hybrid solid state HDDs

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Spook50

Spook50

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I ordered my new ASUS laptop with the basic lower end (as far as available options) HDD so that I could save money on the initial purchase and get it before deploying, with the plan that I would upgrade later on. Ideally I'd love to get a SSD but even the 512GB versions are way above my price range. So I was looking at 512GB and up standard HDDs and noticed that some are advertised as hybrid SSDs, using both platters and solid state components. This is one that caught my attention: Newegg.com - Seagate Momentus XT ST750LX003 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache 2.5" SATA 6.0Gb/s Solid State Hybrid Drive -Bare Drive

So does anyone have any experience with these? I'm curious if they're worth it or if the hybrid thing is just marketing hype and platter style is still the way to go.

Thoughts/opinions?
 
The hybrid drives have basically a large adaptive cache that "learns". It's not marketing hype, but it's not something I would spend money on right now. But it is an interesting read:
https://seagate-events.webex.com/ec...vents&rnd=6907412456&SP=EC&AT=pb&format=short


You'll see SS drives drop in price over the next 18 months. If I was building a machine right now I would go with a standard drive. I like Seagate drives for notebooks and desktops. I've had a very low failure rate with them, and they have a 5 year replacement policy.
That said, I tend to buy the more expensive enterprise class drives from them.

If you're building a RAID chassis, that's a horse of another color.
 
I have Thinkpad with a hybrid in it. Compared mine to another thinkpad with identical specs other than drive mine is way faster. So far pretty impressed.

I agree with Jon on Seagate drives.
 
retrofive said:
I have Thinkpad with a hybrid in it. Compared mine to another thinkpad with identical specs other than drive mine is way faster. So far pretty impressed.

I agree with Jon on Seagate drives.
Click to expand...

I never looked at the cost difference between the hybrid and standard. Do you know it off the top of your head?
 
I've upgraded to hybrids on a few macbook pro's (7200 rpm to hybrid and 5400 to hybrid) and the difference is tremendous in both cases. Check out AnandTech for the the technical details but in summary if you want the fastest mechanical drives the hybrids are it.
 
There's about a $90 difference between the hybrid I posted and Seagate's platter style version of the same drive (7200RPM and 750GB).

Speed would be nice, but my highest priority is long term reliability, with capacity close behind.
 
Spook50 said:
There's about a $90 difference between the hybrid I posted and Seagate's platter style version of the same drive (7200RPM and 750GB).

Speed would be nice, but my highest priority is long term reliability, with capacity close behind.
Click to expand...

You asked if anyone had experience or if they are worth it. Now you're bringing price into it... That's like saying "is a Land Cruiser worth it, I'm thinking about one but I can only afford a Jeep".

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
 
RobRed said:
You asked if anyone had experience or if they are worth it. Now you're bringing price into it... That's like saying "is a Land Cruiser worth it, I'm thinking about one but I can only afford a Jeep".

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
Click to expand...

Doesn't 'worth it' imply price (or at least value)? :) If not then the conversation would have started with 'are hybrid drives better than SSD's at any cost?'
 
RobRed said:
You asked if anyone had experience or if they are worth it. Now you're bringing price into it... That's like saying "is a Land Cruiser worth it, I'm thinking about one but I can only afford a Jeep".

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
Click to expand...

Nooo, not at all. Just observing a price difference. If the hybrid is better for me at this point, I have no problem dropping the extra $90 for one. The question is: given my priorities with what I'm looking for, would the hybrid be worth the extra $90, or would I do well to stay with a standard platter style 7200RPM drive, OR should I deal with what I have until the SSDs are more affordable for a reasonable capacity drive.
 
Spook50 said:
Speed would be nice, but my highest priority is long term reliability, with capacity close behind.
Click to expand...

Since the hybrids are a fairly new product I don't know if any long term data exists. I would contact Seagate directly and get someone on the phone and see if you can compare MTBF rates.

Since both standard and hybrids have spinning platters and all the other dangly bits that are associated with HDDs, I would assume there would be a very similar MTBF rate. If you want true reliability, go with a SSD.

IMO, I wouldn't spend the money for this application. I look at all HDDs as disposable items. They have a 100% failure rate.
 
are you really gonna use the added performance ..? if not .. stay with regular ones ..

I know bunch of folks that buy new tech just coz it's new tech .. but they never get the real deal ( performance wise ) from it ..
 
Tapage said:
are you really gonna use the added performance ..? if not .. stay with regular ones ..

I know bunch of folks that buy new tech just coz it's new tech .. but they never get the real deal ( performance wise ) from it ..
Click to expand...

The hybrids are every bit as good as the hype suggests. Check out AnandTech.Com as previously mentioned, they are the authority on testing solid state drives.

Your comment is funny to me as its posted on an enthusiast forum... Ppl here will try the craziest s*** just to possibly get 1% better than stock often with zero basis in fact. At least with an HD you can get respected testing and be informed. I'm not directing the previous to you but I think in general that's how it plays out here. When you say "... they never get the real deal (performance wise) from it", I chalk that up to they don't know what they are doing, purchase wise or operation wise.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
 
Let's put that simple .. I just get an trasharoo black bag that I will probably gonna use once or best bet twice a year ..

That's what I mean when I was trying to bring the option to " save " some $$$ from buying something that you don't really need or are going to use in your regular basics ..

But I trully respect this too

" Ppl here will try the craziest s*** just to possibly get 1% better than stock often with zero basis in fact. "
 
Tapage said:
Let's put that simple .. I just get an trasharoo black bag that I will probably gonna use once or best bet twice a year ..

That's what I mean when I was trying to bring the option to " save " some $$$ from buying something that you don't really need or are going to use in your regular basics ..

But I trully respect this too

" Ppl here will try the craziest s*** just to possibly get 1% better than stock often with zero basis in fact. "
Click to expand...

I think we all agree that a trasharoo is good for 8 horsepower.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
 
jonheld said:
Since the hybrids are a fairly new product I don't know if any long term data exists. I would contact Seagate directly and get someone on the phone and see if you can compare MTBF rates.

Since both standard and hybrids have spinning platters and all the other dangly bits that are associated with HDDs, I would assume there would be a very similar MTBF rate. If you want true reliability, go with a SSD.

IMO, I wouldn't spend the money for this application. I look at all HDDs as disposable items. They have a 100% failure rate.
Click to expand...

I think if someone values the performance difference between say a 5400 rpm drive and a 7200 rpm drive they would see the benefit of he hybrid over a std 7200 rpm drive.

Statistically I think SSD has a pretty high fail rate relative to HDD. Both wear out.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
 
RobRed said:
Statistically I think SSD has a pretty high fail rate relative to HDD. Both wear out.
Click to expand...

What are the wear items on a drive with no moving parts? According to Intel, the MTBF rates of a SSD are more than double of a standard HDD. I mean essentially is a bunch of RAM chips glued together with a SATA interface stuck on the back. Yes, I know there's more to it, but in a nutshell.
 
jonheld said:
What are the wear items on a drive with no moving parts? According to Intel, the MTBF rates of a SSD are more than double of a standard HDD. I mean essentially is a bunch of RAM chips glued together with a SATA interface stuck on the back. Yes, I know there's more to it, but in a nutshell.
Click to expand...

Flash memory has a limited number of write/erase/rewrites. This is why the TRIM function exists to optimize that. SSD performance degrades over time.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD
 
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