To add to the base, I own a 32 GB Samsung SLC SSD. I do must say I am quite impressed looking at the performance that using it delivers. I was not too long ago an avid fan of gaming on my watercooled custom pc rig. I've used two wd-raptor x hdds in RAID 0 config. But the performance that a single SSD provides is astonishing. As so enough I still use it in my laptop which I'm currently writing this post on. I've owned this SSD from new and it is close to 2 years that I have it. As far as performance over time, no drops from new yet. Many installs later holds just as perfect as day one. It is to underline a "SLC" technology product not cheaper "MLC" alternative as far as the type of NAND memory used inside. More expensive yes, but more rugged than the cheaper other. The bad name that brought it's cause to SSDs came through MLC based SSDs and the onboard controller of the MLC SSD. Loads of forums serve to that as far as research. There are now however new controllers being packed to MLC SSDs that are showing signs of a new era. Can't confirm that fact from myself yet but gonna wait out, to see how that performs. I did own previously a Transcend MLC based SSD which I could only use for storage at best, no luck of getting Windows XP to install on that(bit of luck, Linux did but sluggish afterwards as noting else). For laptops I will underline and give all praise, low power usage, no heat whatsoever, and exceptional performance. Don't want any other.
As far as defragging and software based optimization, that I did come across as well. Just to point out a few interesting things, I defrag(consolidate) my free space on my SSD to keep the performance at max(still no fails as yet). O&O pro 14 has TRIM supported optimization as of now. MFT do a separate filesystem (instead to NTFS/FAT32) http://managedflash.com/index.htm. Raxco also cater to SSDs as well(using that at the mo). And then there is http://www.diskeeper.com/hyperfast/index.aspx.
There we go a few things to mention on SSDs..
