Hardware question...Windows vs Linux SSD

I've been lurking forever now and finally have a question that I can't clearly answer without a quick search. I've had the 8GB SSD Linux version (ZG5) since it first came out. I'm looking to purchase another 8GB SSD Windows version for my wife. Are the two identical as far as hardware goes? Both are AOA110, so I'm assuming so, just with different configurations. If so, could I use the Windows disk from the new machine on the current one? Is the OEM Windows OS any better than using an nLited version or Microsoft version as far as performance goes? I've tried MS OS's a few different ways and always ended up back with Linpus. I have an unused XP product key I can use, but don't want to waste my time if it's not worth it. Thanks in advance for any help clearing this up.

 

All SSD versions are identical. If the system comes with 1gig of RAM it might contain an extra RAM stick in the slot already where as one with 512MB has the slot free for future expansion. There are some small difference between the HDD and SSD versions however.

One of the nLited versions specially tweaked for the SSD version of the aspire one should offer the best performance. Acer's own version of XP comes with a few tweaks, like no paging file for the SSD version, but it's not optimally configured. Either start with TinyXP or Performance XP yourself and do the tweaks, or download one of the pre-tweaked versions that you can find on line.

I recommend the harddrive version for XP. It takes time and patience to make XP perform well with the 8GB Intel SSD, though I'm very satisfied with the performance of XP on my AAO.

 

I have a question and I don't mean to knock anyone but why would a person buy an SDD version with a paltry 8/16GIGS of storage? Here in Canada, the price difference between an SDD and HDD version is minute. Why would you opt for that?

Again, I don't ask to knock anyone with them. I'm just wondering what would prompt such a decision? Availability? Reliability? Sensibility?

 

At the time I bought mine here in Sweden, the price difference was pretty big. It still is, the 8GB/512MB version is the equivalent of US$ 230, while the 160GB/1GB version is $380. Even if you buy an extra 512MB of RAM for the SSD version, the price difference is pretty big. Recent price cuts seem to only have affected the SSD version - it has dropped $60 while the HDD version remains the same.

Also not everyone needs huge amounts of storage. I currently have 9GB out of 24GB free - I did clear out a few movies recently, but I've never filled all SD cards + the SSD fully so far. I would probably have been fine with just one 8GB SD card instead of two actually. Also the SSD is silent, more rugged and uses slightly less power.

If both were about the same price, I would have gone with the HDD probably, though. Which is why I'd recommend it to the OP.

 

I got the SSD on sale at Best Buy for under $200 shipped after using my rewards coupons. I'm just wondering if the OEM XP version works any better than a standard install straight from Microsoft. I love the speed on Linpus, but if it's decent and will work, I'd like to put toe OEM XP on my other AAO as well. I am of course assuming the OEM XP will work using a different, unused XP key.