Solid State versus Hard Drive

[fabrisse]

It may be time for a new computer based on the fact that I would need to pay over $200 to get a 1 year extension of my warranty. I'd probably keep the old laptop and use it to learn Linux while transferring all my pop-culture stuff to the new computer.

I think I want a laptop again, but I'm noticing that there seems to be a choice between solid state and hard drive. Can someone outline the differences for me? I'm not a hardware girl, but I know it influences my ability to run programs and connect efficiently to the internet.

What other things should I be looking for? I assume setting up the new computer with most of the storage space in external drives is better, but I could be wrong.

Help me hive mind. *G*

Comments

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

Not an expert, but have done a little consumer research on my own.

Solid State = *much* faster, considerably more expensive, more shock resistant. Probably will be the default option by next decade, assuming price comes down, unless you need more-than-typical storage quantities. Not the default yet, due to high price per MB.

When I last checked (a few months back), the conventional wisdom was to get one of each. You get a (relatively) small, cheap SSD to put the OS and major programs on, speeding up your boot times and load times by a lot. Supplement with a big HD to store your multiple GB of music/games/movies/etc.

If you're the sort of person who doesn't actually use huge amounts of storage space, then an SSD by itself might be a good choice for a laptop. (Or if you're the sort who has enough spare income to buy a BIG SSD, but those are still pretty ludicrou$.)

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That's a good place to start, and I really appreciate the information.

[siderea]

Random additional detail: solid state is basically silent, so when put in a machine without a fan (most Mac laptops basically don't have fans), you have a silent (<10dB) machine.

I don't know if you care, but I care deeply about such things. :}

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Very nice. Does that mean it also doesn't overheat?