M.2 SSD RAID laptop adapter MSI-GT72

[caincha]

Anyone knows if this can be bought - and where?

Also if there are any major bottlenecks i.e.: RAID system wouldn't perform 100% as it would on a dedicated PCIe card.

Not that a PCIe card would be an option as I would be using on a laptop but anyways… More info regarding specs, suppoerted M.2 (NVMe or NGFF?) data bottlenecks with RAID and where to buy would be appreciated.  

 

 

[NewMaxx]

I don't see any chips on the adapter's PCB which means it's just a dumb adapter; looks to support quad (four) drives. RAID would be software-based (so overhead) with some diminishing returns as always, main benefits would be sequentials (esp. with queue depth) and 4K/IOPS with high queue depth (uncommon). Haven't seen the card before but searing MS-17812 gives you the details. Not sure how it connects, looks like a PCIe-LP socket/slot perhaps, if so it would likely be x4 or x8 PCIe 2.0 if it's over the HM87's chipset. The shown drives are I believe A1000 or Phison E8-based which are x2, hence the B+M keying, so x8 would make sense - it would bifurcate to x2 per drive.

[caincha]

From what I've read it goes into a regular M.2 slot so I assume the bottleneck would be how much data that particular slot can handle.

I've already got 2 Samsung 970 EVO (should have just one - long story) and I will either use both if I can buy this contraption over there or sell one and use the other.

Would like to use bot on RAID just for the 'wow' factor (and also assume there would be some increase on speed…?) but if I can't get that contraption I wouldn't be exactly disappointed…

So… Any ideas on where to buy that?

 

(The 4-slot one has a power adaptor to handle all 4 drives. This one in the picture is for just 2 drives and from what I've read it is on RAID)

[NewMaxx]

edit I see these are S8-based so are SATA drives and the GT72 says 4x RAID up to 1600 MB/s, my bad. Although that really makes it just a worse idea.

 

Also want to point out, the MS-17822 adapter DOES have a M.2 connector, but the MS-17812 does not.

[caincha]

Ugh you're right. Those SSDs pictured are indeed SATA.

The MS-17812 however does support M.2 drives but what sort of connector is that? Kinda look  like an Apple one could it be proprietary as well…?

[Attila.Hun]

I was just messing with my GT-72 the other night with this thing.  When I needed to upgrade space I just pulled that and went with a 1TB 2.5" SSD instead but always wondered how much different the speed would be.  

 

With a Mushkin Reactor 1TB SSD CDM showed about 265 MB/s.  With 4 Lite-On M.2 SATA L8Ts in RAID 0, I was getting 1670 MB/s

 

Not sure how much of a noticeable difference in really makes in the 'ol GT-72 but in benchmarks it's a huge difference.

 

Just an FYI