SSD options - various sizes + prices

The Continental Op

A decent SSD I have this one bought from a previous price drop and have had a couple of others from the same series in constant use for several years.

Crucial BX500 480 GB CT480BX500SSD1-Up to 540 MB/s (Internal SSD, 3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch), Black £34.83

The Continental Op

1TB SSD

Crucial BX500 1TB CT1000BX500SSD1-Up to 540 MB/s (Internal SSD, 3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch) , Black £76.04

Also a 500GB SSD

Crucial MX500 500 GB CT500MX500SSD1-Up to 560 MB/s (3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch, Internal SSD) £43.04

Of the two types I believe the MX is supposed to be better than the BX but in use I've not spotted any difference in speed of longevity.

vicwatson

Those SSD’s - easy to install?

ohnonotgmail

vicwatson wrote: »

Those SSD’s - easy to install?

very straightforward. if you are replacing the primary drive in a laptop you just need to be confident enough to open it up. there is a good guide here https://www.techlicious.com/how-to/upgrade-hdd-with-ssd-improve-laptop-speed/

Liamalone

vicwatson wrote: »

Those SSD’s - easy to install?

Hardest part would be opening the laptop, easily replaced once that's done. Some difference when installed. I replaced my HDD with a SSD last month in my 6yr old laptop, starts up in about 30secs compared to about 3mins with the old HDD, Chrome is even ready to use a lot quicker. Best 80 quid I've spent in a fair while.

The Continental Op

vicwatson wrote: »

Those SSD’s - easy to install?

The process is to connect up you SSD externally using a USB>>SSD adaptor first https://www.amazon.co.uk/Benfei-SATA-Adapter-Supports-UASP/dp/B07F7WDZGT .

Then use the free downloadable software (Acronis True Image) that works with those Crucial drives (only works for free with Crucial drives) and clone your current disk to the new SSD.

Finally you phsyically replace your old drive with the new one.

Crucials own guide https://eu.crucial.com/support/ssd/ssd-install/ssd-install-steps/part-1-prepare which includes a link to the free software https://www.acronis.com/en-gb/promotion/CrucialHD-download/

vicwatson

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

very straightforward. if you are replacing the primary drive in a laptop you just need to be confident enough to open it up. there is a good guide here https://www.techlicious.com/how-to/upgrade-hdd-with-ssd-improve-laptop-speed/

Thanks

vicwatson

The Continental Op wrote: »

The process is to connect up you SSD externally using a USB>>SSD adaptor first https://www.amazon.co.uk/Benfei-SATA-Adapter-Supports-UASP/dp/B07F7WDZGT .

Then use the free downloadable software (Acronis True Image) that works with those Crucial drives (only works for free with Crucial drives) and clone your current disk to the new SSD.

Finally you phsyically replace your old drive with the new one.

Crucials own guide https://eu.crucial.com/support/ssd/ssd-install/ssd-install-steps/part-1-prepare which includes a link to the free software https://www.acronis.com/en-gb/promotion/CrucialHD-download/

If you have a C and a D drive in the computer will it transfer both drive to the SATA (once it has the same capacity of course)

ohnonotgmail

vicwatson wrote: »

If you have a C and a D drive in the computer will it transfer both drive to the SATA (once it has the same capacity of course)

are C: and separate drives or two partitions on the same drive?

The Continental Op

vicwatson wrote: »

If you have a C and a D drive in the computer will it transfer both drive to the SATA (once it has the same capacity of course)

The option in the software to use is to Clone the drive.

That way anything on one physical drive is copied to the other. If you have windows 10 you will have a hidden system partition needed to boot the computer and Cloning copies all that.

The drives don't need to be the same size you can clone from a larger drive to a smaller one provided the amount of data on the larger disk is less than the size of the smaller disk.

Even if it fails (very rare) you still have the original drive you can put back.

vicwatson

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

are C: and separate drives or two partitions on the same drive?

How to tell? I think they are - I've got OS (C:) and DATA (D:) listed

The Continental Op

vicwatson wrote: »

How to tell? I think they are - I've got OS (C:) and DATA (D:) listed

It would be rare to have two drives unless you installed them yourself. If you use the Clone option it will copy all that over along with any partions you need but don't even know are there.

Edit> To check on Windows

Open the “Run” dialog box by pressing and holding the Windows key, then press the R key (“Run”).
Type diskmgmt.msc
Click OK .

That should give you a graphical description of whats in your PC.

vicwatson

Thanks for all the advice

Davy

I split these posts from the two Amazon threads. Easier for ongoing discussion/issues as required.

If I missed any posts, report them in the other threads and one of the mods will move them over.

The Continental Op

The Continental Op wrote: »

1TB SSD

Crucial BX500 1TB CT1000BX500SSD1-Up to 540 MB/s (Internal SSD, 3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch) , Black £76.04

Also a 500GB SSD

Crucial MX500 500 GB CT500MX500SSD1-Up to 560 MB/s (3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch, Internal SSD) £43.04

Of the two types I believe the MX is supposed to be better than the BX but in use I've not spotted any difference in speed of longevity.

https://ssd.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Crucial-MX500-250GB-vs-Crucial-BX500-240GB/3951vsm578496

Liamalone

Really solid advice given here, hardest part is opening the casing of the laptop imo. If serious, buy a toolkit also that helps You pry it open, a butter knife won't do it - costs buttons, helps a lot.

TallGlass2

Liamalone wrote: »

Really solid advice given here, hardest part is opening the casing of the laptop imo. If serious, buy a toolkit also that helps You pry it open, a butter knife won't do it - costs buttons, helps a lot.

Get a little plastic pry set alright, I defiantly wouldn't be poking a piece of metal around in there, defiently not a knife either (if you pierce the battery you'll know about it :pac: )

Liamalone

TallGlass2 wrote: »

Get a little plastic pry set alright, I defiantly wouldn't be poking a piece of metal around in there, defiently not a knife either (if you pierce the battery you'll know about it :pac: )

Agreed!

For the record, avoid using metal tools - I said butter knife in jest.

ablelocks

Liamalone wrote: »

Really solid advice given here, hardest part is opening the casing of the laptop imo. If serious, buy a toolkit also that helps You pry it open, a butter knife won't do it - costs buttons, helps a lot.

this type of toolkit?

ohnonotgmail

ablelocks wrote: »

this type of toolkit?

that would do the job.

The Continental Op

ablelocks wrote: »

this type of toolkit?

First thing to do is to see if you can find a youtube video on upgrading your laptop. Someone will have done a youtube video on opening a laptop the same as yours.

ablelocks

ablelocks wrote: »

this type of toolkit?

or this would do for 1/2 that price

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OriGlam-Professional-Screwdrivers-Non-Abrasive-Spudgers/dp/B06XG142RS/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=laptop+tool+kit&qid=1623848926&sr=8-8

tbh most laptops just need a phillips screwdriver and an maybe an old plastic loyalty card / bank card (insert corner in gap and run it around and/or use for prying a clip)

Homelander

Yeah there really is zero need for a full kit. Literally a screwdriver and old credit card is as effective and safe for laptops that need the full back cover taken off.

Some laptops have simple maintenance hatches for RAM and/or HDD though these are becoming very rare.

The Continental Op

Rinse repeat but a bit cheaper ..

Crucial BX500 1TB CT1000BX500SSD1(Z) - Upto 540 MB/s (Internal SSD, 3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch), Black £72.78

vicwatson

The Continental Op wrote: »

Rinse repeat but a bit cheaper ..

Crucial BX500 1TB CT1000BX500SSD1(Z) - Upto 540 MB/s (Internal SSD, 3D NAND, SATA, 2.5 Inch), Black £72.78

At £71 for me

The Continental Op

vicwatson wrote: »

At £71 for me

But I always quote the price at the checkout after adding the Irish Import duty

Forgot to add "at checkout" after the price

Also, worth noting for Crucial drives, Acronis True Image is free
https://www.acronis.com/en-us/promotion/CrucialHD-download/
or
crucial.com/clone

TallGlass2

If you'd an extra 10£ to throw at it and a spare M.2 drive slot on the MB I would go with this;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WD-Blue-SN550-High-Performance-Pcie/dp/B07YFFX5MD/ref=psdc_430505031_t1_B073SB2MXT

Plus you could then use the old SATA drive for extra storage as slower capacity drive.

Right best get out of here before I talk myself into buying an M.2 drive

vicwatson

Possible to get a “cradle” for the old drive to use as an external hard drive?

TallGlass2

vicwatson wrote: »

Possible to get a “cradle” for the old drive to use as an external hard drive?

Yup, something like this should do nicely, make it nice and portable.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-Custodia-Ottimizzato-Supporto-EC-UASP/dp/B00OJ3UJ2S/ref=sr_1_3?crid=5CXRRMQYP3VW&dchild=1&keywords=external+sata+enclosure&qid=1623879382&sprefix=external+sata%2Caps%2C134&sr=8-3

Or if its a 3.5 drive (10% voucher on this one)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RSHTECH-Enclosure-External-Automatic-Function-Sliver/dp/B087WQN725/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2QIKKTYH3OD89&dchild=1&keywords=external+sata+enclosure+3.5&qid=1623879509&sprefix=external+sata+enclosure%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-4

ohnonotgmail

vicwatson wrote: »

Possible to get a “cradle” for the old drive to use as an external hard drive?

something like this https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Inateck-Docking-Station-Function-Tool-free/dp/B00LN0GX4I/ref=sr_1_21?crid=33U43ZMB2N1WA&dchild=1&keywords=hard+disk+caddy&qid=1623879408&sprefix=hard+disk+cadd%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-21

or this https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Enclosure-SuperSpeed-Reader-Tool-free-External-Red/dp/B07LCGNH7F/ref=sxin_10_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-aGFyZCBkaXNrIGNhZGR5-ac_d_rm&crid=33U43ZMB2N1WA&cv_ct_cx=hard+disk+caddy&dchild=1&keywords=hard+disk+caddy&pd_rd_i=B07LCGNH7F&pd_rd_r=d6ddf2e0-cfd7-4e2d-bc16-acd9760ced62&pd_rd_w=KOO4Z&pd_rd_wg=pxeoH&pf_rd_p=ddb91658-a7de-4321-bc2a-e4b05dae78a7&pf_rd_r=V88KYN1TEQ9EBYVB08GV&psc=1&qid=1623879492&sprefix=hard+disk+cadd%2Caps%2C143&sr=1-1-fe323411-17bb-433b-b2f8-c44f2e1370d4

depending on what type of drive you have currently.