|
|
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
These are not *internal* SSDs, but *ExpressCard* SSDs. The largest available that I've seen is 64GB. But the whole point is that they're easy to install, as you don't need to tear your Mac apart to do it.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
I see the point of the trouble free install (changing a HD is nothing that hard by the way), but I do know something about SSDs and what really matters to measure the improvements are random read and write values (xbench isn't great but gives an idea about that), sequential results are meaningful only for file transfers, not for loading and saving stuff in a multi tasking environment. I would be afraid that those "SSDs" suffer in random writes as the first Jmicron based SSD did, with terrible performance and caused random pauses in the OS usage due to this problem.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
OK, I found a test made on this disk, but it's a bit sad: X25-M 80 GB with latest firmware (note that this drive is the best random read-write performer and one of the worst sequential write performers):
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
I have no doubt at all that an internal SSD is faster than an ExpressCard SSD. But it's also a heck of a lot more money, especially for a fast SSD like that one -- $300 vs. $165.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
It's surely nice (most ExpressCard SSDs are a lot worse than that, but good 3.5 HDs have a similar performance to the one I got for that SSD), but given the price per GB I'd absolutely go for the internal one. The labor required to install it depends on the machine, I am a lucky owner of a Late 2008 MBP Unibody so it takes me extactly 4-5 minutes to swap HD (pull one lever, loosen one screw and move 4 "pins" from the old the new hd, screw back, close), so I'd say the major advantage of using the ExpressCard is actually not having to sacrifice the other HD or DVD Writer. On other machines a lot of work is required, but in my experience is just the first time that il may look scary, otherwise it's a 10m job.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
For comparison, here is my Kingston SSD Now! 128 GB according to X-Bench:
Disk Test 72.81 Sequential 101.32 Uncached Write 115.53 70.93 MB/sec [4K blocks] Uncached Write 138.55 78.39 MB/sec [256K blocks] Uncached Read 52.34 15.32 MB/sec [4K blocks] Uncached Read 222.21 111.68 MB/sec [256K blocks] Random 56.83 Uncached Write 16.50 1.75 MB/sec [4K blocks] Uncached Write 135.07 43.24 MB/sec [256K blocks] Uncached Read 1819.53 12.89 MB/sec [4K blocks] Uncached Read 551.78 102.39 MB/sec [256K blocks] ---
vacuums do not suck. they merely provide an absence that allows other objects to take the place of what becomes absent.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
As for the possibility of "OS pauses," I've been using this one now for 48 hours, pretty much constantly, and it hasn't hiccuped a single time. Time will tell, of course, but I'm thrilled with the performance to date.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
I'm almost sure that if you use all the space on that SSD there may be performance problems in time, but I'd like to use that in my MBP for secondary virtual machines and maybe as secondary SSD, but most ExpressCArd SSDs I can find here in Italy are really terrible performers.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
64GB? and fast? and bootable? Can you elaborate?
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
The ExpressCard slot does *not* use a USB2 interface, at least based on my testing. The card I bought has a USB2 interface, and if I plug that through the USB2 port on the Mac and test, I get read/write speeds that are very low: 32MB/sec and 19MB/sec, as I recall.
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
Hi Rob,
Boot some MacBook Pros via an ExpressCard solid state drive
Agreed -- no point to do this if the card you buy is using the USB interface in the ExpressCard slot. I linked to the one I bought in the hint itself -- the 48GB FileMate drive. Buyers should do their research, though, and make sure the read/write figures for the drive reflect a true ExpressCard PCI connection, and that the drive will be bootable in their Mac. |
SearchFrom our Sponsor...Latest Mountain Lion HintsWhat's New:HintsNo new hintsComments last 2 daysNo new commentsLinks last 2 weeksNo recent new linksWhat's New in the Forums?
Hints by TopicNews from Macworld
From Our Sponsors |
|
Copyright © 2014 IDG Consumer & SMB (Privacy Policy) Contact Us All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. |
Visit other IDG sites: |
|
|
|
Created this page in 0.08 seconds |
|