SSD backup & restore help

I'm thinking of getting an SSD but have a few questions before I go to SSD instead of a regular HDD.

For many years I've been using a single 80GB HDD as a boot drive for the OS and apps only and then creating a complete disk image as a backup on a separate drive. I don't store any of my data files on the boot drive, nothing other than temp internet files or other temp files Windows uses.

I do occasionally try out new software and change various Windows settings to see how the system performs or whether I like the software. If I encounter any stability/compatability issues or the software I'm trying out causes problems, I usually just do a quick system restore to my latest backup. When I'm in me "tweaker" mode, trust me, I do tend to mess things up pretty quickly and have relied on Acronis to "Rescue" me many times.

I've been reading here in the forums about various issues regarding proper alignment when cloning one disk to another; for instance going from a 64GB SSD to a 100GB SSD, etc.

Now I'm wondering, if I install a clean copy of Windows 7 64-bit onto the SSD boot drive along with all my regular apps and then creating a complete image of that drive onto my backup drive, will I encounter any of the alignment issues when I do a complete boot drive restore? Are the alignment issues going to be there regardless of when I do a clean install or copy an image off of another drive?

Are there any issues I have to look out for, other than the alignment stuff, if I did get a SSD?

I absolutely love the fact that Acronis allows me to do a complete system restore in less than 10 minutes (as opposed to several hours of a clean install of everything) and it would be disappointing if there are any serious issues I have to deal with by going to a SSD. I don't want to mess around with alignment issues, or any others like it; to me it sounds like it would take just as much time to do a clean install.

On the other hand, should I just get a newer HDD like the WD VelociRaptor 150GB?

Any advice/insight into this is greatly appreciated,
Thanx for now,
ziggy ;)