Using FireWire 800, does it makes sense to use a SSD hard disk as opposed to a 7200rpm?

Does it makes sense to buy a SSD HD and use it with the Firewire 800 port? Or should I buy a standard 7200rpm one?

Firewire 800 is slower than internal HD (am I right?) so I was thinking the advantage of using the expensive SSD is screwed if I use it in the Firewire 800 (as opposed to opening my computer and plug it as internal drive).

I'm thinking this because I see almost only internal SSD HD being sold, while I've found none with a Firewire 800 port and a case.

So, will a SSD HD run faster via Firewire 800 than a regular HD at 7200rpm? I'm interested in this as I'd like to use SSD as an external startup disk.

Saturnix

Posted 2013-12-24T22:30:21.447

Reputation: 155

Look up the sustained transfer rate of your HDD, look up the sustained rate of the SSD, and look up the sustained transfer rate of Firewire800, confirm SATA support in the external enclosure to be used. You then have all the information you need to answer your own question. All this information is easily available to you (more so than us even). – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-12-24T22:41:21.640

I don't even have any external SSD HD, how could I have these informations? By searching online? And how do I know information provided by retailers can be used for comparisons? In regards of speed (any kind of speed) I've NEVER met any specifications delivered with any product in my life. – Saturnix – 2013-12-24T22:48:00.813

According to LaCie, my HD should be fast as a bullet. I'm copying 200gb of files and its taking ages: not to mention it crashed twice for 5 minutes and recovered itself. Only God knows if any file has been corrupted in the process. No sir: I won't believe any manufacturer information, especially if I need to use it for comparisons. – Saturnix – 2013-12-24T22:51:15.107

No, but the advertised specs give you a ballpark idea. If the HDD rated is 2MBps and the Firewire is 800KBps (I'm making up numbers here ;) ), it's pretty obvious. As you said, nothing ever quite matches the reported specs, and we also have no ideas what hardware you have or want to use, so how can we answer it any better? If you don't want to look it up for yourself, then don't, but that's why I down-voted -- No research effort; not very useful. Others may or may not follow. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-12-24T22:53:50.723

I'm not just talking of the HDD speed itself but the speed of Firewire 800 in regards of it. Is it just a matter of basic math? I have no idea and, yes, I admittedly done no research beyond using the few things I know (in which is it NOT included how to interpret HDDs specs in regards of the medium of transfer). – Saturnix – 2013-12-24T22:55:51.297

Additionally, consider heat -- An SSD will last way longer in an enclosure that a HDD (IMO anyway). Also bumping an SSD while it's working doesn't wreck data. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-12-24T23:00:10.647

Seems cooler (no pun intended) but the high price tag is still inaccessible to me (unless there are serious performance benefits). – Saturnix – 2013-12-24T23:15:38.420

Yes, I'd like to use it as a boot disk. Should have mentioned that in my question. I'm updating... – Saturnix – 2013-12-24T22:45:02.987

Then you'll probably notice a little boost on SSD. Transfer speed won't be better, but you won't have to wait for disk header to move to appropriate area of platter - SSDs can access any area of disk instantly. Take into account that SSDs are about 8 times more expensive than HDDs of the same capacity and they are still quite experimental technology - SSD wearing problem isn't solved for good yet. On the other hand, SSDs are completely shock proof. You can drop it, throw it and it will be fine as long as you won't damage it physically. That's a good thing for portable disks. – gronostaj – 2013-12-24T23:10:30.513

Using FireWire 800, does it makes sense to use a SSD hard disk as opposed to a 7200rpm?

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