[demto]

I need to buy a new ssd as my existing ssd has failed.

I am primarily interested in reliability over everything else. My motherboard is SATA 11 but it doesn't bother me if the ssd is SATA 11 or SATA 111. I know I wont get the full speed from a SATA 111 ssd but this doesn't bother me either. Reliability is my main concern.

I know there are usually exceptions to every rule but I have done some research and Intel and Samsung seem to come out tops on reliability. I know that there are plenty of other manufacturers out there that make ssd's but I have decided to buy from one or other of these manufacturers. The question is which one.

Lets imagine it has to be Intel or Samsung.
Lets imagine capacity and cost are not a problem
Lets imagine it doesn't necessarily have to be the latest offerings from either manufacturer. As long as it can still be bought that is ok.

Which manufacturer and which model would you buy and what would be your reasoning for your choice ? I would really appreciate your opinion.

[mike2h]

from everything I have read and my own limited experience you can just pick your capacity of either brand and find the cheapest one for that size. personally I would go with the Samsung 840 pro(going to be my next buy).

[demto]

mike2h.... thanks for your reply.

[continuum]

Most proven track record at the moment seems to be the Intel 520 Series and Intel 330 Series, unless you can find a Samsung 830 Series still in stock somewhere.

The newer ones (Intel 525, Intel 335, Samsung 840 and Samsung 840 Pro) are too new for end-users to have an established track record.

[demto]

Continuum... Thanks for your reply and I agree about track record.

[FastMHz]

I love my Samsung 830!

[demto]

FastMHz... Thanks for your reply. How long have you had your Samsung 830, and have you had any problems with it.

[demto]

I have done some research and ordered a Samsung 830 240gb. Unfortunately it cost more than either of the latest equivalent offerings from Intel or Samsung but I think its worth the extra.

NO, its not the latest and greatest but IMO it has a major advantage over their current domestic offerings.
What it has going for it is a very good track record of reliability going back a couple of years or more. You won't find may people complaining of problems or failure.

As both Intel and Samsung have brought out new models recently they do not have a proven track record yet. Never mind what the manufacturers may claim about reliability its proof that counts and they just don't have enough domestic user proof yet. Maybe in a year or so but not now. So for me its reliability first and while I know there are usually exceptions to any rule I am trying the best I can to avoid a a repeat of what happened to my Vertex 11 after 7 months use.

Thank you to those that replied to my original post.

[FastMHz]

Zero problems with my 830, had it for about 6 months I suppose.

[Beenthere]

I'm late here but... virtually no one here or elsewhere has enough statistical data to even come close to knowing what the top ten most reliable consumer grade SSDs are let alone the top two. There simply is no way to obtain any legitimate statistical data on SSDs or even HDDs to make an informed purchasing decision regarding "reliability". It's unfortunate but it's reality and it's not about to change any time soon. When it comes to SSD reliability it's a crap shoot. You simply get what you get and it's not always good or even consistent amongst models let alone amongst brands.

Many people base their reliability or compatibility rating on a sample of a few units, which is statistically insignificant in most cases. If there are a lot of reports of drive failures that would tend to have more validity than reports of non-issues. People who don't experience an SSD issue believe there are none and those who do experience an SSD issue know they exists. None of us know to what degree the reliability or compatibility issues exist, but SSDs are still going thru growing pains with design, NAND and construction techniques changing almost weekly. Thus it's no surprise that reliability is not high on the list of SSD assets.

For those who care about an SSD warranty, I'd get the warranty terms and conditions in writing - typically at the manufacturer's website. Read them carefully as you might be quite surprised at what they state and what limitations exist.