I started in computers when we loaded the OS from reel-to-reel tapes. Then came the Tandy (Radio Shack) "PC" that loaded from cassettes. We often went on coffee breaks waiting for programs to load. We all knew that computers would be faster some day but I don't think any of envisioned something like the Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB M.2 SSD. This drive is really sensational. Certainly beats the 8" floppies we once used! I was lucky when I selected a Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H (Rev 1.2) motherboard as it comes with the pesky screw pre-installed to hold the drive in place. For those of you who are planning on purchasing this drive, it shouldn't be too hard to find the screw. Ace Hardware, if there is one near you, usually has a good selection of metric screws. If not, one of the big box stores often have the right size. It shouldn't be too hard to find locally. Installing the drive couldn't be much easier. Just slip it into place and replace the screw. These are small screws so don't over tighten it. I was using this drive in a new build with the above mentioned motherboard (and I really like it), an Intel i7 4790k processor, and 32 GB of RAM. I also have two 1 TB Western Digital drive in raid for data storage (the SSD is only for the OS and programs that must be installed on the C: drive. When I build a new system or replace a boot drive I always rebuild the system. Migrating the system often brings along obsolete software or drivers that can eventually cause problems. I also have a WD 4 TB drive for long term data storage. I'm not telling you about the hardware to brag, it is just to give you an idea of the components working with the 850. I am using Windows 7 Ultimate and the system boots almost instantly. A friend timed it at 7 seconds. Takes me much longer to type in my 21 character password (I'm not paranoid, I just like long passwords) than it takes the system to boot. This drive is silent, doesn't vibrate, runs cool, and is just schmookin' fast. Saving data happens faster than it takes to press the "Save" icon.
I use Linux Mint 17.3 on my other computers but I have to use Windows on this one because it is in my ham shack as the majority of ham software is written for Windows. Unfortunately, my ham shack is in my garage, and being in northern California, the summer temps can be in the mid 90's in the garage. My processor is water cooled and I also have several case fans and a memory fan. This little drive stays right at room temp and never slows down. I am extremely happy with this drive and I consider it a good value for the money. There may be faster drives but you won't be able to tell the difference.
| Hard Drive | 250 GB Solid State Drive |
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