Opinions on solid state drives?

[danbuter]

I'm just curious what the pros and cons of SSD's are, as I am kinda/maybe gonna get a netbook. I know they run quiet, and supposedly use less power, but isn't there an issue where they can only be written to so many times before bricking? I'm curious if anyone has determined how long an SSD would last under normal use. Thanks!

[LaRoza]

I'm just curious what the pros and cons of SSD's are, as I am kinda/maybe gonna get a netbook. I know they run quiet, and supposedly use less power, but isn't there an issue where they can only be written to so many times before bricking? I'm curious if anyone has determined how long an SSD would last under normal use. Thanks!

I think the limit would be less of a problem. Remember, hard disks are magnetic, they move and they fail quite often (more often than the industry would let you know).

Flash drives (Flash ROM as well) have no moving parts, are not magnetic and can handle movement easily.

The write limit isn't that big of a deal. It exists, but even on low quality flash drives, it isn't reached in practice. I would imagine an SSD would last longer than a hard drive, especially under great movement and temperate changes.

[pp.]

I think the limit would be less of a problem. Remember, hard disks are magnetic, they move and they fail quite often (more often than the industry would let you know).

Flash drives (Flash ROM as well) have no moving parts, are not magnetic and can handle movement easily.

The write limit isn't that big of a deal.

There are some flash technologies which can be written to a limited number of times. Have you got any sources which are a bit more precise as 'no big deal'?

[LaRoza]

There are some flash technologies which can be written to a limited number of times. Have you got any sources which are a bit more precise as 'no big deal'?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#Limitations

A netbook is not a file server, and shouldn't have much writing going on and a netbook probably won't be storing extremely important data, as it is a netbook and extremely portable. I wouldn't say it is no big deal for everything, and for some things it is not advisable to even consider using, but for a netbook, if it were a problem, one wouldn't be getting the netbook in the first place.

[pp.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_memory#Limitations

A netbook is not a file server, and shouldn't have much writing going on and a netbook probably won't be storing extremely important data, as it is a netbook and extremely portable. I wouldn't say it is no big deal for everything, and for some things it is not advisable to even consider using, but for a netbook, if it were a problem, one wouldn't be getting the netbook in the first place.

Cool. I think I'm going to buy that netbook, after all.

[LaRoza]

Cool. I think I'm going to buy that netbook, after all.

I just ordered (right before posting this) the Dell 9...

I can't wait, although I must, therefore, I will.

I got the Ubuntu one, with upgraded RAM and the cheaper webcam (might as well, the prices weren't high). I kept the 4 GB drive though. No need to have a big drive on a netbook, Opera won't be that big.

(I am selling the iBook, so anyone keeping tabs, I won't have five computers)

[C.S.Cameron]

I've bricked two flash drives, by repeatedly formatting in windows then gparted.
Even at that the warranties worked.
In two years I've never bricked one by normal use.

[MadsRH]

I want a Intel's X25-M solid-state drive:
http://techreport.com/articles.x/15433/1
but I don't want to pay for it ;-)

//MadsRH

[zekopeko]

very positive.

[mips]

Not all SSDs are the same or use the same technology so be careful how you rate them.

SSDs are based on either Flash or DRAM technology. DRAM based SSDs will outperform flash based SSDs in read/write speeds any day.

They both have their pros and cons though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive

Build your own external DRAM based SSD:
http://hardwareforall.com/index.html?WinLIKE_Deep=%22var%20j=new%20WinLIKE.w indow(%27%27,235,170,740,1000,10);j.Nam=%27main%27 ;j.Ski=%27zero%27;j.Adr=%27ww/serverRAMdisk.html%27;WinLIKE.addwindow(j,true);%2 2