How compatible is Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD with ThinkPad W520?

Recently I got a slightly used Lenovo ThinkPad W520 from my company. I'm planning on my very first SSD for the machine loaded with Windows 7. I've read SSD reviews and have to come to the conclusion that Sandisk Extreme Pro.

My SSD candidate:
SanDisk Extreme PRO 240GB SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5-Inch 7mm Height Solid State Drive (SSD) With 10-Year Warranty- SDSSDXPS-240G-G25
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHRYRNM...lid=3J5UZFXEEUC00&coliid=I2BWLRDVEKP6NL&psc=1
Or
SanDisk Extreme PRO 480GB SATA 6.0GB/s 2.5-Inch 7mm Height Solid State Drive (SSD) With 10-Year Warranty- SDSSDXPS-480G-G25
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHRYRLY...lid=3J5UZFXEEUC00&coliid=I36YS3LZRQEPYD&psc=1

Due to the maturity of today's SSD technology, I concluded so not only based on a particular SSD's features and functionality but also warranty and support. It appears to me that Sandisk Extreme Pro is one of the most well-balanced SSD products backed by hassle-free warranty - the second best only next to Intel's.

My only concern however is compatibility between Sandisk Extreme Pro and my ThinkPad W520. Does the SSD work well on ThinkPad W520 with the latest BIOS v1.42? As such, I'd greatly appreciate those who have actually used both of the products sharing your experiences and comments.

Many thanks:thumbsup:


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[Main System] W520 (4270CTO), i7-2720QM, BIOS 1.42, 1920x1080 FHD, 16GB RAM, 2000M NVIDIA GPU, Sandisk Extreme Pro 240GB SSD (to be purchased), WD Caviar Black 750GB 7200rpm HDD, ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 (170W) eSATA edition
[Add-on Peripherals] eSATA ExpressCard/34 with port-multiplier support, 3/4TBx5 in external HDD enclosure
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I wouldn't be too concerned about getting this or that SSD. I'd buy in the size you need from a reputable brand and be done with it All SSDs are fast and there's not much of a difference in the real world. I just upgraded my desktop from a three year old OCZ Agility 3 that failed to a Crucial MX100 that's supposed to be a top buy right now. Other than a few minor things like it boots slightly faster and Photoshop opens a tick quicker, I can't really tell much of a difference between them.

If you're not planning on using WWAN, you might want to consider a mSATA SSD, which plugs into a mini-PCI port on the W520. That way you can use it for the boot drive, which gets you speed, and leave the platter drive in the main bay for storage where speed is not as critical. Good luck and welcome to NBR.

 

I've forgone the mini-PCI port + mSATA SSD option due to the fact that the mini-PCI port is limited to SATA2 interface. As such I don't know what I'm gonna do with the SATA2 mini-PCI port, it's kinda waste if not used.

My current OS and storage plan goes like this.
- Main HDD bay: Windows 7 OS loaded on a SATA3 SSD
- DVD/CD ROM bay as second HDD bay: One HDD as big as possible for storage
- External HDD enclosure: 2/3/4TB HDDs for extra storage

Thanks for the welcome, ZaZ

 

While ZaZ is correct that for a number of people, the difference between SSDs is going to be much less noticeable than the difference between an SSD and a hard drive, there are performance and stability reasons to get a high-end drive such as the SanDisk Extreme Pro or Samsung 850 Pro, especially for heavier workloads. It should work in your system, as the connections are all standard. The only thing you may have to adjust are the rubber rails on your existing drive if they're meant for 9.5mm as opposed to 7mm drive height.

Regarding the mSATA port, the restriction to SATA rev. 2 speeds means you probably don't want your operating system on an mSATA SSD, but they're still good for storage if you need it. For my W530, I have a 256 GB Samsung 830 in the main drive bay and a 256 GB Crucial M4 mSATA for storage. You can find at least one mSATA SSD up to a terabyte (Samsung 840 EVO) and more with 400-512 GB capacity, which can be helpful if you need or want more storage capacity without adding externals or the added noise of a spinning drive.

 

The primary purpose of my initial post is not as much which SSD brand/model to choose as whether or not this particular Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD is well supported by the latest ThinkPad W520's BIOS v1.42. As such I'd really appreciate those ThinkPad W520 owners who actually are using Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD on their systems could share their experiences and advices.

I remember I've read a few 2012 threads reporting ThinkPad W520 BIOS didn't support well particular SSD brands/models, Intel and Sandisk SSDs and warm boot problem (?) My memory is rusty and I don't the thread links at the moment. I hope with the latest W520 BIOS v.142 all issues are resolved for the latest Sandisk SSD - Extreme Pro.