Hey everyone! I'm looking to set up a dual boot system with Linux on its own SSD while still using Windows 10. My plan is to use an SSD to run a Fedora distro for my programming and development work since running VMs like VMware and VirtualBox on my old PC hasn't been great. Now, here's my question: do I really need an SSD with DRAM for this setup? I've read that DRAM helps with write operations and can prolong the lifespan of the SSD, but I'm not sure if it's crucial for development tasks. Unfortunately, I can't overspend on the SSD either, and I've come across a few options in local stores (no shipping): Kingston A400 (no DRAM), Western Digital Green (has DRAM), Transcend 225S (AI says yes, but I'm skeptical), Adata SU680 (no DRAM), and Dahua C800A (no DRAM). The cheapest ones are Adata and Dahua at about $50 for 1TB, while the others are 500GB around the same price. Any advice?
1 Answer
You don't strictly need DRAM in your SSD, but it does have its perks. Having DRAM can help with write operations and might improve the overall lifespan of the drive a bit. That said, it really depends on your personal needs. If you're doing general dev work, standard SATA SSDs will serve you just fine and usually offer more capacity for your cash. Personally, I've opted for drives with less capacity but with DRAM because I sometimes like knowing I'll have that extra speed for larger file operations. Just weigh what you need—if you can wait a little longer for loads on some tasks, you might save a lot going for a drive without DRAM.
My two cents!
Thanks for the insights! I was worried about lifespan since my current SSD is DRAM-less and it's still chugging along after 9 years, so maybe I shouldn't stress too much about it. Looking more at the Adata and Dahua options seems reasonable now.