SSD Buying Advice ---> Technical help <---

[shanky298]

Hello,

Greetings from India!!

---> Noob Alert <---

I am planning to buy Samsung's PM981 512GB NVME SSD to be used in a laptop that only supports SATA 3 drives but I stumbled upon this adapter here which takes an M.2 SSD and gives SATA 3 as out interface.

Doubt ( Since I don't have enough knowledge): Will Samsung's PM981 drive work in a SATA 3 supported laptop if the aforementioned adapter or any other made  M key supported adapter is used?? 

 

Thanks!!

[minibois]

I didn't check the link, but just understand that if a drive uses a PCIE interface, you can't just simply convert it to a SATA interface; even though they both could use an M.2 connector.

 

Basically what I am saying is; the connector doesn't matter, it's the interface that matters which is totally different in this case.

While I can't guarantee you it won't work, I am pretty sure it won't because it uses a different interface.

[shanky298]

3 minutes ago, Minibois said:

I didn't check the link, but just understand that if a drive uses a PCIE interface, you can't just simply convert it to a SATA interface; even though they both could use an M.2 connector.

 

Basically what I am saying is; the connector doesn't matter, it's the interface that matters which is totally different in this case.

While I can't guarantee you it won't work, I am pretty sure it won't because it uses a different interface.

But these adapters exist, I can't understand why ? 

[TetraSky]

Why not just get a SATA 3 SSD instead? Even assuming this shady chinese adapter works, you won't benefit at all from the faster NVME by using such adapter, you'd be limited by SATA 3, meaning there's literally no point to it in the first place.

[minibois]

1 minute ago, shanky298 said:

But these adapters exist, the reason for which I can't understand. 

Just checked out the link and it says it only supports M.2 SATA SSD's (and mSATA SSD's), not sure why it says it supports M key drives though.

If you have an M.2 slot in your laptop, just get an M.2 SATA SSD. otherwise just get a normal 2.5" drive IMO

[Eastman51]

Just buy a SATA 2.5" SSD. I recommend WD Blue or Inland Professional, depending on how much you're willing to spend (WD is nicer, but more expensive).

NVMe drives are more expensive, so if you're not even putting it in an NVMe slot, the extra cost is definitely not worth it.

[shanky298]

4 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

Why not just get a SATA 3 SSD instead? Even assuming this shady chinese adapter works, you won't benefit at all from the faster NVME by using such adapter, you'd be limited by SATA 3, meaning there's literally no point to it in the first place.

Absolutely valid point!! thing is I might change my laptop to a something newer that has M.2 interface, in that case, I will be able to use PM981 drive natively.

[shanky298]

1 minute ago, Eastman51 said:

Just buy a SATA 2.5" SSD. I recommend WD Blue or Inland Professional, depending on how much you're willing to spend (WD is nicer, but more expensive).

NVMe drives are more expensive, so if you're not even putting it in an NVMe slot, the extra cost is definitely not worth it.

Currently using Samsung's 850 Evo

[Eastman51]

Just now, shanky298 said:

Currently using Samsung's 850 Evo

Then why bother upgrading?

NVMe isn't any faster for regular use. I have a SATA SSD in my desktop and an NVMe SSD in my laptop; they both boot and load fully to the Windows desktop within seconds of each other. Not to mention, the game load times on the drives are practically identical... imo the 960 EVO in my laptop wasn't worth it; I could have gotten a 1TB WD Blue M.2 for less than what I paid for this 500GB NVMe....

[shanky298]

1 minute ago, Eastman51 said:

Then why bother upgrading?

NVMe isn't any faster for regular use. I have a SATA SSD in my desktop and an NVMe SSD in my laptop; they both boot and load fully to the Windows desktop within seconds of each other. Not to mention, the game load times on the drives are practically identical... imo the 960 EVO in my laptop wasn't worth it; I could have gotten a 1TB WD Blue M.2 for less than what I paid for this 500GB NVMe....

Got it, going for PM981 at this point ( unless I upgrade to something newer ) would be a complete waste of money.

[GoldenLag]

20 minutes ago, shanky298 said:

But these adapters exist, I can't understand why ? 

m.2 is a connector

 

NVME/PCIe is a interface

 

Sata 3 is also an interface.

 

m.2 connector can have either/or. 

 

edit: sort of similar to how USB Type C can be 3.0 or 2.0 or many other protocols like Thunderbolt or Displayport. 

[Jurrunio]

12 minutes ago, shanky298 said:

But these adapters exist, I can't understand why ? 

scam? Because you can get PCIe lanes and change that to SATA, not the other way around. You can at most use SATA M.2 SSD with the adapter.

[TetraSky]

1 minute ago, shanky298 said:

Absolutely valid point!! thins is I might change my laptop to a something newer that has M.2 interface, in that case, I will be able to use PM981 drive natively.

Just now, shanky298 said:

Currently using Samsung's 850 Evo

So you don't need this thing just yet. You already have a good SSD. There's no point buying the NVME drive today when you don't have the new laptop to put it in.
Unless you're literally planning to get a new laptop within the next month or two, I wouldn't recommend buying an NVME drive that you don't need/can't use since the price will likely keep going down before you get said new laptop.

Plus the fact that the adapter, like minibois said, is not for M.2 NVME drives, it's for M.2 SATA or mSATA, hence why this adapter wouldn't work in the first place for your usage.