2.5" SSD VS. M.2 SSD inquiry

iAmAdrian · Dec 20, 2017

Hi guys,

So I really have no idea on what to get and what they do basically. All I know is, SSD is SSD, faster load/boot up times than a regular HDD. No idea what NVMe is and so on.

My board is the Strix Z370-E.

So basically, my questions are, the M.2 SSD's are the PCI-e SSD's right? The one that looks more like a RAM?

The NVMe SSD is the one that you need to insert on the PCI-e slot that kind of looks like a graphics card right?

All questions boils down to what SSD should I get? The RAM-looking, the Graphics card-looking or the regular 2.5" SSD?

Based on this quote:

M.2 SSDs can use either the PCIe bus or SATA bus, and the 850 Evo is a SATA 6Gbps drive—it's no faster than a normal 2.5-inch SSD. Its main advantage is the smaller M.2 card form factor, which is of benefit in NUCs, Mini-ITX builds, or in ultra-thin laptops.

I'm not really sure what to get.

Now on those 3 different looking SSD's, do they also differ in read/write speeds?

If so, which should I get?

This will be mainly used for OS and few games, I have a Black WD for storage.

Thanks a bunch and let me know if these questions are confusing.

Eximo · Dec 20, 2017

mSATA (M.2) and 2.5" SATA drives basically peak around 550MB/s read or write (Read is usually faster on drives like the Evo series)

NVMe is a communications protocol/standard. They can be either PCIe express cards, or M.2 PCIe 'sticks'

NVMe SSD speeds vary, but can be as much as 1800MB/s for M.2, and even more for larger PCIe cards. It is also the newer standard, so features wise is likely better, but not anything the average end user might use.

For day to day use, any of the three are fine. So the most common suggestion is to go for the cheapest drive that meets your needs.

why_wolf · Dec 20, 2017

M.2 / NVMe is the same thing. The one that looks like a graphics card is nothing more than a conversion card that gives you a M.2 slot if your motherboard didn't have on already.

If your board has a M.2 slot already just get a the normal (RAM looking) stick.

In terms of raw speed a M.2 over PCIe (please beware that M.2 can use both PCIe or SATA so check the specs) is vastly faster than a 2.5" SSD which is stuck at the max speeds of SATA III.

iAmAdrian · Dec 20, 2017

Next question is,

Based on today's market, which make and model should I get that's bang for the buck?

Eximo · Dec 20, 2017

How much storage do you want?

Bang for the buck will probably fall in the 240-256GB range. Though I'm sure there are some decent deals out there for 120GB drives, they seem a little small for the average user. Given the size of Windows, updates, and now the need to be able to re-install Windows every 6 months. My little 32GB embedded system has to be cleaned up for each major Windows patch.

Crucial MX300 (275GB, M.2) for $85 competes directly with the 250GB (2.5") 850 Evo (M.2 version is a little more expensive). I would take either of those personally.

TJ Hooker · Dec 20, 2017

For most people there is little to no noticeable, real world performance difference between an NVMe and SATA SSD.
There's no benefit to getting a SATA M.2 drive over a 2.5" SATA drive, unless you're tight on space in your case (not typically an issue for desktops).
A regular 2.5" SATA 850 EVO SSD is probably the best mainstream drive on the market right now. There may be a few other slightly cheaper drives that offer more bang for the buck though.

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2.5" SSD VS. M.2 SSD inquiry

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