Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Silencing hard drives, optical drives and other storage devices

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Derek Semeraro
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Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:49 am

Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by Derek Semeraro » Sun Sep 24, 2017 4:08 pm

As of September 2017, SSD prices are lower than in previous years but are still expensive. For a low noise PC build with an encased or suspended Hard Drive (to allow for more capacity), 120-250 GB of SSD storage is plenty. In a dead silent build, where a Hard Drive may not be an option, it may be best to spend $50 to go for a 500GB (unless you're only using the computer for light applications).

$90 for a 250 GB SSD is the best value. It's only 33% more than a 120 GB SSD's $60 price and it has 100% more storage. 32-64 GB SSD's are a terrible value since they're more expensive on a per GB basis, and the very limited storage may leave the buyer with regret in the long-run. A similar case can be made for a $140 500 GB SSD, but it may only be worth the extra $50 if most of the space is used.

CA_Steve
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Re: Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by CA_Steve » Sun Sep 24, 2017 5:09 pm

Welcome to SPCR.

Another thing to consider is with shrinking lithographies, it takes fewer memory chips to get the capacity you want or need. A potential pitfall is fewer chips may equal less read/write channels being used by the memory controller..and this in turn can lead to downgraded read/write speeds. This tends to happen at 128GB and less...but will migrate upward with increased capacities.

Abula
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Re: Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by Abula » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:22 pm

To me the sweet spot atm is 500gb SSDs for new builds, but that really depends on what you will be doing, i have friends that live with 128gb still, while my average is around 400gb. SSD performance is geting better, but for the average user, the performance increases are not noticeable, the snapiness that an SSD gives you is irrelevant the format it comes with (sataII, sataIII, mSata, NVME Sata or PCIe), so even if you need only 250gb to me its a good investment to go into 500gb, newer ssds wont offer a big jump in performance that its perceivable, unless you do make use high sequential reads and writes.

Also remember its not good to fill up the ssds, some people even today, over-provision to keep their ssds working better.

Derek Semeraro
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Re: Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by Derek Semeraro » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:41 pm

Here are all of the heavy (>150 MB) applications on my laptop, and I have a wide variety of professional apps on it. Professionals who do creative work for a living may have far more heavy apps for good measure though.
Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 1.14.19 AM.png
Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 1.13.30 AM.png
All of these combined together plus Mac OS (or Windows, for that matter) wouldn't even add up to 100 GB. For my laptop, I have a 250 GB SSD. If it were a 120GB, I would probably have to clean out cache more often, but 250 GB is excessive for my needs. As far as media content goes, the most dedicated silentheads may want to have an encased external HDD for their music and movies, since they are unaffected by SSD performance anyway.
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Derek Semeraro
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Re: Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by Derek Semeraro » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:45 pm

Abula wrote:SSD performance is geting better, but for the average user, the performance increases are not noticeable
Yes. This is true. It will be a long time until a well-sized SSD becomes obsolete. I may want to upgrade again if the speeds double or triple, but at the moment, booting/loading/transfer times are fast enough to the point where I'm not inconvenienced at all.

Abula
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Re: Optimal SSD storage size for a low-noise PC build?

Post by Abula » Sun Sep 24, 2017 10:06 pm

Derek Semeraro wrote:Yes. This is true. It will be a long time until a well-sized SSD becomes obsolete. I may want to upgrade again if the speeds double or triple, but at the moment, booting/loading/transfer times are fast enough to the point where I'm not inconvenienced at all.
Honestly i dont think we will see another big jump as we saw from hdds to ssds, to most whats its more apparent is the snappiness that ssds gives, moving from a 5400rpm or even a 7200rpm drive is very noticeable, not to say all performed silently, but this is because of the extremly low latency that ssds have, no seeking like hdds to do makes a big difference. All we are seeing in upgrades on ssds is higher sequentials, that are real and do benefit a very small percent of user, but to get a big jump as we felt from HDDs, my guess is we need 1k+ random reads/writes, and we seem to be very far from that.

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