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Is it smart to SSD?


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#1
Kerow

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So im about to start ordering parts for a new gaming machine im wanting to build.
the basis of which im having issues with.
But the first thing i want to tackle is hard drives, then proc type (amd,Intel), Mobo, video, sound, power, case... and so on
this being said im a fan of WD drives. Plan on getting two sata 7200 RPM 6.0 Gb/s 32MB cache drives. (500GB Raid 0 = 1TB)mainly for data
now the question on my mind is... should i get a 64GB SSD for the OS (win7 ult.)
will i see that big of a differences from the Raid 0 im going to set up?

please give me any ideas you have. Nothing is set in stone except i want a new computer! $1500 bucks max... (no accessories of course)
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#2
Kemasa

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Not all SSD are the same, but a friend has gotten some and some are fast, very fast, but others are not all that fast. So, if speed is important, then getting a SSD can make a difference, but only when you are I/O limited. Also remember that speed is often expensive.

Also, I hope that you realize that when you have a RAID0 (which is NOT actually RAID since there is no "R"), that if one drive dies, you lose everything. You don't always gain much in terms of access speed either.
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#3
admin

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RAID 0 is NOT uselful for desktop, really not for servers either. RAID 10 is a much better plan, but requires at least 4 drives. Onboard RAID is also very flaky (dropping drives out of the array). Reliable RAID requires a dedicated RAID card ($300-400). Skip the RAID 0 idea to save time and aggravation. Modern TB+ drives are very fast.

I have a 128GB SSD in the notebook that I'm using to type this. An SSD can dramatically improve Windows startup, shutdown, and loading of your most frequently used applications. 2nd generation SSDs are faster and more reliable. Generally the larger an SSD the faster it is. 64GB might be okay for OS only, but you'll soon get cramped loading other programs (Office, games, etc). 80-128 would probably be better. 128GB currently being the sweet spot in price/performance.
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#4
Kerow

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im aware that raid 0 doesnt give you any redundancy but it does increase the speed. as for the SSD 64GB i thought would be enough but looking at it with windows 7 and a few games and apps installed im already at 54GB so 128GB is probably a better idea.
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#5
Kemasa

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The problem with saying that rAID0 increases the speed is that it really depends on many aspects and in real world use, it does not always increase the speed. Accessing one file will not be faster, unless the file is split between both disks and then it won't increase the speed unless the whole data path can support the data rate from both drives at the same time. You can gain some speed with respect to seek times, but that only happens if you are accessing multiple files and the files are spread out on both drives.
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#6
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im aware that raid 0 doesnt give you any redundancy but it does increase the speed.

In typical desktop scenario it does not. Perhaps benchmark-able, but not in a meaningful way you'll notice. RAID 0 is only faster in a meaningful way when transferring very large files. Meaning the only practical reason to use RAID 0 on a desktop is for transferring HD video. Then you better have them backed up elsewhere, because the risk of a non-recoverable drive failure is too high.
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#7
Kerow

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im not to worried about failures i dont have anything that cant be replaced. I was just under the assumption that Raid 0 was really a major speed boost!
In this case would it be better to just go with a 128GB SSD for the OS and apps and a 500GB-1TB HDD for data?

Also i havent really configured most the machine yet. I have a general idea but dont want to go overboard with it. im just wanting to spend about $600-$1000 i was planing on more first off but things have changed.
All i really do with my desktop is play Guild Wars and World Of Warcraft (yes im that nerdy guy)
Any ideas on a place with a good list for building.
To be honest i have built one computer before but i had alot of help from a friend. It turned out good till the Mobo started having random reboots.
It was an issue the maker Gigabyte knew about but didnt fix.
So this time around i was looking at building something and hoping compatibility would work out a bit better.
Wasnt sure if you guys might know of a site for beginners like me?
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#8
Kemasa

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Personally, if I wanted speed, I would go with a SSD. There is no seek time for the drive.
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#9
Kerow

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im not to worried about failures i dont have anything that cant be replaced. I was just under the assumption that Raid 0 was really a major speed boost!
In this case would it be better to just go with a 128GB SSD for the OS and apps and a 500GB-1TB HDD for data?

Also i havent really configured most the machine yet. I have a general idea but dont want to go overboard with it. im just wanting to spend about $600-$1000 i was planing on more first off but things have changed.
All i really do with my desktop is play Guild Wars and World Of Warcraft (yes im that nerdy guy)
Any ideas on a place with a good list for building.
To be honest i have built one computer before but i had alot of help from a friend. It turned out good till the Mobo started having random reboots.
It was an issue the maker Gigabyte knew about but didnt fix.
So this time around i was looking at building something and hoping compatibility would work out a bit better.
Wasnt sure if you guys might know of a site for beginners like me?

What about the rest of the question?
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#10
Kemasa

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I have not followed the issues of the other aspects, so perhaps others can comment on that. I tend to get things from NewEgg, if I have to buy something new, but I tend to "recycle" old computers for my machine as I don't need the latest and greatest.
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#11
admin

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Any ideas on a place with a good list for building...
So this time around i was looking at building something and hoping compatibility would work out a bit better.
Wasnt sure if you guys might know of a site for beginners like me?

Preconfigured lists are out-of-date almost as soon as you publish them. However, we do have a system building forum where you can view systems others are building, and ask for advice. It works best if you start with a list of components and ask for advice, rather that starting with a blank sheet and ask for everything.
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#12
Kerow

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thanks i appreciate it guys!
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