Barefeats.com posts benchmark results when comparing the performance of a brand new 2.8Ghz 15″ Macbook Pro, while using different hard drives. The benchmarks reflect the computer with the built-to-order hard disk drive, and a third-party solid state drive which they installed themselves.
The benchmarks test the performance of the same 15″ unibody Macbook Pro, both with a hard disk drive, and with a solid state drive. Barefeats ordered the 2.8GHz 15″ Macbook Pro with the 7,200rpm hard disk drive (Hitachi Travelstar 7K320), and then installed the OCZ 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD) for the tests.
We ordered our 2.8GHz lab “rat” with the 7200rpm 320GB drive option (which happens to be a Hitachi Travelstar 7K320. We obtained the OCZ Core Series 128GB Solid State Drive (SSD) to test against it.
We put the factory drive in FireWire 800 enclosure to boot from and tested an identical empty 7K320 against the empty SSD. We wanted to measure the maximum speed when empty as well as simulate a full drive with the help of DiskTester 2.
As we can see, the SSD is faster than the HDD when it comes to “both large sustained and small random Reads.” The tests delivered mixed results on small random Writes. Additionally, large sustained Writes were faster with the SSD. Overall, the tests determine that the significantly pricier SSD improves booting time, waking, launching and overall snappiness, but when saving small and large amounts of data, there is no real improvement over the HDD.
Back in July we first heard that Apple was planning to include built-to-order solid state drive options throughout their entire notebook line. By doing so, they continue to bring high technology to the masses, who can afford it. While these particular comparisons may be some of the most interesting, the tests generally deliver expected results. SSD is both faster in startup times, and snappier to actual user input, but it won’t decrease your overall computing time when dealing with large files. The added stability and data loss prevention an SSD brings is very appealing to many, and the added speed is essential for others. Apple now offers a built-to-order Solid State Drive in all of its new notebooks, except the lower end Macbook.
Read – Barefeats Benchmarks
[MacDailyNews]
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8 Comments to “SSD vs. HDD, 15-inch Unibody Macbook Pro Benchmarks”
The only reason I see this coming in handy, especially for the price, is if you’re a road warrior. In which case you should have an Air, I’m assuming. I guess what im trying to say is.. If you can afford it , go for it. If not, then don’t bother. But if the $500+ wouldn’t hurt my wallet, I would do it in a heartbeat.
But, I’m a first gen Macbook Air owner with SSD, so I personally know and LOVE the benefits.
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HI THERE GOING TOO ORDER THE 17 INCH MACBOOK PRO WITH A 2.93 GHZ DUO CORE CPU 8 GB OF RAM AND A 256 GB SOLID STATE FLASH DRIVE.
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HI THERE GUSS WHAT YOU KNOW THAT APPLE ADD THE 256 GB SSD SOLID STATE FLASH DRIVE FOR THE 13 INCH MACBOOK AND 15 INCH MACBOOK PRO SOO YOU DONT NEED $5,200 YOU CAN GET A FULY LOADED 13 INCH MACBOOK WITH 4 GB OF RAM AND 256 GB SSD FLASH DRIVE FOR ABOUT $2,600 THE 15 INCH WILL RUN ABOUT $3,000 AND A BASE 13 INCH MACBOOK WITH 256 GB SSD WILL BE ABOUT $2,000
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HI THERE APPLE COULD MAKE A 8,000 OR 8,500 RPM HARD DRIVE OVER THE SLOWER 7,200 5,400 AND 4,200 RPM HARD DRIVE WOULD BE GREAT
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HI THERE THE NEW MACBOOK PROS ARE THINKING ABOUT MAKING 1TB SSD FOR THEIR IPOD SHUFFLE.
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HI THERE I TALK IN CAPS! WOOOO!!!
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HI THERE WOW WHAT A BIG DIFFERANCE AT THE COMPUTER STORE THEY SAY THE MORE BANDWITH APPS OPEN AND GAMES AND ICHAT AND YOUTUBE AND FACE BOOK IT WILL GO FASTER AND LAST LONGER AT FASTER READ WRITE SPEEDS SOO IF YOUR SSD ACTS UP WITH JUST A SINGLE PROGRAM RUNNING THEN I WOULD TRY AND OPEN EVERY THING UP TOO MAKE THE ELTRONS GO FASTER FOR MORE DATA AND I WOULD LEAV WHOLE LOT OF APPS RUNNING FOR 3 TO 8 MINUTES JUST LET THE SSD ZOOM ALONG THEY SAY IN ALL PC MAGAZINES THAT SSD LIKE TOO FAST NOT SLOW OR INTERNET BLOG
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HI THERE
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