Don't think it's worth it for you to use 3 seagate momentus XT.
Getting 3x Samsung F3 1TB is a much better investment. You can RAID 2 of them and the other use it as an extra backup.

Performance difference between them is pretty much non-existant, as I assume you're using it for data purposes.

The 830 hasn't been out long enough to comment on reliability issues.
But judging from Samsung's history, their 470 series was about as reliable as Intel's.

They do place reliability above all else.

This seller claims to have local warranty for Crucial M4 though:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...6393&hl=crucial

The very normal example of marketting hype and tactics.
Just simply basing an SSD performance on read/write speeds is honestly, one of the worst ways to compare performances.

There are alot of other variables.
The Vertex 3 and Intel 520 are SF-based drives, obviously under incompressible data they're faster.
When it comes to compressed data, you'd see they drop more than half of their advertised speed, where as the Marvell based or Samsung's own controllers doesn't change its performance much (if at all, really in real-world situations I'd be surprised you can notice it).

Do more research on SSDs.
They're just like CPUs in-terms of marketing "the more the better" doesn't mean it really is faster.



Read this: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/sata-6...3gbps,3110.html

Summary:
It doesn't matter if you slot a SATAIII SSD into a SATAII only port, you'll lose performance but it isn't enough to sway you away because a SATA2 and SATA3 SSD price deficit is rather minimal these days.

I wouldn't say SF based drives are the best?
They're the fastest, that's a given... but honestly, I'd still take the Samsung 830 for a more balanced performance throughout all kinds of different scenarios, eventhough it isn't as fast.

If you want the absolute fastest, SF drives.. atleast for now, is still the fastest.

The software has been absolutely fine to me.
You can always manually update the firmware if you hate their firmware utility.

If that's your qualm and it is such a deal breaker for you, get a Crucial M4 then.
They perform similarly to the Samsung 830, trading blows and even somtimes outpacing the 830 too.

Mushkin has always old its stuff cheap in the US.

The SSD.
We're on a SSD thread aren't we?

Usually you can just download the firmware, then place it onto a USB drive and then flash the SSD through BIOS.
But now... uhm, it seems the software can't detect your SSD at all?

40GB is really only going to suffice for Windows 7 install on the SSD and nothing else.
Don't forget you need to have space for updates too... and the fact that you need to save 3-5GB of space for the SSD to perform at its best, it's just too tight.

Go for a 60GB Agility 3 or Corsair Force 3 instead.
Both are the same price.
Or if you can pony up an extra RM100, the Intel 320 80GB is a pretty nifty choice.

As all OCZ drives, simply because they're the most popular... that means alot of failures.
But that was before the BSOD bug was fixed.

Otherwise for an Asynchronous SSD, it's pretty okay.
Fast and cheap. The other widely available alternative is Corsair's Force 3.

If you can however, get a Crucial M4 64GB.

Indeed.
That's why buying a SATA3 SSD if one can afford it (look, prices between SATA2 and SATA3 SSDs are pretty minimal) even only having a SATA2 slot on the mobo is a good choice.


None, I think?

Maybe you can ask from this forumer as well:
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...3278&hl=crucial

How much are you letting it go?
I might wanna RAID my 830 as well lol.

Vertex 2 uses the older generation of Sandforce controller.
Agility 3 uses the latest generation of Sandforce controller.

Interms of speed, the Agility 3 is way faster.
But the older generation of SF controller has lesser problems (although latest firmwares seems to have alleviate the current BSOD issues with SF-2281).

Honestly I wouldn't buy either one... when a price of an Crucial M4 is this: http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2046393&hl=


Uses SF-2281 controller, Async memory.
It's pretty much the same thing as an OCZ Agility 3 or Corsair Force 3.

Having BSOD problems or not these days is a hit or miss thing with the SF-2281 controller.
I'm not sure how up to date Kingmax firmwares are, so do double check before buying.

Otherwise for RM32x, it's cheaper than the Agility 3 and Force 3.

Just go do a google search on BSOD for Agility 3/Vertex 2.
As always, depends on your luck sometimes.

Reliability: Intel 510.
Speed: Force GT/Vertex 3

Interms of speed, the 510 isn't really too shabby on its own but the price you pay for an Intel SSD is really....
Considering the price of Crucial M4 now, theres really no reason to get a 510.

As for the Force GT and Vertex 3 on reliability, they're pretty much the same thing really.
OCZ gets firmware updates faster than anyone else though.


I'm sure you should be able to find a 3.5" bracket mostly anywhere?
Plenty in LYP.

They trade blows with each other on various benchmarks.
Yes, only in benchmarks.

In real world usage... honestly, go for whichever you can get cheaper.

Not quite, actually the 520 is faster than the 830 on overall terms.
Honestly if it's only RM60, I'd go with the 830 for now eventhough Intel took their time to polish up the SF firmware and so far after over a month, there hasn't been problems yet.

You honestly won't go wrong with either.
That 5 years warranty sure is a good deal for peace of mind.

Only reason I'm still somewhat on the fence of the 520 is because that it is still a relatively new drive and eventhough Intel's reliability is legendary, I won't for one hop onto a new drive so quickly.
Atleast not for now, perhaps give it another 3 months to see the reactions from users.

That's just me of course.
If you're feeling confident (again, given that both Intel and Samsung's reliability record is the best in the industry), get the Intel 520.

Doesn't matter if the comparisons were between 256gb or 128gb... they're really for benchmarks only.
128gb variants are slower yes, but on the same level playing field, the 128gb samsung 830 and intel 520 drives are just about as fast as each other, with the 520 perhaps eeking out a few wins here and there.

This should be the be-all, end-all review you need for Intel 520: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5508/intel-s...ty-to-sandforce

As for the reason why SF controller was so bad, because it just is.
It was rushed out to the market, it was hyped over the fact of having ridiculous transfer speeds -- this is the same when Intel went addicted over achieving the highest clock speeds for the Pentium 4 CPUs--.
Vertex 3, Force 3, Force GT, Agility 3... all these SF drives has strong sale figures because they were the first out of the gate when the SF-2200 controller arrived.
They simply oblirated the entire field of current SSDs during then, it was FAST.
But what people didn't expect was that it is unreliable as heck.

Hope you get your idea now and come up with your own decission.

Guess because they haven't advertise enough yet that they're holding Crucial M4s.

The shipping itself is RM90.. lol.
Might as well just buy from Cyntrix.