Help with SATA 6gb on Asus Mobo

sniper2606

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I have the ASUS SABERTOOTH Z77 LGA 1155,currently running with 2 ssd one for the system and second one for games, im about to get an extra ssd for gaming, the manual shows this MOBO has 2 6gb sata (color brown) and 2 ssd 6gb sata (white color) a total of 4 but the white 6gb sata shows "Control by add on" What is that?

Can i still use that port for ssd and have the speed of 6GB?

Thanks
 
Solution
Current generation SATA 3 (6Gb/s) SSDs need to be on native 6Gb/s ports to achieve their maximum advertised Read/Write speeds.

The native 6Gb/s SATA ports on your board are the Intel ports.
So make sure your SSD with your O/S is connected to port SATA6G_1 or SATA6G_2. See page 2-17 of your motherboard manual for the location of the ports.

You will get SATA 6Gb/s speeds from any SSD that you connect to the ASMedia 6Gb/s ports (SATA6G_E1 & SATA6G_E2), but you probably won't get maximum advertised speeds.

Since you're using the drives for gaming there won't be any real-world difference in performance.
Just make sure the ports are in AHCI mode.
Current generation SATA 3 (6Gb/s) SSDs need to be on native 6Gb/s ports to achieve their maximum advertised Read/Write speeds.

The native 6Gb/s SATA ports on your board are the Intel ports.
So make sure your SSD with your O/S is connected to port SATA6G_1 or SATA6G_2. See page 2-17 of your motherboard manual for the location of the ports.

You will get SATA 6Gb/s speeds from any SSD that you connect to the ASMedia 6Gb/s ports (SATA6G_E1 & SATA6G_E2), but you probably won't get maximum advertised speeds.

Since you're using the drives for gaming there won't be any real-world difference in performance.
Just make sure the ports are in AHCI mode.
 
Solution

sniper2606

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Got it

Yes they are running on Intel sata and AHCI mode.

I guess ill have to get a bigger SSD for gaming.

Well there is a very noticeable difference on loading going from HDD from SSD
 


Correct. I meant that even though your new SSD will be connected to the ASMedia 6Gb/s port that your gaming experience will be the same as if it were connected to the Intel 6Gb/s port.

 

Ransome

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Thanks for the answers here. This is quite helpful in clearing things up.
Are they still relevant for the same motherboard but with modern SSD like Samsung EVO 850 ?

I have a question:
I am going to buy a new 2nd SSD for gaming: Samsung EVO 850.
Just checked the motherboard's manual on the page you specified (I have the exact same Sabertooth Z77 LGA 1155 Motherboard) and noticed only the 2 ports brown above are native Intel 6Gb/s SATA ports.
Then there are 4 black ports that are only Sata 3Gb/s!
Finally 2 more gray bottom ports which are the ASMedia Sata 6Gb/s.

So my current question is:
Where should I connect my HDD (hard-drive)? It will be used for some games (big hefty games) and storage (pictures, videoand programs).

I'm going to have 2 SSD + 1 HDD (for now).
Maybe get rid of the HDD later to save room (it might be dying).

Specs:
Mobo: Sabertooth Z77 Mobo
SSD: Crucial M4 256 GB.
HDD: WD Black 2 TB
2nd SSD: Samsung EVO 850 1 TB (Still not acquired).
 

USAFRet

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1. Please don't hijack old threads.

2. Connect the 2 x SSD in the 2 Intel ports.
Connect the HDD's in any other port. It will make no difference...the ports are faster than the HDD.
 

Ransome

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Hey USAFRet
1. OK. I didn't know such a thing as "Hijacking old threads" existed.
Threads are (among other things) meant to be served as reference for the future, are they not?
I had some of my old threads poping up after several year/months and people asking questions or making comments.

Specifically this time me and the TC have the same Mobo - and I googled query regarding SATA port differences on Sabertooth Z77 and got to this thread. I thought by asking this person (relevant to the topic) I might get good answers.

2. Thank you. I didn't know that.
Out of curiosity, how bad/slow will it be connecting an SSD to the Sata 3 Gb/s ports?

So I should connect the 2 SSD to first (upper, Brown) Intel ports.
Connect the HDD to any other. And if I get more SSDs in the future - I should connect them to the 2 lower ASMedia ports.
Got it!

3. Since you replied, I'm on the fence between Samsung EVO 850 SSD (327$) and Samsung Pro 850 (407$).
I read about it, it seems the EVO might be the way to go, since differences are marginal and trivial. What do you think?
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


1. Well...people are unlikely to actually come across old threads.
Very often, the OP hasn't been back for years. And times/conditions change.

2. An SSD connected to a SATA II (3Gb/s) will be 'slower' than if connected to a SATA III, but still faster than a HDD.
Yes, for future SSD's connect them to the Asmedia SATA III ports.

3. 850 EVO is what you want. No real world speed difference. You get a longer warranty with the Pro. Unlikely to need that extra, though.
 

Ransome

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1. I understand. Figured it will pop a notification in the reply-maker's email box.
2. Interesting. Some good insights here.
Excellent. If only every port was all 6 Gb/s SATA III. LOL :pfff: !!!

Is this still a problem with current gen boards ? Do they still have different speed/quality Sata ports?
It's awfully confusing, tbh.

3. Awesome. Thank you. I decided to buy the 1 TB Samsung 850 EVO. Yes it's expensive... And I wish I could afford the 2TB version. But I am already pushing it with the 1TB (compared to 512 GB).
Just don't want to worry about the space so much, so I can install my games on this drive more comfortably, as well as the primary C drive (which has a total of 238gb out of the box).
I am humoring the notion of getting rid of the HDD for good... Undecided.
At least if I transfer my main games to the new SSD - I will have less loading times, less noise, less cluttering and HDD issues and stress. Being tired of HDDs is one of the main reasons I started to consider a new big SSD.

For now the HDD stays internally and as Screenshots & camera photos & videos storage, and some gaming. Do you still have internal HDD?

 

USAFRet

Titan
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1. Yes it would. If that were still a viable email address. Many, many people come here, ask a question, then never, ever return.

2. All depends on the individual board.

3. My 3 main systems are SSD only.
My system = 5 x SSD.
500GB (OS and applications)
250GB (photo work)
250GB (CAD, video, music processing)
960GB (games and everything that does not fit above)
120GB (cache and scratch space for applications used above)

I do have a 4 bay NAS box (4 x 4TB HDD) to hold all the movies, music, backups, archived photo work, etc.
 

Ransome

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Wow that's a lot of drives!!
How did that ever happen? Did you buy frequent expansions of extra drives and it got builded up gradually with time ?
I assume 960 GB is basically the "1 TB" SSDs right? Makes me wonder if I should buy more than 1 TB but that costs a 700 $...
I really need to SEE how it actually looks like -how it all fits together in one case.
Can you share an photo of you case with all the drives inside?
Also what is a NAS BOX? and 4 X 4 TB HDD? Isn't that overkill - also need to see a photo of that. lol.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


The drives grew over time.
2012, started with the 120GB and a couple of HDD's.
Then one of the 840EVO 250GB. Then another. Then the 960GB Sandisk (yes, basically a 1TB). Then the 500GB 850 EVO.
All bought on sale, when the price was right.

As far as fitting? My Corsair air 540 has a dedicated pod for 4 x 2.5" drives. The 5th one is in one of the two regular 3.5" spaces.

Photo from Corsair.com
GQS96yb.png
The NAS box is this Qnap:
Holds the 2.5TB of movies, ~300GB of music, backups (daily/weekly) of all the regular PC's....