Newbie: 2d SSD - recommended or not?

[jonbean]

I have money to get a maxed out W520. Big question is the storage (160GB base) is way too limited. I'd like to add a second hard drive but Lenovo support said they only have 256GB SSD and a slow 320GB HDD (5400 rpm). How hard is it to install a second 256GB SSD (for total of 416GB SSD two drives)??? I know the adapter leaves a gap but does an install work and not lose its connection?

Recommend a third-party add-on instead (example: Seagate Momentus XT 750GB)??? Again, is it easy to install and does it play nice with W520?

Thanks. I'm divided between W520 and Dell Precision M6600 - only two companies with NON-chicklet keyboards.

[Staats]

A W520 will support 3 hdds. One mSATA drive, one primary hdd and another hdd in the ultrabay if you choose. The ultrabay adapters from newmodeus do NOT have a gap and look great! I love mine. I have a 120gb mSATA SSD, 120 gb primary SSD with a 750gb secondary WD Black in the ultrabay. It is cake to do a drive swap.

[ThorsHammer]

As Staats indicates, you can buy drives from newegg.com, amazon, buy.com, etc.  They are easily installed in the W520.

I purchased the hard drive adapter at http://www.ebay.com/itm/220814491729 for test purposes and it seems to work well enough.  I also have a couple of the official Lenovo hard drive adaptors "ThinkPad Serial ATA Hard Drive 9.5mm Bay Adapter III, Part # 43N3412"

[jonbean]

Thanks for the very useful feedback. 

I was confused because the Lenovo marketing person (the "chat" person online) said they didn't have any drives for the Ultrabay - only a couple (SSD, slow old HDD) for the DVD slot. I'd hate to lose my DVD slot and have TWO SSDs. I'd like to have a boot-up SSD and then a HDD for storage. 

She told me swappable DVD slot = Ultrabay. 

So now I am REALLY confused. Are they separate? If so, it must be Lenovo has a low stock of drives for Ultrabay. The one downside of Lenovo seems to be they chintz on the hard drives. .

So tell me about the Ultrabay (image)? and what drive I can put in it (I'd really prefer a HDD 500GB and above but the Lenovo marketer said they only had SSD and a 320GB 5400 RPM. 

Thanks again!

[ThorsHammer]

UltraBay is the marketing term they use for the actual bay.  Ultrabay options include a DVD burner (typical), Blu-ray burner (expensive), battery or the Series III hard drive adapter.

The hard drive adapter allows you to use a SSD or HDD.  I have a 750GB 7200rpm Hitachi HDD in mine.

[Staats]

Like ThorsHammer said, there are a lot of devices that can be used in that bay. You don' thave to buy lenovo items - there are plenty of aftermarket manufacturers that make great fitting drive caddies. I've purchased mine from newmodeus - for my W520, and my laptop at work. Nearly any standard 2.5" hdd will work.

[ThorsHammer]

See http://www.newmodeus.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_7&products_id=400 for the hard drive adapter Staats is using.

[jonbean]

OK, I'm going to get a W520 with 160GB SSD as boot drive (glad it is Intel because they have the lowest reported failure rates). 

Then I'll buy a caddy from Newmodeus and add the new Seagate Momentus XT 750GB. 

The Momentus should fit because it is 2.5," right? 

[tbaugh]

Yes the standard 2.5" small "laptop" drive will fit in the Ultra Bay adapter. I have an XT 500 that works fine. I'm still not real happy with the 160GB SSD primary. It works fine but I'm always moving stuff over to the 500GB because the smaller 160GB gets crowded.

[ThorsHammer]

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tbaugh wrote:

Yes the standard 2.5" small "laptop" drive will fit in the Ultra Bay adapter. I have an XT 500 that works fine. I'm still not real happy with the 160GB SSD primary. It works fine but I'm always moving stuff over to the 500GB because the smaller 160GB gets crowded.

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Well, you can always buy an Intel 600GB SSD.