ssd How do I know that my PC supports M.2 SSDs?

[Askejm]

I'm looking to buy a new M.2 SSD. The one I'm thinking of is a Corsair Force Series MP510 CSSD-F960GBMP510 960GB. It's listed as an M.2 SSD. I wanted to know if my PC supports those kinds of SSDs since I've heard they need a special connector.  

I read some articles about it and was a bit confused about what kind of PCI-E it needs. I don't have a connector like this one

 

Can I just use the PCI-E Express x4 on my motherboard?

[TheGlenlivet]

If you don't have the connector pictured you would need to get a card that you install the M.2 into that then goes into your PCIE slot.

[Askejm]

1 minute ago, TheGlenlivet said:

If you don't have the connector pictured you would need to get a card that you install the M.2 into that then goes into your PCIE slot.

Are they expensive? Do I have the connector they need?

[TheGlenlivet]

33 minutes ago, Askejm said:

Are they expensive? Do I have the connector they need?

https://www.amazon.com/Lycom-DT-120-PCIe-Adapter-Support/dp/B00MYCQP38

This is just a quick google search.  There are a lot of options here.  As long as you have a PCIE x4 or better slot available you should be able to make this work.  

 

However, I don't know what you plan to use it for but unless you are moving big files around (4K video etc.) a SATA SSD will work just fine.  You won't notice a difference in day to day use.  You might not want to give up a PCIE slot....

[Askejm]

5 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

https://www.amazon.com/Lycom-DT-120-PCIe-Adapter-Support/dp/B00MYCQP38

This is just a quick google search.  There are a lot of options here.  As long as you have a PCIE x4 or better slot available you should be able to make this work.  

 

However, I don't know what you plan to use it for but unless you are moving big files around (4K video etc.) a SATA SSD will work just fine.  You won't notice a difference in day to day use.  You might not want to give up a PCIE slot....

Mostly just for games. The SSD has 3500 MBps read speeds and my current is around 300-500 MBps. Will there be a significant difference? Also, I'm not planning to keep this PC for more than a year or so. I wouldn't mind losing that PCI-E slot

Oh and also, will using an adapter bottleneck the SSD?

[TheGlenlivet]

1 minute ago, Askejm said:

Mostly just for games. The SSD has 3500 MBps read speeds and my current is around 300-500 MBps. Will there be a significant difference? Also, I'm not planning to keep this PC for more than a year or so. I wouldn't mind losing that PCI-E slot

No, there wouldn't.  At least not what I would consider worth.

The 3500 MBps is only going to improve big file transfers between drives that can both hit those speeds.  Your OS and game loading speeds won't be greatly improved compared to a good SATA SSD.

 

[Askejm]

8 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

No, there wouldn't.  At least not what I would consider worth.

The 3500 MBps is only going to improve big file transfers between drives that can both hit those speeds.  Your OS and game loading speeds won't be greatly improved compared to a good SATA SSD.

 

What kind of improvements are we looking at?

[TheGlenlivet]

7 minutes ago, Askejm said:

What kind of improvements are we looking at?

What are you using as storage now?

[Askejm]

3 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

What are you using as storage now?

Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250GB (Sata SSD)

It's around 350 MBps read and write I think

[TheGlenlivet]

2 minutes ago, Askejm said:

Samsung SSD 860 EVO 250GB (Sata SSD)

It's around 350 MBps read and write I think

OK, so you can improve the read and write to that drive by adding the m.2 PCIE drive, but you will still be capped at the read and write speeds of the SATA drive. 

As far as making your computer boot faster and games load faster, YES an M.2 will make that happen faster, but 1 or 2 seconds faster, not like the difference between an HDD and SSD.  See?  

So if you want it, you can get it and probably make it work for you, but it will not the the same night and day difference as the HDD/SSD.

[Askejm]

23 minutes ago, TheGlenlivet said:

OK, so you can improve the read and write to that drive by adding the m.2 PCIE drive, but you will still be capped at the read and write speeds of the SATA drive. 

As far as making your computer boot faster and games load faster, YES an M.2 will make that happen faster, but 1 or 2 seconds faster, not like the difference between an HDD and SSD.  See?  

So if you want it, you can get it and probably make it work for you, but it will not the the same night and day difference as the HDD/SSD.

Okay thanks for the help then I probably won't buy it