M.2 or SATA Boot Drive?

[Neverender]

I have been contemplating going with an M.2 SSD in my new build, provided the motherboard I eventually buy provides the dedicated slot for it. I've seen people using M.2 for a boot device. So I was thinking of doing that as well.

 

I guess this is more of an opinion question. Do you think I should use the M.2 for my boot/OS, or just go with a SATA SSD? I'd figure going with the M/2 would make for slightly less wire clutter and better management. That's just one reason to go with M.2. I was wondering if anyone had any other opinions on M.2.

[mikat]

It really doesn't matter  they are the exact same ssds and will perform the same

and i assume you're comparing m.2 sata ssds to 2,5" sata ssds.

but if you're talking about NVMe drives then they will be faster, but they aren't worth the money for general day to day use compared to the 850 evos

[Neverender]

3 minutes ago, mikat said:

It really doesn't matter  they are the exact same ssds and will perform the same

and i assume you're comparing m.2 sata ssds to 2,5" sata ssds.

M.2 is not SATA. It doesn't use that connection.

 

Either way, I figured performance would be pretty on par. I guess I needed some confirmation. lol

2 minutes ago, brcdncn said:

M.2 been blazing fast as a boot drive in my experience. Bonus if it can hide behind your motherboard or lay flat out of the way. Would recommend 950 Pro.

I hear lots of good things about the 950 Pro, actually.

[mikat]

1 minute ago, Neverender said:

M.2 is not SATA. It doesn't use that connection.

Not entirely true, M.2 SSDs can also use sata, for example
http://www.anandtech.com/show/9023/the-samsung-ssd-850-evo-msata-m2-review

 

[barkloaf]

M.2 is absolutely AMAZING, I use it myself.

[Neverender]

11 minutes ago, mikat said:

Not entirely true, M.2 SSDs can also use sata...

I saw that video a couple of days ago. I was referring to a dedicated M.2, rather than one connected to a SATA cord by some adapter. Unless there's no difference in speeds. Thanks though.

[mikat]

1 minute ago, Neverender said:

I saw that video a couple of days ago. I was referring to a dedicated M.2, rather than one connected to a SATA cord by some adapter. Unless there's no difference in speeds. Thanks though.

As I said earlier, M.2 SSDs can have use the SATA interface, thus being limited to sata speeds, even when plugged directly into the M.2 Slot

but i think you mean PCI-e?

[Neverender]

2 minutes ago, mikat said:

As I said earlier, M.2 SSDs can have use the SATA interface, thus being limited to sata speeds, even when plugged into the M.2 Slot

but i think you mean PCI-e?

I guess I was referring to that. I'm thinking about M.2 not just as a format, but as something separate from the typical SSDs that we're used to. Typically, when people say SSD, the first thing you'd think of is one that looks like a notebook drive, connected via SATA cables.

[mikat]

Just now, Neverender said:

I guess I was referring to that. I'm thinking about M.2 not just as a format, but as something separate from the typical SSDs that we're used to. Typically, when people say SSD, the first thing you'd think of is one that looks like a notebook drive, connected via SATA cables.

yup

M.2 = hardware

SATA = hardware & software

PCI-e = hardware & software

[paddy-stone]

1 hour ago, Neverender said:

I saw that video a couple of days ago. I was referring to a dedicated M.2, rather than one connected to a SATA cord by some adapter. Unless there's no difference in speeds. Thanks though.

You're still wrong... The M.2 type drives can use either NVME via PCI-e or AHCI via SATA, depends on the motherboard spec, some can support both, while others only support SATA I believe... doesn't need a cord to the motherboard also, it's all done through the socket. I have just a SATA M.2 drive in my board at the moment as my motherboard doesn't support the NVME type that needs PCI-e lanes x4.

[Neverender]

7 minutes ago, paddy-stone said:

You're still wrong... The M.2 type drives can use either NVME via PCI-e or AHCI via SATA, depends on the motherboard spec, some can support both, while others only support SATA I believe... doesn't need a cord to the motherboard also, it's all done through the socket. I have just a SATA M.2 drive in my board at the moment as my motherboard doesn't support the NVME type that needs PCI-e lanes x4.

That was pretty much cleared up earlier.

 

PCI-e is either AHCI or NVMe, as far as I know.

 

My main thing was forgetting that the connectivity dedicated to the mobo is actually PCI-e. This is why I referred to SATA differently.

[paddy-stone]

5 hours ago, Neverender said:

That was pretty much cleared up earlier.

 

PCI-e is either AHCI or NVMe, as far as I know.

 

My main thing was forgetting that the connectivity dedicated to the mobo is actually PCI-e. This is why I referred to SATA differently.

It must have been posted while I was writing my post... definitely wasn't before I decided to post. Anyway, glad it's cleared up now