Best SSD upgrade for T61?

Hi.

I'd like to upgrade a T61 with a new SSD but I'm not sure which one would be best. I'm aware that the T61 BIOS can be modded to improve SATA performance, but even with that applied it cannot get the maximum out of the latest drives.

So therefore, what is the best option for one of these laptops? NB: I really want to put 160-200 Gb SSD into it. I was thinking of one of the OCZ Vertex 2Es.

Also, do I need to buy anythiing special to mount it securely inside?

cheers

Paul

 

The T61 should be able to mount the SSD without trouble using the standard rubber rails and hard drive mount. While the OCZ Vertex 2's are one option, you could also consider Intel's SSD line such as the X25-M or the 320 as they have a good track record for reliability and provide decent performance. I personally have the Intel X25-M SSD in my T61 and it works like clockwork, hadn't really given me any trouble at all.

 

Read Anandtech for the best recommendations. Intels have proven reliable, so if you want a safe and fast bet choose the new 510. Others may be a bit faster depending upon your use, but the top ones really don't vary much. It really doesn't matter much whether you're purchasing a 50x speed increase over your HDD, or a 52x increase.

 

If you're not using the optical drive much, you could opt for a smaller SSD, then put your current drive into the modular caddy place of the optical drive. That's probably a more economical solution. I'd agree if reliability is a concern, Intel is the way to go, though I have small OCZ SSDs in all my desktops and haven't had a problem with any of them.

 

If you were to get an OCZ, do not get one with SF-2000 controller. Corsair has already recalled all their Force 3 SSDs. Get an older SF-1200 or better yet Intel.

 

I have heard good things about the Crucial M4 SSDs. I am going to get the 128GB version sometime in the future. I had previously almost settled on the Intel 320, but I am now leaning more towards the M4 as it also has good reliability like Intel, but is more future-proof if I upgrade to a SATAIII system. Also sports a nice-looking price and impressive performance, albeit being held back on a SATAII interface.

 

Buying a SATA III M4 is a waste of speed and money on a T61 class ThinkPad unless you plan to get rid of it in the next year or so and use the SSD in a new machine.

 

As it's been stated, the T61 will not take advantage of the SATA 3 speeds, unless you only plan on using it short term and plan on buying a Sandy Bridge notebook in the future.

 

It doesn't matter. The M4's are the same price (at least here) or less than buying an Intel 320 120GB. They are both similarly spec'd when used with a SATA II controller. Obviously you won't benefit from it being SATA III if you aren't going to upgrade, but it won't hurt anything either, and the possibility is there.