I’m looking to replace the HDD on an HP Pavilion dv 6 6130-us. It has an i-3 2330M CPU. I know it’s old as dirt, but I’d like to use it to run old games. It’s also the only thing I own with a CD drive.
I’ve upgraded the RAM to the maximum it will support (16 GB). I’m thinking an SSD will help it run a great deal faster, but I’m stuck on what to get. So far, the Crucial MX500 seems like a good choice, but I’m wondering if any semi-reliable cheap SSD will do for something this old. I have to stick with something with a 2.5 inch form factor that uses SATA. Thoughts?
Samsung seems like the gold standard, but the MX 500 seems more in line with what I want to pay on something this old. I was considering some like the Patriot Burst line or even some of the stuff on AliExpress, but some reviews I found scared me away from those.
You won’t notice the higher speeds on the Samsung models. You might not even notice the speed difference between the Crucial vs whatever the cheapest option available at Micro Center, but this one is a bit tougher to say.
If you’re ok with the Crucial MX500, it will be a huge upgrade.
Source: I upgraded a 3rd Gen laptop to the MX500 for occasional use while traveling. It’s only recently that I’m considering buying a new one.
With an older machine, would it matter if I got a dram-less SSD? Would I notice a significant difference? I’ve seen a Teamgroup SSD (the T-force Vulcan Z) that’s a bit cheaper, but it has no cache. It does appear to have a newer architecture though that appears to give it a longer life.