SSD Hard Drive with FSX

[vcimmino]

I just want to share with you my discoveries using an SSD HD to store the FSX files and what changed in loading times. I bought a cheap 32 GB Supertalent Masterdrive OX copied all FSX files over and what happened... well the loading times were 3X faster...!

I think that these drives are really the near future, and in a game like FSX that is very demanding in loading hundreds of small files continously it will make an huge difference.

I posted some more detailed benchmarks on my blog if anyone wants to have further details.

http://l45.sytes.net/?p=613

[skywatch]

Good news! ...and thanks for sharing with us. I guess that with no mechanical head to move and no rotation to wait for it's really just like having a *lot* of ram for a HDD. MAybe one to keep an eye on in the new year when prices should drop.

Skywatch

[Padraig]

I just want to share with you my discoveries using an SSD HD to store the FSX files and what changed in loading times. I bought a cheap 32 GB Supertalent Masterdrive OX copied all FSX files over and what happened... well the loading times were 3X faster...!

I think that these drives are really the near future, and in a game like FSX that is very demanding in loading hundreds of small files continously it will make an huge difference.

I posted some more detailed benchmarks on my blog if anyone wants to have further details.

http://l45.sytes.net/?p=613

Thanks for the info, I was thinking of getting one of these drives for FSX and the satellite scenery I have. I have Raptors at the moment in raid 0, but these SSD HD are surely way better. The one I'm after, is expensive all the same. Maybe I might write to Santa and ask him to get me one for Christmas ? do you think he cough up the goods ?

anyways, thanks for sharing your thoughts about the SSD with FSX. Do you have any high RES scenery installed on it ?

[EDIT]

Found all the info I need on your website....thx

[Kris Stow]

I think that these drives are really the near future, and in a game like FSX that is very demanding in loading hundreds of small files continously it will make an huge difference.

I posted some more detailed benchmarks on my blog if anyone wants to have further details.

http://l45.sytes.net/?p=613


Vince,

Great deal here with the SSD, I will keep an eye on the thread here for your review and look into the SSD cost for only the FSX side of things.

Thanks for the post I have been wondering if it is worth the extra $$

[LUFTY]

Hi Everyone

Intel recently announced some new SSD Drives which will be a step change in terms of performance compared with the current offerings.

traditional hard drives will be legacy within two years and obsolete within 5 years.

SSD prices will drop massively next year ...

I have been tempted for some time but am going to hold out for the Intel drives.

Regards


Lufty

[Padraig]

Hi Everyone

Intel recently announced some new SSD Drives which will be a step change in terms of performance compared with the current offerings.

traditional hard drives will be legacy within two years and obsolete within 5 years.

SSD prices will drop massively next year ...

I have been tempted for some time but am going to hold out for the Intel drives.

Regards




Lufty

I seen those Intel drives for sale from my supplier, and they are like £500 + for a 32 Gig. What an insane price


http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-000-IN&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=910&name=Intel%20X25-E%20Extreme%2032GB%202.5%22%20SATA-II%20Solid%20State%20Hard%20Drive%20(SSDSA2SH032G1)

[vcimmino]

The Intel X-25M and X-18M are SLC drives and really more expensive. I don't think that anyone would buy it just for gaming. Those SSD have been made for the database scene, where thousands of queries have to be processed each second and the systems are fully scalable.

I'm sure though that in a couple of years even the SLC memories will drop and we'll be able to afford one. Anyway some new chip will be out until then twice or triple faster, making the SLC themselves obsolete or at least the budget choice. That's the Moore's law.

Answering Lufty, I have to say that I don't think that the SSD drives in general will be obsolete in 5 years. Conventional magnetical hard drives are still here and it is a 30 years old technology. I think the market still need to make our cracky HD obsolete, and it will take it's time, before ever thinking to bury something that hasn't even become spread.

[LUFTY]

The Intel X-25M and X-18M are SLC drives and really more expensive. I don't think that anyone would buy it just for gaming. Those SSD have been made for the database scene, where thousands of queries have to be processed each second and the systems are fully scalable.

I'm sure though that in a couple of years even the SLC memories will drop and we'll be able to afford one. Anyway some new chip will be out until then twice or triple faster, making the SLC themselves obsolete or at least the budget choice. That's the Moore's law.

Answering Lufty, I have to say that I don't think that the SSD drives in general will be obsolete in 5 years. Conventional magnetically hard drives are still here and it is a 30 years old technology. I think the market still need to make our cracky HD obsolete, and it will take it's time, before ever thinking to bury something that hasn't even become spread.
Hi vcimmino

My guess is that the price for SSD drives will drop massively early next year on on this basis I will buy an Intel X-25M to ensure the best possible performance. Having said that the alternative SSD drives still show a massive improvement over traditional hard drives so are worth considering especially as they are likely to fall in price next year when everyone starts buying SSD devices.

Just one point of correction and that is my comment about becoming obsolete was in reference to traditional hard drives rather than SSD drives.

I realise that old computers will be running traditional hard drives for years to come but the future is with SSD devices. In five years traditional hard drives will be like floppy disks are today.

Best regards


Lufty

[vcimmino]

I agree with you explainment.

Here are some benchs with atto and hdtach and comparison with my older WDC Raptor 74GB. Just to complete the news I posted.

As soon as possible I'll test with Windows XP on it as well and PCMark. Consider that those tests have been made with the disk completely full and not clean and right formatted, so are a more valid review of the real performance.