Are there slow large cheap SSDs?

[Xanthe_2871]

I would like to add more storage to my laptop. It has a 512 GB SSD, using one of the technologies with a card (M.2 or some variant). It's fast and the computer boots fast, but I'd rather not keep storing all my regular files photos and videos etc. on that drive. I don't want a hard drive in this computer, without one there are no moving parts (fans aside) and it can take a lot of vibrations, frequent changes from laptop to tablet mode, I don't want to lose that ability to twist and shake and use my laptop. If there is some SSD that connects the normal way (SATA I think, the one that looks like a HDD), and is slow (even if it's slower than a 5400 RPM HDD that's ok), but gets me a few TB at a cheap price, I'd love that. 

 

TL;DR: I want a SATA SSD with high capacity, at least 2 TB, that's cheap. I don't care if it's slow.

[Electronics Wizardy]

micron 1100? about 300usd, basically the same as a mx300.

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I wonder when we'll start seeing QLC drives?  To be honest the way the news was going a while ago I expected it would be by now.  Those should deliver what you need if the above does not.

[Xanthe_2871]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

micron 1100? about 300usd, basically the same as a mx300.

Oof. That's like 4-6 times more expensive then a HDD. At that rate I'd just use an external drive and be without files on the go. I appreciate it! But I'm really looking for a HDD replacement that doesn't move.

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1 minute ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Oof. That's like 4-6 times more expensive then a HDD. At that rate I'd just use an external drive and be without files on the go. I appreciate it! But I'm really looking for a HDD replacement that doesn't move.

That doesn't exist yet and probably never will.  The best $/GB HDD I currently see is 2.9¢ per GB, and the best SSD is nearly 6x that at 17.3¢ per GB.  Those are Canadian numbers but I suspect the ratio will be the same anywhere, give or take.  Of course SSDs will continue to improve but so will HDDs, so the temptation of "they're so much cheaper" will always exist.  You will just have to decide if the benefits of an SSD are worth the cost.

[Xanthe_2871]

1 minute ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

That doesn't exist yet and probably never will.  The best $/GB HDD I currently see is 2.9¢ per GB, and the best SSD is nearly 6x that at 17.3¢ per GB.  Those are Canadian numbers but I suspect the ratio will be the same anywhere, give or take.  Of course SSDs will continue to improve but so will HDDs, so the temptation of "they're so much cheaper" will always exist.  You will just have to decide if the benefits of an SSD are worth the cost.

Well, I think I could justify an SSD at $0.11-$0.08/GB. That has to be a reality eventually. 

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Just now, Xanthe_2871 said:

Well, I think I could justify an SSD at $0.11-$0.08/GB. That has to be a reality eventually. 

That will, but by then HDDs could be at ~$0.015/GB and then you'll still be thinking the same thing

[Xanthe_2871]

Just now, Ryan_Vickers said:

That will, but by then HDDs could be at ~$0.015/GB and then you'll still be thinking the same thing

Fair enough, but there comes a point where x6 or x8 is ok when everything is cheap.

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2 minutes ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Fair enough, but there comes a point where x6 or x8 is ok when everything is cheap.

Perhaps.  I guess on some level I've sort of experienced that transition myself recently.  Just something to keep in mind.

 

Really though I'd wait for QLC, especially if nothing you see currently is close to what you find acceptable

[JoostinOnline]

I think you're under-estimating the sturdiness of hard drives. Obviously if you drop it then it can be damaged, but moving your laptop around won't hurt it. Keep in mind that early MP3 players had hard drives, as do many current 2-in-1 laptops.

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22 minutes ago, JoostinOnline said:

I think you're under-estimating the sturdiness of hard drives. Obviously if you drop it then it can be damaged, but moving your laptop around won't hurt it. Keep in mind that early MP3 players had hard drives, as do many current 2-in-1 laptops.

Yeah, have you ever looked closely at the label?

 

Clearly, this suggests they expect it to still work up to that point which frankly is insane... I would never recommend subjecting it to such an experience but clearly they can take more than most people (myself included) tend to think

[Froody129]

2 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Yeah, have you ever looked closely at the label?

 

Clearly, this suggests they expect it to still work up to that point which frankly is insane... I would never recommend subjecting it to such an experience but clearly they can take more than most people (myself included) tend to think

I think it's just luck. I dropped a 3TB external HDD off the top of my case and it died. Other people can drop theirs all the time and it doesn't break

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3 minutes ago, Froody129 said:

I think it's just luck. I dropped a 3TB external HDD off the top of my case and it died. Other people can drop theirs all the time and it doesn't break

Well with that said, I don't imagine it would take a whole lot of height for it to hit that 350 G limit falling onto a hard surface with no protection.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

43 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

I wonder when we'll start seeing QLC drives?  To be honest the way the news was going a while ago I expected it would be by now.  Those should deliver what you need if the above does not.

Samsung is already starting production on them. If they aren't available by the Black Friday and Christmas sales, they should be out early next year.

 

The QLC drives will be cheaper but the TBW life and warranty will be shorter. The QLC Samsung will be releasing will have only a 3 year warranty.

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2 minutes ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

Samsung is already starting production on them. If they aren't available by the Black Friday and Christmas sales, they should be out early next year.

 

The QLC drives will be cheaper but the TBW life and warranty will be shorter. The QLC Samsung will be releasing will have only a 3 year warranty.

I expect less write endurance but that's still not really an issue for the majority of users so I suspect the new ones will continue to be fine in that regard.  The reduced warranty however is interesting... I wonder if they are actually less reliable, or they just fear people will buy them for workloads they are not intended for (video editing scratch disk, data centres, etc.) and wear them out, then RMA...

[dizmo]

54 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

micron 1100? about 300usd, basically the same as a mx300.

Or for an extra $50 the HP EX920.

[Electronics Wizardy]

4 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Or for an extra $50 the HP EX920.

I can't even find a 2tb model of it. Do they make one? Its 300usd for a 2tb ssd.

[Xanthe_2871]

9 minutes ago, Lady Fitzgerald said:

Samsung is already starting production on them. If they aren't available by the Black Friday and Christmas sales, they should be out early next year.

 

The QLC drives will be cheaper but the TBW life and warranty will be shorter. The QLC Samsung will be releasing will have only a 3 year warranty.

Would they actually be discounted for Black Friday/Cyber Monday if they launched in time?

[Lady Fitzgerald]

5 minutes ago, Xanthe_2871 said:

Would they actually be discounted for Black Friday/Cyber Monday if they launched in time?

Darned if know. I'm not particularly concerned since I have all the SSDS I'm going to need for several years and prefer the higher quality of the Pros and EVOs.

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21 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Or for an extra $50 the HP EX920.

More money and half the capacity?  Doesn't seem like a great fit for this situation