Fastest SSD port available?

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ArmorSuperiority

ArmorSuperiority

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Jul 23, 2014
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Hello, I'm planning on building a new computer using the Gigabyte Z97X-UD5H-BK.
It has:
- M.2 PCIe connector
- SATA Express connector
- SATA 6Gb/s connectors
- Support for RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 10

I'll only use 1 SSD with 1 HDD, so I would like to know which port provides the best performance for a SSD. I have ample of room in my computer case, so the SSD's dimensions don't matter.
If two ports offer the same speed, please tell me which provides the cheaper SSDs.
For now, I don't see any SATA Express SSD on the market, so I can't use it.

Thank you for your replies
 
Solution
geofelt
Define faster.
I think there are some M.2 devices out there that can achieve faster sequential speeds. But they may not have the lower latencies(for random I/O) that you really use.
Reviews I have read indicate that the 850 PRO is currently the best at any price.
But... in actual usage vs. synthetic server type benchmarks, you will likely not notice any difference.
I have a 840 pro, and cloned it to a 840 evo . In part for a motherboard change, and in part as a backup.
In actual usage, I noticed no difference.
MY opinion:
If budget is an issue, buy a 840 evo. Particularly if it lets you get a larger device.
If budget is no issue, buy a 850 PRO.
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geofelt

geofelt

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Oct 9, 2006
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In theory, a sata express or M.2 port might give higher sequential speeds compared to a 6gb sata port.
But there are currently no sata express devices and the few m.2 devices do not seem to be any faster.
Raid-0 has been over hyped as a performance enhancer.
Sequential benchmarks do look wonderful, but the real world does not seem to deliver the indicated performance benefits for most
desktop users. The reason is, that sequential benchmarks are coded for maximum overlapped I/O rates.
It depends on reading a stripe of data simultaneously from each raid-0 member, and that is rarely what we do.
The OS does mostly small random reads and writes, so raid-0 is of little use there.
There are some apps that will benefit. They are characterized by reading large files in a sequential overlapped manner.

My best advice is to buy the best current SSD out there, the Samsung 850 PRO and put it on a 6gb sata port.
What the os does mostly is small random I/o at low queue depths. The sequential performance is a nice marketing number, but it is the random latency that counts.
 
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ArmorSuperiority

ArmorSuperiority

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Jul 23, 2014
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Good Idea. Is there any M.2 devices faster than the Samsung 850 PRO? If I choose SATA 6gb/s, is the Samsung 840 PRO better than the Samsung 840 EVO?
 
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geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,266
4,128
174,240
Define faster.
I think there are some M.2 devices out there that can achieve faster sequential speeds. But they may not have the lower latencies(for random I/O) that you really use.
Reviews I have read indicate that the 850 PRO is currently the best at any price.
But... in actual usage vs. synthetic server type benchmarks, you will likely not notice any difference.
I have a 840 pro, and cloned it to a 840 evo . In part for a motherboard change, and in part as a backup.
In actual usage, I noticed no difference.
MY opinion:
If budget is an issue, buy a 840 evo. Particularly if it lets you get a larger device.
If budget is no issue, buy a 850 PRO.
 
Upvote 1 Downvote
Solution
ArmorSuperiority

ArmorSuperiority

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Jul 23, 2014
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Thank you for you reply!
Do you think that the Kingston Digital Ships M.2 SATA SSDs (http://www.kingston.com/us/company/press/article/7235) is better than the Samsung 840 PRO in terms of performance and durability?
I'm using a desktop, so size doesn't matter.
 
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Brogan

Brogan

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Jan 24, 2009
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Ordered my 850 Pro this week and can't wait till it gets here (hurry up Amazon!)

Chose the 850 because this is the last SSD I plan on buying, and don't know whether it will be 3 years or 7 years till I move up to whatever the next storage technology may be. So stability and top of the line speed were my #1 and 2 priorities.
 
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ArmorSuperiority

ArmorSuperiority

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Jul 23, 2014
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Why not wait for SATA Express SSDs? SATA Express ports are already available, so the compatible SSDs should arrive soon.
 
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