X220 needs a larger SSD

Message

StarGehzer · #1 Post by **StarGehzer** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:58 pm

I know very little about SSD drives. My X220 currently has an INTEL SSDSA2CW160G3 (160GB SSD drive).
I want to replace it with something larger.
Can you recommend a brand & model of SSD?
Thanks for any help or suggestions.

mpcook · #2 Post by **mpcook** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 2:11 pm

I just put a Crucial MX100 512GB in mine. Good price on Amazon, works well.

Kilowatt · #3 Post by **Kilowatt** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 5:46 pm

Why not just add an mSATA drive and keep your data on the existing drive

mpcook · #4 Post by **mpcook** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:04 pm

My X220 also has a 240GB Crucial mSATA. Either one is a good option (or both if you need lots of space).

StarGehzer · #5 Post by **StarGehzer** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:38 pm

I'm not familiar with the mSATA option. Is there a write up on how that is done?
Where does the mSATA drive go?
Adding a 2nd drive sounds like a great solution if I can do that.

ajkula66 · #6 Post by **ajkula66** » Fri Dec 19, 2014 6:42 pm

StarGehzer wrote:I'm not familiar with the mSATA option. Is there a write up on how that is done?

No guide needed. Remove the keyboard and palmrest, slap the mSATA SSD in the WWAN slot, re-install the parts. Done. Less than 10 minutes.

Do bear in mind that mSATA drive on *20 series is limited to SATA II (3.0) speeds, while the main bay is SATA III (6.0)

Having said that, I've owned several *20 series machines with mSATA SSDs as boot drives and found them to be fast enough. And then some.

Obviously, YMMV.

StarGehzer · #7 Post by **StarGehzer** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:07 am

Thanks very much for your help. I'll compare prices & figure out which route to take.

StarGehzer · #8 Post by **StarGehzer** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 1:51 pm

Could someone please confirm that this mSATA card is suitable for my X220..
Crucial M500 480GB mSATA Internal Solid State Drive CT480M500SSD3
http://www.amazon.ca/Crucial-480GB-mSAT ... 80M500SSD3

I've noticed there is a newer M550 version with 512GB, but I'm assuming I won't gain any extra speed from it since ajkula66 mentioned that the mSATA on my X220 is limited to SATA II (3.0) speeds.

Thank You.

ajkula66 · #9 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:03 pm

Crucial M500 - as well as M550 - will work just fine in the mSATA slot.

They are both good drives, but have been reported to run on the warmer side of the spectrum. Whether that matters to you is a whole another ballgame.

My pick - if I were buying one today - would be this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... gnorebbr=1

Your $$$, your call.

Happy shopping/upgrading.

StarGehzer · #10 Post by **StarGehzer** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:20 pm

Thanks George, your link just goes to the NewEgg homepage, but I think you were pointing at the Plextor M6M PX-512M6M Mini-SATA(mSATA) 512GB for $479.00. That's more than double the price of the Crucial. I think I'll cross my finger & hope the extra heat is minor.

ajkula66 · #11 Post by **ajkula66** » Sat Dec 20, 2014 2:28 pm

$479?

Good God, no. I'd never suggest spending that amount of money on the aforementioned drive...

It's $295 here...

#12 Post by **ZaZ** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:44 am

I'd suggest a 128GB or perhaps 256GB mSATA SSD and the 1TB WD 5400RPM 7mm drive. There's no need for speed with storage. I had this setup on my X220 and with my E7440. It's quite slick.

dr_st · #13 Post by **dr_st** » Sun Dec 21, 2014 8:52 am

I support ZaZ's setup, and I would specifically recommend a 256GB mSATA SSD. The write performance of 128GB drives is lackluster, and 128GB may not be enough for OS + applications in the long run.

rondi · #14 Post by **rondi** » Thu Dec 25, 2014 4:31 pm

I just bought a refurbished X220 with an installed 160gb SSD with a mSata Bluetooth and cell phone modem installed. The 160gb will get filled pretty quickly I think, and when it does, I am thinking of buying one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Corp-Series ... EAW240A401

In my HP laptop & my personal build desktop I installed Intel 520, 240gb SSD's. One thing I like about the Intel SSD's is the Intel Toolbox program which uses the windows Trim to cleanup the SSD and maintain performance I think Samsung has their own cleanup, but I'm not sure about other SSD's.

hth,
Ron

ajkula66 · #15 Post by **ajkula66** » Thu Dec 25, 2014 4:44 pm

Welcome to the forum!

rondi wrote:I just bought a refurbished X220 with an installed 160gb SSD with a mSata Bluetooth and cell phone modem installed. The 160gb will get filled pretty quickly I think, and when it does, I am thinking of buying one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Corp-Series ... EAW240A401

I wouldn't. While I hold Intel in high regards when it comes to SSDs, their SandForce-based offerings are simply "the best of the worst". IMO

In my HP laptop & my personal build desktop I installed Intel 520, 240gb SSD's. One thing I like about the Intel SSD's is the Intel Toolbox program which uses the windows Trim to cleanup the SSD and maintain performance I think Samsung has their own cleanup, but I'm not sure about other SSD's.

Intel toolbox is one fine tool that I utilize happily myself.

Having said that, if I were shopping for a mSATA drive, this would be my pick:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820249040

X220 needs a larger SSD

X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Re: X220 needs a larger SSD

Who is online