Can't figure out M.2 SSD For OS Booting

[nickperez15]

I've done so much research on this and I just keep having these pesky questions. 3 of them to be exact. I was hoping you guys could help me out please!

(My PC specs are at the very bottom)

So basically I want to install an M.2 SSD on one of the two built in M.2 sockets on my motherboard. Strictly for booting my OS and to install this CAD program I use often. Here are my questions :

1) If you look below at the motherboard specs for the included M.2 sockets they are some differences between the two. So which of the two sockets should I be using for my purpose?

2) One of the two M.2 sockets advertises to be "Intel Optane Memory Ready" is this something I can benefit from? nd if so could it be done in conjunction with the "OS booting SSD" I want to install?

3) Recommended appropriate M.2 SSD card for this purpose.

Sorry for the long question good internet people!

My PC Specs:
Intel i7-7700 3.6GHz, NVIDIA GTX 1060 3GB, 32GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, Win 10
Motherboard:
ASUS-PRIME B250M-A
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support
(SATA mode & X4 PCIE mode)*1


1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (x4 PCIE mode)*2
Intel® Optane™ Memory Ready *3

Notes
*1 When a device in SATA mode is installed on the M.2_1 socket, SATA_1 port cannot be used.
*2 Only M.2_2 socket can support Intel® Optane™ Memory. 
*3 Intel® Optane™ Technology is only supported when using 7th Generation Intel® processors. 

 

[jojesa]

So basically I want to install an M.2 SSD on one of the two built in M.2 sockets on my motherboard. Strictly for booting my OS and to install this CAD program I use often. Here are my questions :

1) If you look below at the motherboard specs for the included M.2 sockets they are some differences between the two. So which of the two sockets should I be using for my purpose?

The only difference between the two m.2 sockets, is that one of them supports Intel Octane.

2) One of the two M.2 sockets advertises to be "Intel Optane Memory Ready" is this something I can benefit from? nd if so could it be done in conjunction with the "OS booting SSD" I want to install?

You could benefit if you were using just a HDD as a boot drive...but with an m.2 PCIe SSD you could easily outperform it.

3) Recommended appropriate M.2 SSD card for this purpose.

Intel 660p 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD
Inland Professional 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD
XPG SX6000 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD

 

[nickperez15]

First of you , thank you for the quick response jojesa. You are beyond awesome.

The only difference between the two m.2 sockets, is that one of them supports Intel Octane.

Would you then recommend that I use the "non -octane" socket for my booting drive?

2) You could benefit if you were using just a HDD as a boot drive...but with an m.2 PCIe SSD you could easily outperform it.

If I plan to also install a 2.5 SATA SDD for my everyday storage (this would be in addition to the M.2 SSD for booting) would installing the octane memory on that second M.2 socket then give me a benefit? And would it be a problem to have both M.2 sockets filled up?

Intel 660p 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD
Inland Professional 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD
XPG SX6000 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe SSD

Thanks!

 

[jojesa]

Would you then recommend that I use the "non -octane" socket for my booting drive?

It does not matter where you install the NVMe SSD.

If I plan to also install a 2.5 SATA SDD for my everyday storage (this would be in addition to the M.2 SSD for booting) would installing the octane memory on that second M.2 socket then give me a benefit?

No, octane memory is recommended to speed up slow HDD. SSDs do not benefit from it.

...And would it be a problem to have both M.2 sockets filled up?

You could install a second m.2 disk, but considering that they are more expensive than SATA SSDs, I don't see the purpose. Unless you want to get two m.2 disk and setup them on a RAID.

 

[nickperez15]

Thank you, my questions have been fully answered.

But you can't just throw this "RAID" term at a newb like me and not expect me to have a follow-up question!! 😀

But seriously, what is it? And do I want in on it?

Thanks man, beers on me if you are ever in South Fla

 

[jojesa]

You're right. I should have elaborated about the new term introduced.
RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks or Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks).
You set RAID with two or more disks to achieve better performance or better reliability.
There are several types or RAID: 0, 1, 5, 10, etc
RAID O will improve speed. Two disk together will be faster than just one by striping data to both disk at once. RAID 0 you will give the storage capacity of the two disks, improve boot times, apps and games loading time, but if one of the hard disk fails you lose all data on both drives.
RAID 1 is about reliability. If you set two disk on RAID 1, you will the storage capacity of one disks (you will have 1/2 the storage capacity of all disks), no speed improvements but if one disk fails, all data will be available on the second disk.
RAID 5 will give you better performance and also protection against disk failure. Out of three disk you will have the capacity of only two. You will need three or more disk and data will be written to all disk and if one fails you will be able to have access to all your data. But if more than one disk fail you could lose all data.
RAID 10 gives you speed and reliability. You will need at least four disks. You will get the reliability of RAID 1 and the speed of RAID 0 (1+0). Two disk could fail and still you will have all data available on remaining disks.
There are other types of RAID but think this gives you and introduction.