M.2 or 2.5"

[HRFranklin0702]

I'm a bit stuck as to choosing what type of SSD to choose for a PC Build. Is an M.2 SSD worth the slight price bump or should I stay with a 2.5" drive??

Thanks in advance

 

[USAFRet]

I'm a bit stuck as to choosing what type of SSD to choose for a PC Build. Is an M.2 SSD worth the slight price bump or should I stay with a 2.5" drive??

Thanks in advance

False choice.

M.2 can be had with a SATA protocol (same as a 2.5" SATA drive), OR a NVMe/PCIe protocol.
M.2 is simply the format and how it plugs in.

In addition, the rest of the system comes into play. You don't choose a particular part in isolation.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I think what he is asking, or maybe that's just the way i read it, is does any version of M.2 offer any advantage over the 2.5" format the OP is accustomed to so that OP might choose other components accordingly. I have seen papers for the business case to choose PCIe NVMe but not for the consumer market.

 

[USAFRet]

I think what he is asking, or maybe that's just the way i read it, is does any version of M.2 offer any advantage over the 2.5" format the OP is accustomed to so that OP might choose other components accordingly. I have seen papers for the business case to choose PCIe NVMe but not for the consumer market.

Right.
An m.2 SATA drive is exactly the same performance as a 2.5" SATA drive.
Just in a different package and mount location.

 

[madmatt30]

^ Neater & tidier though , no cables required

I'd take an m2 version over its identical sata counterpart for maybe $5 extra or so for that reason.
Anymore than that I wouldn't bother.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

My edit was too slow

When NVMe first started appearing there were limitations such as is the BIOS needed to be NVMe aware for a boot drive and such but I haven't really been keeping up. At this point, I don't see it mattering as while there might be significant benchmark advantages on the desktop, any user would be unable to tell ya which is which while running either.

The lack of cable is certainly a +... on the down side some have been known to get a bit hot.

 

[lumineZ]

Do you game, browse the web, play youtube movies and overall use the computer like most people you will not see any difference from an 2,5" SATA drive compared to an lets say M.2 NVME 960evo/pro.

If you do alot of content creations, and move LARGE files and open alot of LARGE files in photoshop etc. Then you will see a difference.

 

[HRFranklin0702]

Okay thanks everyone for the help. I'll just stick with a 2.5" drive !

 

[madmatt30]

^ fair play.

https://pcpartpicker.com/search/?cc=us&q=Crucial+mx300++275gb

It depends on the drive really.
Above the mx300 m2 & sata drives are the same price .
In which instance there's no really good reason to pick the sata.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Do you game, browse the web, play youtube movies and overall use the computer like most people you will not see any difference from an 2,5" SATA drive compared to an lets say M.2 NVME 960evo/pro..

We did two blind tests (Desktops / Laptops) with 5 users for 6 weeks ... they were unaware when they were switched from SSD to SSHD to HD ... Desktops were used in SOHO office for CAD, photo work, during day, flight sims and gaming after hours. Laptops were used for engineers on road outta Town for CAD, photo work, movies gaming ... no one noticed. On the desktop, all that was needed was to select the boot device in BIOS so switches were done daily... with the lappies, there were 2 laptops, one with SSD + HD and one with SSD randomly assigned.

 

[Solandri]

We did two blind tests (Desktops / Laptops) with 5 users for 6 weeks ... they were unaware when they were switched from SSD to SSHD to HD ... Desktops were used in SOHO office for CAD, photo work, during day, flight sims and gaming after hours. Laptops were used for engineers on road outta Town for CAD, photo work, movies gaming ... no one noticed.

That's been my experience too. *I* certainly notice, but I replace a client's HDD with a cloned SSD and most of my clients don't notice any difference. The best I've gotten is "maybe it's faster? I think?"

I still recommend it to my clients anyway, as it greatly reduces the time I have to spend maintaining their systems (quicker malware scans, updates, and driver and software installs). Thus reducing the hours I bill them as well as giving me time to visit more clients.