External SSD running programs?

[Millios]

I need a quick way to to have programms running on a computer that'll be replaced later down the line (aka i have a potato and ill get a new PC in mid to late 2025) for a new one so to save space and money cause a)SATA SSDs wont do and b) this mobo doesnt have an M.2 slot i was wondering if it's a good idea/viable to get an external drive and run games and some programms from there as i can just plug that in the new one later.

[Aleph256]

You can, though it is not recommended and if you're on a "potato" you'll probably be bottlenecked by the USB interface anyway.

A good plan would be to buy a NVMe you plan on using for your new PC, put it in an external USB enclosure, and install your software on it. Then you could just pop the drive in the new PC.

[Millios]

17 minutes ago, Aleph256 said:

You can, though it is not recommended and if you're on a "potato" you'll probably be bottlenecked by the USB interface anyway.

A good plan would be to buy a NVMe you plan on using for your new PC, put it in an external USB enclosure, and install your software on it. Then you could just pop the drive in the new PC.

I dont really care about the bottleneck so thats a non factor so because i see some cheap ones from brands like intenso would it be worth to get it now for the potato and later use it as back up? cause the drive along with the adaptor is a bit of a mark up that isnt reallt shrugable

[Aleph256]

You will care about the bottleneck when it will result in longer load times because your games will need the textures stored on it.

You can get an random external drive and use it as a backup, but wouldn't that make you more of a markup in the long run since you're actually buying another drive instead of lowering your eventual PC's cost by that of the drive you'd put in it, and thus the only markup there would be the enclosure?

[FliP0x]

Why aren't SATA SSDs an option? No space or no free SATA ports?

In my opinion, based on your explained case, I would get a SATA SSD and then use it as a backup/secondary drive in your new PC. This way you wouldn't have the performance bottleneck or waste money on a SSD enclosure.

EDIT:
As for brands like Intenso, I can vouch that they are reliable. I got my brother a Intenso SATA SSD a few years ago. They may not be the fastest on the market, but it still works fine after all these years and is fast enough to play games from it.

[Millios]

5 minutes ago, FliP0x said:

Why aren't SATA SSDs an option? No space or no free SATA ports?

In my opinion, based on your explained case, I would get a SATA SSD and then use it as a backup/secondary drive in your new PC. This way you wouldn't have the performance bottleneck or waste money on a SSD enclosure.

No free slots

I got a prebuilt for 400 bucks 7-8 years ago (IK how yo stretch a dollar which is why im getting a new pc next year even though its long overdue if you hear the rest of the specks) and the mobo which is most likely a refurbished laptop one has slots for 2 which are filled.

It's either the proposed external ssd, the enclosed m.2 suggested by @Aleph256 or getting a reader for another sata thats again external and I put all the satas in the new PC when i get it

[FliP0x]

I understand. In that case I would probably get an external SSD as well, but make sure it's not a proprietary one. Meaning, you can pull the SSD out of the enclosure and connect it normally once the new PC arrives.
There are potentially other ways to connect a SSD directly, eg. through a PCI-E adapter, but it depends if the motherboard has those slots to spare.

The easiest option would be the external SSD one.

[Millios]

5 minutes ago, FliP0x said:

I understand. In that case I would probably get an external SSD as well, but make sure it's not a proprietary one. Meaning, you can pull the SSD out of the enclosure and connect it normally once the new PC arrives.
There are potentially other ways to connect a SSD directly, eg. through a PCI-E adapter, but it depends if the motherboard has those slots to spare.

The easiest option would be the external SSD one.

Micro atx form factor with 1 PCIE lane thats for the gpu (current PC in case you mean getting an adaptor for this one and setting it in the new one later)

I suppose the adaptor for an external SATA would be the easiest as I can get a cheap SATA from a friend and a decent reader and connect it later on the one for extra storage but The external SSD is just more straight forward although has a bit more bottleneck