Best SSD 2011

SSD stands for Solid-State Drive, and this is the new type of memory storage that is increasingly becoming popular with laptop and computer manufacturers. Our computers have been functioning on HDD (Hard Disk Drives) for a long time, and this has been the primary area for storing any data that users need. As computers are getting smaller and lighter, the need to replace heavy parts with smaller and lighter variants is becoming all the more important, and this is where the SSD drive comes into the picture.

In essence, SSD is simply a hard drive for storing memory cells and data. You could even call it an overgrown memory card of sorts. Like the HDD, the SSD also has cache memory (areas where data that is accessed repeatedly and often) but the primary difference between the two is the technology that is used. On an SSD the data is written and rewritten on a memory chip inside, and there is no need for an external power source to access this data. Moreover, there is no spinning motor head inside either. This is stark contrast with the HDD, which requires a spinning motor head and a power source in order to activate the read-write heads for the discs on the drive.

The advantages of this are that an SSD will be much less fragile than an HDD, and it will also make considerably lesser noise when it is functioning. Additionally, traditional hard drives make use of magnetic media whereas an SSD is built solely around semiconductors and chips. Nowadays, external hard drives are also coming packed with this technology rather than the conventional HDD technology, but they are pretty expensive as of now. You can understand more about the working of these drives by referring to this Buzzle article on how does a flash drive work.

Best SSD 2011 in the Market

OCZ Vertex 3 Pro
This is one of the best SSD's that you will find in the market today, and it comes equipped with some breakthrough technology to offer you over 500 MB/second speeds for reading and writing. This comes at a pretty high price though, at around $500 for a 100GB version. This SSD uses what is known as the SandForce 2nd generation SSD controller to offer less noise, consumer less power and start up faster. The standard non-Pro OCZ Vertex 3 will cost around $250 for the 100GB model.

Crucial m4 (Micron C400)
Crucial was the first company to launch an SSD drive, and they have maintained their high standards with this particular product. The read and write speeds here are 355 MB/second and 256 MB/second respectively, which is not bad at all. Moreover, the pricing for this SSD is much more competitive, and you can get the 64GB, the 128GB, the 256GB and the 512GB models for $129, $249, $499 and $999 respectively.

Intel SSD 320
This is the 3rd generation SSD offered by Intel and it offers a staggering 3 GB/second speed for reading and writing purposes. This SSD is available in a large number of models (based on the storage size) and this shows the mainstream approach that Intel has taken. The pricing is very attractive, and you can get a 40GB model for $80, a 558GB model for $1000 and a number of other models in between as well.

Samsung SSD 470
Samsung is a seasoned performer in the SSD market since it has been offering SSD storage in many Sony netbooks and laptops for the last few years. This particular model is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB variants, and it is finally possible to pick up a Samsung SSD from the market for a reasonable price. The read and write speeds are not great though at 250 MB/second and 220 MB/second respectively (for the 256GB model), but the pricing and the designing make it a worthwhile purchase.

Corsair Performance Series 3
Released at CES 2011, this SSD also employs the SandForce SSD controller. This makes the drive very snappy, and this is shown by the 6 GB/second read and write speeds that they quote. However, real world performance places the read and write speeds at 439 MB/second and 215 MB/second respectively. You can buy the 64GB, the 128GB or the 256GB versions, and the pricing is on par with industry standards.

There are several advantages of using SSD's today, but the technology is still in a developmental phase and this leads to high prices. Moreover, the life cycle for an SSD is fixed, even though it is much higher than that of the standard HDD. Nevertheless, this is the direction in which the future of data storage is headed, and the prices are sure to fall as time goes by.