M2 SSD worth the extra?

[xPETEZx]

Hey Guys,

 

I am running low on drive space in my main rig, and would like to add a 512GB SSD.

 

My motherboard has an M2 slot, so my thought was to grab a 512GB M2 SSD: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01639694M/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3SMX4S343L488&coliid=I14YG2W576QLFU&psc=1

 

Question is, is it worth the extra over a SATA 512GB SSD like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-512GB-Solid-State-Drive/dp/B00LF10KTO/ref=sr_1_2?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1456320447&sr=1-2&keywords=512gb+ssd

 

 

The upside of M2 seems to be massive read/write, like 1GB/s +. The downside would be I can only ever attach this disk to my main rig. Even for troubleshooting / data recovery I cant hook it up to my other systems.

 

 

Just wonder if anybody has gone the M2 route and if they can recommend it or not?

 

Cheers!

[AkakmanH]

SSD is rated at 6gb/s

M.2 is rated at 10gb/s

Pretty good increase in speed but unless you really need it,

you are not going to see any real difference in day to day operations

[Wesstron]

Friendly advice: make sure to check what your motherboard's M.2 slot is compatible with. They are not all the same. The M.2 drives capable of crazy speeds are M.2 PCIe x4. The M.2 SATA III drives are similar in performance to regular SSDs.

[xPETEZx]

Good to know.

 

Anybody know if my MSI Z97M Gaming supports the 950 Pro?

From my searches it would seem so?

[bigball1]

Also there are a few reviews that show that they are not getting the rated speed they clam to have. Ex rated at 900+MB/s and they are getting around 700.

[Wesstron]

The MSI Z97M supports M.2 SATA III and M.2 PCIe 2.0 x2. It would be a waste to pop the Samsung 950 Pro in there. Get a Patriot or a Crucial M.2 SATA III for example and save your cash for something else.

[cchalogamer]

The MSI Z97M supports M.2 SATA III and M.2 PCIe 2.0 x2. It would be a waste to pop the Samsung 950 Pro in there. Get a Patriot or a Crucial M.2 SATA III for example and save your cash for something else.

Either that or go with a 2.5" SATA format SSD instead.  Honestly the real world day to day performance difference between the fastest and a middle of the road SSD isn't that great unless you move a ton of files on and off the drive to and from another equally fast SSD.  Sure the huge MB/s benchmarks will make you feel good out of the box, but honestly the price isn't REALLY going to justify it even in a board that supports it @ full speed. If you go with a standard SATA interface you do also get that long term ease of use should for example the motherboard ever die and you need to get the data off using another PC.  Granted M.2 SEEMS to be sticking around but them again in the Z77/Ivy Bridge days mSATA slots on boards were all the rage and good luck finding one now (though to be fair they have less advantages than the M.2 slot with the same problems)

[xPETEZx]

Thanks Guys!

 

Going to stick to regular SATA III.

 

Ease of using it in another system, and the fact I can save a fair chunk of change.

 

Even looking at a 1TB SSD now !

[gebraset]

Thanks Guys!

 

Going to stick to regular SATA III.

 

Ease of using it in another system, and the fact I can save a fair chunk of change.

 

Even looking at a 1TB SSD now !

 

I think you're making a good choice here.