[jhm731]

Does anyone know what brand of SSD Apple is currently installing in the new Macbook Pros?

[ted_b]

The 128 GB one is an OCZ Core Series.  I assume the larger one is too.  (or could be a Toshiba, according to some posts.)  Most claim that Samsung, the previous OEM for Apple's SSD's (like the 64 GB one) is no longer, since the 17" update in January.

My Macbook has a 160 GB SSD internal (Gordon's 2008 version that I bought)

[Russell Dawkins]

If something like this would work it would be sweet:
http://tinyurl.com/4lfklk
I wonder if one of these could be a drop-in replacement for the stock conventional HD.

[ted_b]

Any 2.5" SATA drive will work.  Russell, I'm not sure those Intel SSD drives are anything special (I'm probably missing something), but they should work. 

[Russell Dawkins]

ted, I'm profoundly ignorant about anything related to computers, being an aging late-adopter, but this post on a forum of Metric Halo users piqued my interest:
"I had the sale drive in my previous MacBook Pro. I just bought a new 17" one with an SSD drive and I'm blown away by the drive speed. I haven't done any multitrack recording on it yet, but for regular OS and application usage it's breathtaking. It should also be much more reliable."
Metric Halo is a brand of firewire-connected recording interface which allows, in the case of my model, the 2882 +DSP, simultaneous recording (and much, much more) of as many as 16 analog and 2 digital tracks per unit (they can be daisy chained).
I have been having some problems with my laptop recently and depend critically on it when I am recording remote sessions, so I have been advised not to temp fate any longer and just spring for a new one. Mine is a 2004 vintage Powerbook 17".
When I thought for just a minute about the advantages (to me) of an SSD drive in terms of silence alone, I was sold. When I am working with sound even the subtle sound of the HD in my laptop is annoying and requires me to monitor nearly 10dB louder than I would otherwise need to do. The purported speed advantages and shock immunity are just welcome bonuses.

[ted_b]

Russell,
Yes, SSD drives are great, silent and fast.  The whole thread, though, is about them, so i wasn't sure what specifically you wanted to point out about your link.  My SSD drive in my Macbook makes it a perfect music server for me (not music on SSD, but OS, apps, etc.)

On another thread I'd love to talk to you about the Metric Halo stuff.  Barry Diament loves his.  The ULN-2 (24/96) and newer ULN-8 (24/192 and 8 channels) are great DACs and now OEM for Sonic Studios, makers of Amarra.

[Russell Dawkins]

My impression from a recent performance test (which I didn't bookmark and now can't find) is that these particular Intel drives are blazingly fast whereas many other SSD drives are not  particularly fast. Their wear-leveling algorithms would seem to be a bonus, too, in light of this comment from an apparently well-informed user:

(Q) If SSD drives have no moving parts, what would cause them to fail?

(A) FlashMemory cells can only be erased and written to reliably a certain number of times, eventually they become flaky.

Nothing is perfect, only theory, and it has to deal with Goedel...

[Russell Dawkins]

just found a relevant review of the Intel X-25M. This is the 13th page and conclusion: http://tinyurl.com/lfgm5q

Then again, this may be old news to many of you - not me!

[ted_b]

Russell,
Very nice review.  It is quite amazing how SSD perfromance is all over the place, and that the technology is quite varied from mfg to mfg.  I would guess we'll see some settling in the next 2 years. 

This website seems to be a clearinghouse of info for SSD's:
http://www.storagesearch.com/

[jtwrace]

I replaced my Mac Mini drive with this http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/solid_state_drives/ocz_vertex_series_sata_ii_2_5-ssd upon Gordon Rankin's recommendation.  The OS boots up REAL fast now.  The speed in the OS is noticeable for sure.

I purchased from http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009989

[ted_b]

Yep, that's the one I have too.  Gordon sold it to me with 4 GB RAM and it's in pristine condition.  Now gotta get a Mighty Mouse. 

[HumanMedia]

Just heard today that Crucial.com have a 256GB SSD coming.

[ted_b]

I'm only using the SSD for OS and applications, not data.  I'm gonna sound like the oft-misquoted Bill Gates who didn't say "we'll never need more than 64k" or something, but my 120 GB system boot drive is gonna hold me for a long time I think.  I'm waiting for prices to drop more than capacity to increase, but those, of course, go hand in hand. 

[jtwrace]

ted_b

I agree.  Once the prices come way down, I'll be getting at least a 1TB for my music files.  I currently use 2x 1TB for my files / backup using SuperDuper!

I upgraded to 4GB RAM (crucial) as well at the same time as the drive.  It took about 45 min the first time.  No biggie at all.

[gman]

If anyone is interested in pulling the trigger now on a SSD drive, a great drive is the OCZ Vertex. You can read a performance report about it at BareFeats.com (http://www.barefeats.com/hard118.html).

A place called ZipZoomfly is offering a $30 rebate on the Vertex SSD drives, bringing the price down to $339 for a 120GB drive. But but it ends on July 19th. Yes, it's still significantly higher than a HDD, but $339 for a good 120GB SSD drive is not too outrageous in the context of what I've spent on the rest of my system.

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10009989&prodlist=celebros

Gary

[jhm731]

If you've installed a SSD in in your Mac, what did you use to connect the SSD for the cloning?

[jtwrace]

If you've installed a SSD in in your Mac, what did you use to connect the SSD for the cloning?

http://www.manhattan-products.com/en-US/products/6706-hi-speed-usb-2-0-to-sata-ide-adapter-with-power-supply