Tired of your pc that has become slow over the years? You've applied various tricks and optimizations to speed it up, but is it not enough? Are you hesitant to buy a pc faster (and therefore more expensive at the same time)? One solution is to change a part of your computer, whether it's a desktop or laptop. Some people think that with a laptop, you can't change anything, but it's not true, there are 2 interior components that you can change without too much difficulty: the RAM bars and the hard drive. And one of the components I changed recently on my laptop is the hard drive (HDD, for Hard Disk Drive), which I replaced with an SSD (Solid-State Drive)! For those who would not know what an SSD is, basically, it's like a big SD card, insensitive to shocks (because having no mechanical parts, unlike hard drives that have for example several internal drives and heads of reads, a little as an old 33-lap disc player). They are also faster, lighter and less energy-intensive! Alas, they are much more expensive than a conventional hard drive… So I'll tell you about my adventure about my 1st SSD that I put in my laptop, as well as some tips and optimizations to know for an SSD (they will be the subject of an article later). As you might expect, I found my pc slow despite my optimizations, but it must be said that it is more than 2 years old and that it is a low-end (Intel Core i3). It wasn't designed for big performance on games, but it still holds up with games like Starcraft 2 or Guild Wars 2. And it is especially with the latter that I found it quite slow, it took almost 5min to start the game and 1min to change zone … Now, with my SSD, 15sec to start the game and 3sec to change area! Before, when I entered a structured pvp arena, I arrived in the latter with often the impossibility of choosing my side or even playing it! And now? I get there 1st with plenty of time to make my choice! My SSD? A Samsung 840 Evo. For those who follow the news, they know that it is a fairly recent SSD (it came out less than 2 months before writing this article and less than a month when I bought). Personally, I'm not the type to buy a product that is on sale as soon as it comes out, because high tech objects often have problems when they come out and it's only after the world has bought it and make a return on the product that the manufacturer settles l You're worried about making updates. I always prefer to have objects/programs that are really finished! So why did you buy it him, and not another one? For several reasons:
- It is an evolution of the 840 and 840 Pro, released a year ago and which have had a huge success thanks to their price and their performance.
- The price is lower than the models mentioned above
- It can be delivered with a transfer kit (SATA-USB cable), and moreover, this one is in USB 3! Although I don't have a USB 3 port, I've been thinking about the future: the cable will always be good for any hard drive or SSD in SATA and more, it's in USB 3! What no other manufacturer is proposing to let me know at this time or I am writing these lines. This makes it a fast cable for long-term use: I wouldn't have to complain about the transfer speed on my next computer which will more than likely be in USB 3!
- And finally, because it's Samsung… Not because they are known with their Android smartphones, but because they are deemed reliable in terms of their micro-SD cards.
My opinion on switching from hDD to SSD? The first thing you notice when you unpack your new SSD is its weight! As much as, when you have the box in your hands, you feel no big difference … but once the documents, CD and cable are removed, you end up with a featherweight SSD! So much so that I was afraid to put scammed and I was put an empty case! I hurried to connect it to my computer to see if it was a real SSD! Once reassured, one can only admire its lightness! Samsung's SSDs come with 2 software: one to check the state of the SSD (Samsung Magician) and another to make a full copy of your old hard drive to the new (Samsung Data Migration). The second scare I had, especially since it occurred just after the first one with the impression of having an empty case, is that the program to check the health of the SSD did not recognize it. What for? Because it was connected via the SATA/USB adapter cable, and the program only works if the SSD is connected to SATA (SATA being the connector inside your pc). I happily checked afterwards with the 2nd software provided, and there, my SSD was recognized, but when inserting the SSD in my laptop, I was always afraid that the software would not recognize it … Finally, the SSD was well recognized, and in reality, I discovered later by deepening the information about the Magician software, it is not essential for the proper operation. However, one thing not to do when using Samsung's cloning software and when changing the hard drive physically, is not to leave an SD or USB card connected to your computer! For some reason I still don't know, my SD card has been corrupted after cloning and a hard drive change, and this twice! Ah, and for the first time, if you clone and transfer about 100 gigas per USB 2, you'll have about 2 hours with the software provided. ( Samsung says 30min per 100 gigas of USB 3 on their website. ) Once all the worries have been resolved, there is room for happiness and speed!
- Windows start with HDD: more than 2min
- Windows start with SSD: less than 5 seconds!
- Start of Guild Wars 2 game with HDD: more than 5min
- Start of guild Wars 2 game with SSD: about 15 sec
The numbers speak for themselves… You quickly notice the difference in windows start-up: With an HDD, you get the "Windows Start" message, followed by the green bar scrolling, and then you have to wait until all the programs are launched in the office before they are up and running. With SSD, we have "Starting Windows" (weirdly, the language changes at the very beginning, why? I don't know, knowing that it's a clone image of my HDD… Would Windows change behavior for SSD and make it even faster by not loading the language? In this case, why didn't you make it the same for an HDD? Didn't Windows have time to load the language file? The SSD is supposed to be, and really is, faster…) and for the little green bar, it doesn't even have time to scroll through that we go straight to the office ready and operational! Conclusion? The experiment was not without a hitch, mainly due to a lack of information, but once the worries are resolved, we quickly forget the inconveniences to the awareness of the difference between an HDD and an SSD! Another concern: unfortunately we get used to speed very quickly … Ah, and finally, 2 tips for SSDs: never defragment, or format an SSD! These two functions write a lot on the discs, and in the case of an SSD, will greatly reduce its lifespan!