Search of the Best SSD for MacBook
A guide designed for every type of PC that explains what an SSD, how to choose the best quality / price ratio and how to mount it step by step.
The computer world has changed a lot with the advent of the internal solid-state disks: their role is to replace conventional hard drives with magnetic disks, normally adopted in the vast majority of desktop and laptop computers.
The reason for the arrival of the SSD has revolutionized the use of computers is a topic that we often dealt with already talking about Mac and that has found wide discussion and approval by the slice of Apple users on our site. Just take a ride among the many comments of the guide to the installation of an SSD on Macbook Pro.
But now is the time to speak in a more generic and universal. This focus we intend to answer a stronger new requirement you readers ie to give SSD every computer. The solid-state drives, unlike the traditional ones, are by far the fastest times in the reading and writing of data, and this is reflected in everything about the operating system boot times and application. So, if your PC starts to get confused with a brick as far as the reactivity (and the problem recurs even after reinstalling all over again from scratch), the solution is here. An SSD or, if you prefer, a new computer.
But before we begin, a brief explanation for those who are completely new to this issue, and maybe you’re looking for some basic info: SSD are talking about is a unit of internal memory, which is mounted in place of the current one (in some cases the old hard disk can be used as a secondary drive) and is responsible for managing the operating system and applications.
Anything that is installed on the inside is loaded with great rapidity, reducing the frustrations due to waiting. It will seem trivial, but in these times in which we are glued to the PC for a greater number of hours, to have something that is not there in the lurch every two to three is a lot of sense. To understand, an SSD can reduce computer startup of several seconds (but really a lot), and similarly can speed up applications slow and heavy that we installed, and we usually use.
In short, it is understood. The SSD is a component that slowly is turning critical. And it is no coincidence that the latter has been adopted recently on high-end laptops. With an SSD to drive performance, you can use a hardware that consumes little energy and allows the product to drain more slowly, lasting well over ten hours. But how do you tell if your computer is suitable to receive the speed of an SSD? How to choose the best one for our needs and for our pockets? And most importantly, how to mount? Let’s give some answers to these questions.
SSD: I can mount it? Should I?
Mounting an SSD on a computer in the last decade, probably not any miracle will warn from the point of view of performance. Indeed, in this case, it is very likely that it is not even possible to connect one. No, the solid-state drives are relatively recent components in the technology world, and therefore must have an idea of how recent and compatible with your computer. If we wanted to speak technically, we would say that you need is a computer with connectivity SATA2 or SATA 3 (these are the types of connections it communicates with the hard disk).
If we wanted to talk a little ‘more simply, we would say that, in principle, good candidates for an SSD are computers born from 2007-8 up. Most new computers are, in general, the better the performance, because the greater the probability of finding SATA3 type connections, which transmit data to the full potential of SSDs today.
Does an SSD? Of course, you should, especially if you use a lot of your computer. The only problem is to identify the capacity of SSDs and their price. Forget about bringing home a 2TB SSD with a $100 abundant. A 500GB SSD can cost $270, due to the complex and expensive technology required to produce it. Consider that each SSD is a sort of ” micro-computer “, for the complexity of the hardware that mounts inside. If the SSD is going to end up inside a desktop PC, you can also use the old magnetic disk, due to the fact that computers have fixed a rule more slots for hard drives. So you can install the operating system and applications on the SSD and store videos, photos and music in the old drive slower, as these files do not derive great benefit from a faster disk.
The moment of choice: which SSD?
The choice to locate the best SSD is very simple: among all the products that we analyzed, all different brands, the only survivors of our selection models are Samsung and Crucial, which are distinguished from the others, not so much for speed as for the price, which is low, and the availability, which is high due to the constant availability of Amazon and other online stores. Samsung SSD there is not one, so let’s take a look at the various models:
- Samsung 840 : standard model, reliable and fast. Keep an eye out for any deals: 120GB, 25o GB and 500 GB.
- Samsung 840 Evo : the top step, where the price is often identical to that of the base models. For this reason, give us a look. In addition, the Evo have, if mounted on Windows, Rapid Cache technology can dramatically increase the performance: 128GB, 256 GB, 500 GB and 1 TB.
- Samsung 840 Pro : The Samsung SSD with better performance than the previous. A wasted purchase if mounted on the computer rather old, but great for reinvigorating a maximum machinery from 2009-2010 onwards: 128GB, 256 GB and 512 GB.
This period Crucial has partly recovered from the setback with the new Samsung M500, Samsung often cheaper than above. In this case, the model is only one (Crucial M500), provided with different cuts of memory :
Do not be major problems in the choice. All models are much faster than any mechanical hard drive, and the leap net will be perceived regardless of the model chosen. For each of the models, we left flank of buying a link to Amazon, which is the online store that, in principle, offers them the most honest prices in absolute terms, as well as offering offers often very interesting.
Samsung 840 Evo or Crucial M500: How to make the choice.
In recent times (at the time of the writing of this update are to 06/03/2014) we noticed that there are many who dwell on these two models of mid-range SSDs. The Samsung 840 Evo and the Crucial M500 SSD the two mid-range of the moment, prices are broadly similar, with the Samsung only slightly more expensive than those from Crucial. Which one to choose between the two? To answer this question it is necessary to consider other variables besides the price: longevity, performance and efficiency in the operating system.
The Samsung 840 Evo has a technology called Rapid Cache that, according to Samsung, is able to increase the speed of reading and writing of about twice the normal speed used. It is a function that depends on a software, and that software is only for Windows. Linux and OS X users, therefore, cannot take advantage of that speed boost.
Furthermore, the 840 Evo is constructed with NAND TLC (triple level cell). A type of memory is not particularly reliable from the point of view of longevity. Always at the expense of non-Windows users, we must stress that on OS X, and Linux is not possible to update the firmware of this product due to the lack of dedicated software.
The Crucial M500 SSD is a much more classic has no cache and Turbo mode, comparing it with the Evo in ” normal ” mode offers a few megabytes per second less in reading and writing. It is built with NAND MLC (multi-level cell), which can make it a much more long-lived counterparts of Samsung. In his defense, then, it should be highlighted that there is a software update available for both Windows and for Mac (no Linux unfortunately) and, not least, a slightly lower price.
How to choose then? Simply put, the Samsung 840 Evo should be advised most Windows users, who will benefit from the upgrade software and Rapid Cache mode paying a slightly higher price. Clearly, Mac’s users, and Linux PCs can choose this product, being the mid-range SSD with the best speed even without the Rapid Cache active, though some might think, it’s not worth it.
The Crucial M500 is instead a more balanced product, which costs less but that does not have the same performance of the Samsung product. Because of its greater longevity and lower price, it is a recommended product to any type of user.
