CustoMac Question: Why the SanDisk Extreme SSD?

[theshiv]

I suppose this is aimed at the Mods, but I'll take a response from anyone who knows the answer.

Everything in the recommended build list makes sense. The hardware is listed because it is as compatible with OS X as possible. But why is the SanDisk Extreme SSD recommended? Is this the best SSD for OS X, best bang for the buck, or any other reason?

I'd like to switch out my 64gb SSD for a larger one, and I'm just curious about the SanDisk.

Thanks!

 

[talisman]

I'm curious about this as well.

 

[thelostswede]

Because it's currently one of the best options in terms of price/performance and it's also readily available pretty much anywhere.
No other reason really, pretty much any SSD will do the job.

 

[ggeorge]

AFAIK, the Sandisk Extremes use "Toggle Mode Flash" chips, which are basically the best kind/highest performing flash memory chips.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-recommendation-review,3194-6.html

SandForce controller with Toggle DDR NAND (Mushkin Chronos Deluxe, Patriot Wildfire, OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS, Kingston HyperX 3K, OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G)
SandForce controller with Synchronous ONFi NAND (OCZ Vertex 3, Corsair Force GT, Kingston HyperX, Intel SSD 520)
SandForce controller with Asynchronous ONFi NAND (OCZ Agility 3, Corsair Force 3, Mushkin Chronos, Patriot Pyro, OWC Mercury Electra 6G)

SSD Performance Hierarchy Chart
Tier 1
240 GB second-gen SandForce SSDs with Toggle NAND
Samsung 830 SSD 256 GB
Tier 2
240 GB second-gen SandForce SSDs with Sync ONFi NAND
Tier 3
Crucial m4 256 GB
OCZ Vertex 4 512/256 GB
Samsung 830 SSD 128 GB
120 GB second-gen SandForce SSDs with Toggle NAND
240 GB second-gen SandForce SSDs with Async ONFi NAND

 

[miramar]

Sandisk has updated their firmware for the Sandisk Extreme SSDs to R211. Apparently this solves the TRIM problem.

Downloads of the bootable firmware updater ISOs are available from their website here.

http://kb.sandisk.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/10476/kw/firmware iso

If you don't have a DVD drive, use UNetbootin to write the ISO to a GPT thumbdrive. Chimera will see the thumbdrive and you can boot off it into the firmware updater.