Is PCIe SSD too much for an intel M series ?

knowledge2121

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Sep 5, 2013
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I am looking at a laptop with intel core m CPU...Should I buy a SATA3 or PCIe NVMe SSD ?

I am intending to run Linux on it..i want it for browsing(multiple tabs), Ebook reading, Email checking, IDEs, compiling long C programs....

My questions is Can an Intel M series CPU(7th gen) utilize a PCIe NVMe SSD to its maximum ? How about SATA3 ?
 
Solution
SSDs help with reading from, or writing to, storage. In general usage, most people will do a surprising amount of this, so performance gains from mechanical drive to SSD are substantial and very noticeable.

Once you start comparing SSD to SSD though, now differences aren't as large. In certain cases, such is if you move large files back and forth, the speed gains could be 'worth it'. In your use I think you should just get a SATA SSD and not worry about it. Samsung is the goto choice, but I had have decent experience with Sandisk if budget is a priority. It's best if you leave some free space on the SSD, so get one slightly larger than you think you need. You don't want to get a 120gb SSD and stick 119gb of data on it.
Any modern CPU can do that, it doesn't have much at all to do with the CPU anyhow. Even a dual core Pentium can see a benefit on a system with a PCI M.2 drive under the right circumstances.

You'd better make sure your laptop even supports both SATA and PCI M.2, because there are a lot of laptops AND desktop motherboards out there that support one, but not the other, and then some that support both. Also there are systems that support PCI M.2 but not as boot drives.

 
SSDs help with reading from, or writing to, storage. In general usage, most people will do a surprising amount of this, so performance gains from mechanical drive to SSD are substantial and very noticeable.

Once you start comparing SSD to SSD though, now differences aren't as large. In certain cases, such is if you move large files back and forth, the speed gains could be 'worth it'. In your use I think you should just get a SATA SSD and not worry about it. Samsung is the goto choice, but I had have decent experience with Sandisk if budget is a priority. It's best if you leave some free space on the SSD, so get one slightly larger than you think you need. You don't want to get a 120gb SSD and stick 119gb of data on it.
 
Solution

larrycumming

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Aug 15, 2018
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if your laptop is spec'd for SATA3, anything rated close to 500/500MBs will be fine. if it supports pcie m.2 then great get a pcie m.2 card.

some people prefer MLC over TLC, but I like to pick the ones that have better warranties. Some of the Intel ssd's offer 5 year warranty, or even one of those Chinese/Taiwanese brands would do.

there's a steep curve of diminishing return when it comes to desktop and "noticeable" difference, so you don't need to pay up big for the pcie m.2 products if you don't plan on doing much video editing or other I/o intensive job.

most of the consumer ssd are respectable in single read/write performance but they are not well-made for multiple or simultaneous read/writes. those are usually reserved for the more expensive "enterprise" grade ssd.

what I would do is:
get a reasonably price ssd with good warranty offering
install windows or your choice of o/s on the SSD disk
put any paging file or swap disk on another physical hard disk (this can be a hdd if you want)

this should provide you with the optimum setup for everyday desktop use. if your laptop does not let you install a second hdd then just use one is quite alright too.