Solid state disks (SSDs) are an alternative to hard disks: instead of using a moving disk they use memory chips and are much faster at reading and writing data.
Programs installed on an SSD load faster and can be more responsive. They are much more expensive than hard disks, though, so you get less storage space for your money.
At the moment they are best used by installing Windows and a few programs on them, which makes the computer run faster and boot quicker, with a separate standard hard disk also installed in the computer for storing your files.
The OCZ Vertex 60G is well-suited to being used in this way. It has 60GB of space – not a lot by today’s standards – and after installing Windows 7, this leaves around 45GB of free space. OCZ makes larger SSDs, but they quickly get expensive.
The 60GB model will be sufficient for quite a few installed programs and other less-used programs that don't need to load as quickly can go on the hard disk.
The Vertex is a 2.5in disk, so while it will fit a laptop without a problem, installing it in a desktop computer requires a mounting bracket that is not supplied. It's light, silent and shock-resistant, all areas in which a hard disk falls down.
At £150, the Vertex 60G is not cheap and, while it isn't the fastest disk we have seen either, it was still blisteringly fast compared with a hard disk. Installing Windows 7 on the Vertex took us just over ten minutes from start to finish, much faster than on a hard disk. In use, even web browsing was noticeably faster, as the computer was able to load stored text and images much faster.
SSDs become less efficient at writing data over time and they gradually slow down until they eventually require reformatting. A new technology called Trim goes a long way to solving this, but it has to be supported by both the SSD and operating system – Windows 7 is the only version of Windows that does. The Vertex 60G supports Trim, and OCZ regularly releases performance-enhancing updates for it. Installing the updates was far from simple, though.
SSD technology is not perfect and its benefits will be unnecessary for many people who use their computers lightly. For more demanding users, though, they are well worth the expense, although they are best installed in a powerful computer which will not be slowed down by other components.
The Vertex 60G is relatively affordable and reasonably fast and is a good upgrade for those who want to cut load times and improve their computers’ responsiveness.
Specifications:
Verdict
The Vertex 60G is an SSD that occupies a sweet spot for performance, capacity and price
Good points Faster than a hard disk; small, quiet and shock-resistant
Bad points Installing updates was difficult
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