Anyone have experience with this drive?

[PeterB]

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Momentus-7..._1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357775443&sr=8-1&keywords=ST750LX003

... I'm thinking to replace my new Mini's drive, but debating between this and a standard 750GB. The SSD's seem really pricey, compared to the non-SSD equivalents...

[decay]

http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...sg-1389942

[PeterB]

decay wrote:
http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...sg-1389942

Thanks, but that reads more like a "this is how it works", rather than first-person experience, which is what I was hoping for here. I can read the reviews on Amazon, but sometimes it's better to ask here for opinions/advice, to hear what my fellow forum-ites have to say.

[decay]

i installed the 500 GB version of the drive in a client's iMac using a Newer Tech adapter.

since the drive learns its users most-used apps, i didn't get long-term data, but i can tell you it booted pretty darn fast, and the few apps that i launched several times did seem to open with SSD-like speed.

hope that helps somewhat.

[MrNoBody]

It was down to $100AR @ TigerDirect on 12/27.
Current price on AMZ isn't too shabby per 3xCamel

For my $$, you can't beat an SSD for the OS & Apps, everything else
on a separate SATA-3 HDD.

[Bimwad]

From what I recall about the 500GB version, it went through a few firmware revisions before they got it right, but it did work pretty well when they did.

The newer 750GB version should be the beneficiary of that experience.

[decay]

i'm not sure about the state of firmware updates to enable write caching...

Today Seagate is announcing availability of its second generation Momentus XT. Now at 750GB with 8GB of SLC NAND (once again, as a read cache), the new Momentus XT is a definite evolution over its predecessor. With a larger NAND cache, Seagate can be more aggressive with its caching, not to mention the improvements to the mechanical side of the drive as well. The entire package is still not nearly as fast a value SSD, but it's doing much better than mechanical (3.5" included) hard drives in our tests.

Write caching is still not enabled on the NAND, however Seagate is planning on enabling it via a firmware update sometime in 2012. I've seen results from an early version of the write caching firmware and the improvement is tangible.

[hal]

Yes, lots of experience with both the 500gb and the 750gb. The 500gb was the very best laptop HD that money could buy and the 750GB is MUCH better.

Here's a demo I made of the 750gb drive in my MBP 13" 2.7 i7.

Boot the computer, launch safari, launch photoshop and shut down the computer - 33 seconds...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj-GAtKkLSU

I still think these things are awesome bang for buck compared to SSD and have used used laptops full time under both hybrid and full SSD. Yes, SSD is much better, but until 750GB SSD prices fall down to earth, this beast at $120 is a no brainer...

[decay]

here's a boot comparison between WD Black 7200, Momentus XT, and OCZ SSD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gnm8bGFYvo

[NewtonMP2100]

thought this would be about a heart DRIVE.....