What's wrong with this SSD?

[Black]

john dough wrote:
My gut reaction is that they are selling (relatively) smaller SSDs and have a rebate associated with it, so that when you send the UPC in, you cannot return the drive (usually the UPC has to be intact for a return).

Where 60GB-90GB used to be ok for a SSD (when those drives were > $350), a quality 240/256 GB SATA 3 SSD can be purchased for around $300 on sale. If this trend continues, you will see SSDs for 75¢/GB by the end of the year (or around $180 or so delivered).

Seems like a good fit for a netbook.

Well, just like monetary amounts can mean wildly different things to different people (see the guy on the news tonight for having elevators for his cars) this project is worth $80 or $100 to me, but definitely not $300.

[sekker]

If I were building a netbook or using an ssd for a boot drive for a htpc, then a cheaper ssd is fine.

My experience with a runcore taught me that ssds are still new tech. Data corruption was the issue in my case.

For new tech, support is critical as it's more likely to be needed.

[C(-)ris]

space-time wrote:
[quote=C(-)ris]
...

*paces waiting for his replacement drive to show up via USPS first class mail... No, I didn't mention that I was in a hurry, but still.

so you had a OWC SSD fail?
Yep. Had issues with random freezing waking from sleep or hibernation. Didn't lose any data, drive always worked after a restart. I think it was a firmware problem. This is one of the earlier 3G OWC SSDs. There were some firmware updates for the model as well as some specific issues that required mailing the unit in for an update as well.

I've installed dozens of these. Mine was the only one to have problems. But I also bought mine early in the product life. Most of the others have been more recent models.

[C(-)ris]

Black wrote:
[quote=C(-)ris]
[quote=IronMac]


I went with OWC because I wanted to support this site and not necessarily because their SSD was better. It may be...it may be not.

It is better. The SandForce controller they use is the best performing and most compatible with Macs and the chips are high quality.
The linked OCZ boasts:
By leveraging the latest SATA 6Gbps interface and the second generation of SandForce SSD controller (SF-2281),
I could be wrong, but from what I see, that drive does not support TRIM on a hardware level. Which Sandforce controller it uses might make a difference. Larry or someone else from OWC is probably more knowledgeable on the differences.

[decay]

found this via Google:

AnandTech has an article on the reliability and compatibility issues with current SSDs and admits this is unacceptable, even acknowledging that Intel has serious issues. Anandtech has been able to duplicate some of the bugs.

Anand believes the reason for the numerous SSD issues is cost related but I find that a debatable conclusion. I believe that the current rush-to-market and fix it later mentality that Microsoft has perfected is the primary reason for the SSD, mobo and other hardware/software issues. It's extremely profitable to sell half-baked goods at premium prices if there is no penalty for this fraud.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4604/the-s...s-compared

lots (and i mean LOTS) more here:
http://www.anandtech.com/tag/storage

[decay]

some reviews on Amazon say OK for Macs, others say avoid.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3529YZDGWN..._rtr_alt_1

firmware 2.15 appears to be the latest & the one you want.

[RAMd®d]

I've got a 60G OCZ SSD in my BMB which has been running fine for over a year, I think.

It was a second Gen, I think.

There's been a lot of back and fourth around the web, one about OCZ using second-rate chips, one about one of the manufacturers fudging the capacity spec, and something about OWC not telling the truth about OCZ's SSDs. I saw a comment at the OCZ forum that said something about OWC's allegations being "proven bogus", but I could find what that proof was, and who offered it-- OCZ or somebody independent.

There's just not enough info to go on for me to form any unequivocal conclusions. At this point, I'd get another OCZ when the price is right, or an OWC, again, for the right price.

That newegg deal looks pretty good, considering I paid about $110 or $120 for my 60G. But I won't pay $100 to increase my capacity by 30G. If I needed *another* SSD for something, I'd get one. I'd like to put one in my PB12, but I'm just not up to cracking that thing open.

[sekker]

Without TRIM or a sandforce controller, that SSD is going to lose speed over time.

OCZ clearly used sub-par chips at one time. Not sure if that's still true today.

[Black]

sekker wrote:
Without TRIM or a sandforce controller, that SSD is going to lose speed over time.

OCZ clearly used sub-par chips at one time. Not sure if that's still true today.

Sekker, I get that you're rooting for an OWC drive, and I'd love to be talked into one with vald info/rational detailed argument, as I already have the enclosure I want sitting in my OWC cart, but I've already responded to one erroneous claim that it doesn't have a Sandforce controller, and I'd be interested to know how you decided definitively that it doesn't have TRIM support.

[OWC Larry]

Wow - quite a thread....

With the exception of our SSDs for the original 2008 MacBook Air (IDE/ATA) - all of our SSDs are built right here in the USA.

Our Electras have 3 Year Warranty, Extreme Pro 5 year, Enterprise Pro with 7 Year.

We are also the only maker with a Mac friendly firmware updater vs. command line stuff or requirement to have Windows/use Windows updater. Further - we are the only make with SSD Firmware support at all that doesn't require Windows for Sandforce based drives.

Hope that helps. One thing for sure - we are here to support and you can count on us being here to do so.