Ultimate System Drive SSD or PCIe x4 Card into M.2?!?

Hexenhammer. · February 9, 2022

Hi,

Im using Optane 900p 480gb PCIe x4 card and in new ADL build i don't have space for it, just 3 PCIe: GPU, 4Tb U.2 drive on PCIe adapter, 4K HDR capture card

So my 2 options are:

1) To get a new 1tb m.2 SSD just for my OS [I know that 2TB models are faster but dont want to pay more, especially for a system that has 22TB of NAND storage already, none of it is Gen 4.0 thou]

2) I got a M.2 to PCIe x4 adapter, the issue here is that while motherboard is flat its fine, but when installed inside the PC, the Optane is rather heavy, has dual heatsink and it wont be screwed down, i never actually used such setup, the drive is detected by bios, but my issue is safety, i dont want it to fall down

Since my OS drive is Optane, i dont want to step down by much like using Gen 3.0 SSD, i know all type of nand will be a step down, but still i can choose something not that bad

I assumed Samsung 980 Pro by default since 90% of my otehr drives are Samsung and it was always the best.

But found out that Phison E18 [Revision 2 SSD's] is the best right now [are they thou?], i dug up that SSD makers released a refresh still on Phiosn E18 but with faster NAND, like Corsair MP600 PRO > MP600 PRO XT

So far from what I understand these 2 are the best: Corsair Mp600 PRO XT and Kingston Fury Renegade, they both Phison E18 Revision 2 drives, and Im leaning towards Kingston since it has higher TBW

Basically i want to know if these are indeed the best or im missing something? What do you think? Which one is the Ultimate OS drive?

Also what do you think about installing Optane drive in M.2 slot by using adapter, the card wont have any screws and to install it ill have to remove the metal PCI bracket holder.

I even considered hot gluing the card to M.2 adapter, but that kinda borderline nuts, how will i remove it later?

BTW, right now im on MSI Creation x570 and on PCIe Gen 4.0/3.0, you have Bifurcation across both CPU PCIe slots, i can switch each of them into x4/x4 mode, so i have 2 devices plugged into single x8 slot, my optane + U.2 drive [using 2 adapters]

Sorry for wall of text guys

AbydosOne · February 9, 2022

17 minutes ago, Hexenhammer. said:

4Tb U.2 drive on PCIe adapter

Get a M.2 to U.2 adapter and cable, then mount the U.2 SSD somewhere else and use the now-opened slot for Optane?

Hexenhammer. · February 9, 2022

34 minutes ago, AbydosOne said:

Get a M.2 to U.2 adapter and cable, then mount the U.2 SSD somewhere else and use the now-opened slot for Optane?

Hi, I have such adapter that comes as complete cable, thats how its connected right now to my x570 system.

I considered this myself, but, is it good idea to have a system drive pluged into Chipset slot instead of direct to CPU?

I mean, it will work for sure, but feels bad

For your suggestion i was thinking of buying a new mobo [and selling mine on ebay], the issue is that my aorus master while still new its out of return window, i got hyped and ordered CPU and mobo 2-3 days after release, but haven't assembled it yet, waiting for new water cooling parts

Basically I considered getting MSI MEG Z690 UNIFY-X, it it looks like ultimate ADL mobo, has CPU x16 spit into x8/x8, so ill get CPU connected slot for my Optane.

Also because of this split, they freed up 4 PCIe lanes, so they have one M.2 extra, my board has x16/x4/x4 + 3 Real M.2, x1 shared with SATA port [Useless for me], x1 shared with PCIe Slot [also useless]

and MSI has x8/x8/x4 + x5 full M.2 ports that are not shared

The only plus aorus master has is 10G Ethernet and MSI has dual 2.5Gb