evo, is a better bang for the buck.
I do recommend the SSD's over the HDDs most computers come with.
It's been an interesting project, we don't always get the expected results!
Here are screenshots.



**As a side note, if I had another laptop with NVMe, I could put it in?
I would test it to see if the slow write is the computer, or SSD drive issue.
The other 3 laptops in the house only have SATA 2.5 inch drives.

[big_teee]

Thinking about another Samsung 860EVO 1TB.
Best Buy, has some refurb certified.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung...?skuId=6252149
I wonder if it would bite me to buy a refurb, or if I could save $30-40 bucks and come out OK?
T

[nickb]

I expect these are customer returns that have been tested to ensure they are OK. I would say they are as good as new.

[TomCarlos]

I too bought an SSD return at Frys - a Samsung 860EVO 1 TB in fact!!! I have used it for testing Backups and Clones. Must have formatted the thing a half dozen times - Works great!!

[big_teee]

I bought another 860 EVO 1TB, for my i5 Linux test computer, computer has 8gb of ram.
Testing Distros, I boot and reboot a lot, and the slow HD gets to be murder waiting for a bootup.
This one BenchMarks similar to the first one I bought.
No Write surprises like the budget nvme SSD I put in another laptop.
this one reads 551 MB/s, and writes 487 MB/s, see Screenshot.
It boots, including executing grub, and login screens, 14-16 seconds.
It was about 75+ seconds on the HD.
The SSD is best money spent to revitalize your computer gear!

[Leo_Gnardo]

Terry, I notice Best Buy is offering some cheap @ $300 Lenovo laptops with SSD instead of hard drives. What you think? I'm very tempted to grab one. Plus a USB "octopus" because there's only 2 USB ports on these.

[big_teee]

I was in Best Buy a couple days ago.
I saw one with a SSD, but it was a small capacity, 256gb, I think.
That would be OK, unless you have lots of pictures, schematics, etc to store.
If you can wait, until black Friday, usually lots of laptops on sale then.
I usually get a cheapie every year, on sale.
GL,
T

[Leo_Gnardo]

I was in Best Buy a couple days ago.
I saw one with a SSD, but it was a small capacity, 256gb, I think.
That would be OK, unless you have lots of pictures, schematics, etc to store.

256G = "small" capacity (?!?) Well the salesman informed me it takes 30G just for Windoze 10 OS to load, crikeys! In any case my next newest computer, a donated 10 year old Toshiba Satellite laptop, just went into "last legs" mode, and has (only) 70 G HD, I think I could get along with 256G. If I start collecting movies or something, I'll get a terabit or more external drive. At the moment I'm stumping along on an early 2000's HD mini tower running XP. That has to end soon, so I'll sail into BB with my credit card & pony up for my first new computer in 20 years. It's about time. Thanx for your advice Terry!

[big_teee]

so I'll sail into BB with my credit card & pony up for my first new computer in 20 years. It's about time.

Sounds good, whatever size you can live with.
I chop my drive into a bunch of smaller partitions, so a 256gb doesn't chop up into much.
I can get by with 500gb, but 1TB is much better.
See Screenshot.
T

[big_teee]

I misspoke!
The $300 laptops at BB, are 128gb, not 256gb.
Just wanted you to know, that is pretty small, for the size of todays software.
I couldn't deal with that.
I hope you can.
As far as using a external drive, that makes it usb driven.
That slows things way down.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/all-lap...ce%20skuidsaas
GL,
T

[big_teee]

Here's the benchmark test of the Samsung 970 EVO plus.
I have it in the new black friday Dell i5 laptop.
3.2gb read, and 756mb write.
That's about 30X times faster read, and 10X faster write, than a standard spinning Hard Drive.
T

[big_teee]

If anyone is looking for a 2.5 inch SSD drive, Here is the best deal I've seen yet on the 860 EVO 1tb.
Best Buy just dropped the price on these.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung...?skuId=6178649
I bought 2 in the past on sale for $139.99, they are now for $109.99.
IMO the Samsung 860 EVO 2.5 inch SATA SSD, has the fastest speeds, and best drive in it's class.
I have 2 of them, but don't need another at this time.
If you're in the market, I recommend the 860.
T

[Enzo]

An ignorant question: I know in traditional disc drives the number meant the diameter of the disc, at least more or less. In solid state drives, what does the 2.5 inch refer to?

[TomCarlos]

Enzo....

It is a leftover from the way we describe the hard drives in laptops. Those are typically 2.5 inches (form factor dimension). Given that, the case they come in has a standard size, just like the larger 3.5". So when you buy a 2.5" SSD, it fits in the smaller cavity. Other than that explanation, I see your point.

[big_teee]

An ignorant question: I know in traditional disc drives the number meant the diameter of the disc, at least more or less. In solid state drives, what does the 2.5 inch refer to?

It means the SSD is in a 2.5 inch encloser, and replaces, or fits in a laptop 2.5 inch HDD slot. Picture 1
Also if it is a 2.5 inch drive, that also means it is a SATA type drive, and not the newer smaller NVMe.
The new NVMe SSDs, fit a M.2 PCI/e slot, picture 2.
Most of the old desktops used a 3.5 inch Hard drive.

T