MBA flash drive vs. MBP SSD

[Duncanreally]

MBA drive is marginally faster

As promised, xBench disk test.

237 for my new MBA with 256Gb flash drive (after a couple of weeks use, 2/3 of drive filled)

229 for my old MBP with 512Gb SSD (also when it was a couple of weeks old, though only about 1/3 filled)

Very impressed with the 13" MBA, a much better computer than the MBP (for me), and a much better price. No noticeable speed difference, much lighter, more usable display on the road. Also matches my 4 year old 30" ACD better!

My employee is v happy with my old MBP, though

Duncan

 

[KPOM]

Nice results. It's interesting to see how close the stock drives are. Miller7 put in an OWC 120GB into his MPB and got higher specs but also has an intermittent wake-from sleep issue that supposedly will be fixed in a firmware update.

 

[miata]

As promised, xBench disk test.

237 for my new MBA with 256Gb flash drive (after a couple of weeks use, 2/3 of drive filled)

229 for my old MBP with 512Gb SSD (also when it was a couple of weeks old, though only about 1/3 filled)

Very impressed with the 13" MBA, a much better computer than the MBP (for me), and a much better price. No noticeable speed difference, much lighter, more usable display on the road. Also matches my 4 year old 30" ACD better!

My employee is v happy with my old MBP, though

Duncan

Which SSD drive are you using in the MBP?

 

[lucashungaro]

To help people that reach this topic after searching for some benchmarks and comparisons, here's the Xbench result for my 13'' MBA "ultimate": http://db.xbench.com/merge.xhtml?doc1=488910

And here's a comparison with a MBP Core i7 to get an idea of how much a traditional HD (even with 7200RPM and 16MB cache) will slow you down: http://db.xbench.com/merge.xhtml?doc1=488910&doc2=456109

 

[lovelaptops]

Why doesn't Apple use Sandforce controllers?

I am not sure I understand why they use Toshiba controllers when my research shows that Sandforce is a great deal faster? I don't see that much a price difference when you buy them at retail, so why would Apple hobble it's latest/greatest machine with a middling SSD?

On a separate but related note: Slower SSD or not, precisely what is it that enables my MBA 13 Ultimate to have instant-on, including instant wifi connection, and why wouldn't the same apply to all MBP's at this point? Since the MBP 13 with 256 GB SSD, 4GB RAM, the same nVidia 320 costs about the same as the MBA with same, why is the instant-on only possible on the MBA? For that matter, at near price parity, why would the MBA 13 have a much higher resolution screen as well? Final point: what could possibly justify the purchase of an MBP 13 with 256GB SSD. 4GB RAM instead of an MBA Ultimate, other than an extra USB port and the ability to go to 8GB RAM. It seems like a no-contest here.

 

[miata]

I am not sure I understand why they use Toshiba controllers when my research shows that Sandforce is a great deal faster? I don't see that much a price difference when you buy them at retail, so why would Apple hobble it's latest/greatest machine with a middling SSD?

On a separate but related note: Slower SSD or not, precisely what is it that enables my MBA 13 Ultimate to have instant-on, including instant wifi connection, and why wouldn't the same apply to all MBP's at this point? Since the MBP 13 with 256 GB SSD, 4GB RAM, the same nVidia 320 costs about the same as the MBA with same, why is the instant-on only possible on the MBA? For that matter, at near price parity, why would the MBA 13 have a much higher resolution screen as well? Final point: what could possibly justify the purchase of an MBP 13 with 256GB SSD. 4GB RAM instead of an MBA Ultimate, other than an extra USB port and the ability to go to 8GB RAM. It seems like a no-contest here.

Firewire 800, ethernet, upgradeable drive bay, SuperDrive (or second drive bay), backlit keyboard, longer battery life, better camera, battery indicator.

The only reasons to get the MBA are weight and screen resolution.

I can see that many could case for the later others the former. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[halledise]

I have a recent (3 month old) 13 inch MBP with the 512GB SSD. I'm considering a 13 inch MBA with the 256GB NAND flash drive. Obviously I'll have to manage with less storage space, but apart from that, what is the difference between the two drives? Will the newer one in the Air be faster, as it is an Apple custom component rather than an off the shelf part?

I think the new Air is great value, BTW. The SSD in my MBP cost a fortune (but it is really really fast). Also, before anyone says "just keep the MBP", my assistant wants one, so I'll be buying either another MBP or a MBA anyway.

So which is faster MBP with standard 512GB SSD or new MBA with standard 256GB NAND flash?

cheers
Duncan

flash waaaaaay faster - I know, cos I just came off the similar specced MBP with SSD

 

[fyrefly]

I am not sure I understand why they use Toshiba controllers when my research shows that Sandforce is a great deal faster? I don't see that much a price difference when you buy them at retail, so why would Apple hobble it's latest/greatest machine with a middling SSD?

'Cause Apple buys craploads of Nand from Toshiba and probably got a super-favourable deal from them to use their SSDs/Controllers in all of the SSD-equipped Macs (iMacs, MacPros, MacBook Pros, Macbook Airs).

Not to say Sandforce woulnd't give them a good deal too, but Sandforce can't supply the same NAND, and we all know Apple loves having a choke-hold on the NAND market (as they currently do) leaving their competitors scrambling for supply.

On a separate but related note: Slower SSD or not, precisely what is it that enables my MBA 13 Ultimate to have instant-on, including instant wifi connection, and why wouldn't the same apply to all MBP's at this point? Since the MBP 13 with 256 GB SSD, 4GB RAM, the same nVidia 320 costs about the same as the MBA with same, why is the instant-on only possible on the MBA? For that matter, at near price parity, why would the MBA 13 have a much higher resolution screen as well?

It's due to the fact that the 13" MBP was last updated in April and the MBA just came out in late-Oct.

Granted, the current 13" MBP (especially with SSD) would be capable of "Instant On" - if Apple gave it a firmware upgrade - but then people wouldn't buy new machines!

Regardless, when the 13" MBP refreshes in Spring/Summer 2011, you can be sure some of what you're talking about will be added. The MBA is often used as a "testing" device for future tech - it was the first to get multi-touch trackpad, it was the first to get "Instant On", the first to get SSD, etc...

Then those techs propagate to the other Machines in the line.

 

[KPOM]

I am not sure I understand why they use Toshiba controllers when my research shows that Sandforce is a great deal faster? I don't see that much a price difference when you buy them at retail, so why would Apple hobble it's latest/greatest machine with a middling SSD?

FWIW, Digilloyd ran some tests recently comparing a OWC SSD and the Toshiba SSD in a MacBook Pro. Big surprise, the OWC came out ahead, but the Toshiba drive handled the "severe" test with very little performance degradation, which Lloyd pointed out.

'Cause Apple buys craploads of Nand from Toshiba and probably got a super-favourable deal from them to use their SSDs/Controllers in all of the SSD-equipped Macs (iMacs, MacPros, MacBook Pros, Macbook Airs).

Not to say Sandforce woulnd't give them a good deal too, but Sandforce can't supply the same NAND, and we all know Apple loves having a choke-hold on the NAND market (as they currently do) leaving their competitors scrambling for supply.

I've heard that Apple's margins on NAND are almost as high as those of a manufacturer of NAND drives. Given what they charge for an upgrade on the 13" MacBook Pro, I'd believe it.