Q: Are SSDs just for notebook computers, or are there models for desktop PCs as well?
A: Current SSDs are all based on the form factor of the standard 2.5-inch notebook hard drive.
That does not mean, however, that they can be used only in notebook or laptop computers. The speed improvements, low noise, and reliability of these drives are as attractive to desktop users as they are to anyone else.
Securing the 2.5-inch hard drive inside of a desktop computer can be a problem, however, primarily because most of today’s desktop enclosures were not designed to house 2.5-inch hard drives.
There are a few solutions to this problem. First, you could look for 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch adapters at local or online computer stores. There are a range of these available. Or you could look for SSDs that come with adapters. A few of them do. Or you could adopt a low-tech solution, such as purchasing some Velcro at a local store and attaching the drive to the inside of the case that way. SSDs are light — and Velcro is typically more than sufficient to keep them secure inside of your desktop PC.
Q: I have heard that defragmenting an SSD will wear the drive out. Is that true?
A: It used to be true with early-generation SSDs. Beyond that, however, it’s simply unnecessary to defragment SSDs because data is not read from them in the same way that it is from traditional magnetic platter drives. There are no read-write heads in SSDs that must travel to separate areas of the drive to read noncontiguous files, so there’s no need to try to make files contiguous within an SSD.
The latest operating systems — Windows 7 included — are smart enough to recognize SSDs and turn off automatic defragmentation by default. If you install an SSD in an older operating system, such as Windows XP, turn off any automatic defragmentation for the drive. Defragmenting these drives, regardless of the wear and tear it might cause, is simply a waste of time.
Q: What’s the best value in SSDs?
A: The least expensive SSDs are currently 32GB models. There are SSDs with less capacity, but you probably don’t want to consider these for standard office use. 32GB SSDs retail for less than US$100 and are sufficient to use as a boot drive in desktop computers — holding your operating system and application files. A standard, large-capacity hard drive could then be used as a secondary storage unit for application data, downloads, and other files where read-write speed is less critical.
Notebook and desktop users with more demanding storage needs will probably want to look at 64GB or 128GB SSDs. These typically run from US$200 to US$350, but that amount of storage could realistically satisfy the needs of most users. Again, these drives could be supplemented with less expensive but larger capacity traditional hard drives for a hybrid solution that offers both blazing speed and sufficient capacity.
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