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SSD should show up in my computer?

  • 26-01-2013 5:37pm
    #1
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭


    I was lookinf at this laptop online and wanted to go in store to see it boot up.
    I went to PC world and the guy there was looking at it, it didn't have SSD advertised, and when he went into device manager and my computer it wasn't there.

    http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-b005sa-14-ultrabook-17056533-pdt.html

    I then went to a curry's and asked a guy there and he said it wouldn't show up as laptops generally don't have two hard disk drives... I thought this answer seemed a bit wishy washy. Especially when I asked whether the Operating system is installed on the SSD and he didn't know. Surely that is what the SSD is designed for!

    Confused!


Comments

  • #2
    Overheal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 85,028 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    It's a Hybrid Drive. Most Hard Drives have anywhere up to a 64MB Cache on them on the average, which is where files go after they are pulled from the platter before being shot off into RAM. SSD Hybrids add an additional area of cache that is, on the average right now about 32GB, which allows the drive to pull high priority files more quickly. Windows 8 already does a lot of behind the scenes stuff to manage this memory intuitively, the cache isn't a seperate partition of memory it's part of the hard drive, and the OS/Drive controller will automatically prioritize which data to put on the SSD Cache by assigning values to the data (eg. Even though it's used regularly, Antivirus scanning is considered low priority since it might have been recently used but wont run again for another day or two; whereas your web browser would be considered a higher priority, along with regularly used system files)

    The end result is compared to a standard drive, your boot times are typically much quicker, but will still not be as fast as a pure SSD. The advantage though is you get that increase in performance for a much larger storage volume (eg. 750GB) where at similar price point you might only see 128GB of pure SSD available. Hybrids are a better option if you need to run programs like games or productivity software (Photoshop, AutoCAD) or store videos and photos or music in large quanitity because of the larger storage space, but if you just need the ultrabook for essentially just your portable needs (College, Microsoft Office, etc) then the SSD will give you ample space to run the OS, install a couple productivity items, a couple games and your music library. With online storage for photos and work/school documents being cheap or free I opt for the pure SSD, but I have other devices and workstations; if the sleekbook is going to be your primary PC, it's not a bad unit at all.


  • #3
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    THanks for explaining that! Made more sense than either of the instore workers!

    Very tempted as http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/hp-pavilion-b005sa-refurbished-14-ultrabook-19571991-pdt.html

    refurbished but still has 12 month guarantee.

    Do you reckon that performance will be noticeably slower than a standard ssd? I just want it to boot up quickly and prob won't be playing games on it, just using office programs, internet, you tube, plaing movies etc.


  • #4
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    While hybrids are pretty much on par with SSD re speed, they're lacking the robustness, the other big bonus of a solid state disk. You still have a platter HDD in your laptop and from experience, I can tell you, it's most likely the first thing to go kaputt in a laptop.


  • #5
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,813 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    Torqay wrote: »
    While hybrids are pretty much on par with SSD re speed, they're lacking the robustness, the other big bonus of a solid state disk. You still have a platter HDD in your laptop and from experience, I can tell you, it's most likely the first thing to go kaputt in a laptop.

    Thanks for that. Using a dell inspiron 1300 which is about 6 years old at the minute and the hard disk ok (had a desktop at home, so hadn't used this in last couple of years, but after moving to scotland), and I imagine I'll be moving the new one even less, have a hp touchpad so would be more likely to bring that on the go.

    Weary of buying a laptop that hasn't been endorsed by bargain alerts or HUKD's! Think the refurb seems decent value, everybody looks for different things in a laptop but think this one should be good for me!


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