[SOLVED] NVME SSD support on an older PC

[gsen]

So im getting an SSD but had a confusion
My PC has an older H81M CS motherboard (LGA 1150) has a PCIe 2.0 x16 and a PCIe 2.0 x1 slot( thats what the support page says). I popped my pc open and this is what i can see (picture attached)

https://imgur.com/Tyo4Gbp

View: https://imgur.com/Tyo4Gbp



As you can see, there's one slot called a 'PCIE x1_1' near the bottom

I wanted to get and NVME SSD but im unsure of whether it would be compatible with my PC, given the slot(s) i have ?

slower speed is not a problem(as im aware i have a previous gen PCIE slot) i just wanna know if it will work properly (compatibility)

im looking for something that would go with both my PC and laptop(which supports NVME i checked )

Any help would be appreciated

 

[SkyNetRising]

Forget about nvme. Get sata 2.5" SSD instead.

If you absolutely want nvme in your system, you'll have to say good bye to your graphics card.
Only way to put nvme in there is with M.2 pcie adapter and you can put it only in pcie x16 slot (ocupied by graphics card).

 

[cdrkf]

So im getting an SSD but had a confusion
My PC has an older H81M CS motherboard (LGA 1150) has a PCIe 2.0 x16 and a PCIe 2.0 x1 slot( thats what the support page says). I popped my pc open and this is what i can see (picture attached)

https://imgur.com/Tyo4Gbp

View: https://imgur.com/Tyo4Gbp



As you can see, there's one slot called a 'PCIE x1_1' near the bottom

I wanted to get and NVME SSD but im unsure of whether it would be compatible with my PC, given the slot(s) i have ?

slower speed is not a problem(as im aware i have a previous gen PCIE slot) i just wanna know if it will work properly (compatibility)

im looking for something that would go with both my PC and laptop(which supports NVME i checked )

Any help would be appreciated

Most NVME drives you buy are based on the 'M2' interface (this is what your laptop will have) - this is a small memory stick type card which sits flat against the motherboard and mounts using a small edge connector. Whilst the M2 slot technically connects to the rest of the system using the PCIe bus it's a physically different slot.

There are a few PCIe card based SSD's although these aren't as common. A card based PCIe nvme drive might work, although they usually require a full length slot with a x4 interface so I'm not sure if you could run them on a x1 slot

 

[USAFRet]

Don't bother.

1. You almost certainly can't use that as the boot drive, if that was your intention.
2. On a system like this, you won't notice ANY difference over a regular SATA III SSD.
3. Excess money for no user facing gain.

 

[gsen]

Forget about nvme. Get sata 2.5" SSD instead.

If you absolutely want nvme in your system, you'll have to say good bye to your graphics card.
Only way to put nvme in there is with M.2 pcie adapter and you can put it only in pcie x16 slot (ocupied by graphics card).

So a standard 2.5 SSD like , say , a kingston A400 will work fine (as a boot drive too) ?
I did see somewhere that NVMEs have speeds of about 6-7x that of normal SSDs. Thats's why i wanted to put one in

 

[gsen]

Don't bother.

1. You almost certainly can't use that as the boot drive, if that was your intention.
2. On a system like this, you won't notice ANY difference over a regular SATA III SSD.
3. Excess money for no user facing gain.

Okay so a regular SSD will work as a boot drive as well i hope ?

 

[USAFRet]

Okay so a regular SSD will work as a boot drive as well i hope ?

Absolutely, yes.

That "6-7x speed benefit" ONLY counts with large sequential data transfer.

Here are two of my drives:

The sequential of the 660p is 3x that of the 860 EVO.
In actual use...zero difference. Literally.
I use Adobe Lightroom almost daily. Can't tell the difference, in either "feel" or actual timed and tested functions.

There are many other things going on besides the raw write speed in one particular measurement.

It's like worrying about 2 cars. One with a top speed of 120mph, the other with a top speed of 190mph, otherwise identical.
But your driving is limited to roads of no more than 60mph speed limit. That theoretical top end is never a consideration.

 

[gsen]

Absolutely, yes.

That "6-7x speed benefit" ONLY counts with large sequential data transfer.

Here are two of my drives:

The sequential of the 660p is 3x that of the 860 EVO.
In actual use...zero difference. Literally.
I use Adobe Lightroom almost daily. Can't tell the difference, in either "feel" or actual timed and tested functions.

There are many other things going on besides the raw write speed in one particular measurement.

It's like worrying about 2 cars. One with a top speed of 120mph, the other with a top speed of 190mph, otherwise identical.
But your driving is limited to roads of no more than 60mph speed limit. That theoretical top end is never a consideration.

Thanks. You're a man of good analogy.
Or woman.

Also, there's no need to worry about compatibility when it comes to a normal 2.5 '' SSD right ?( i was thinking the Kingston A400) . I have a SATA cable and spare power connectors. Good to go ?

 

[USAFRet]

Also, there's no need to worry about compatibility when it comes to a normal 2.5 '' SSD right ?( i was thinking the Kingston A400) . I have a SATA cable and spare power connectors. Good to go ?

2.5" SSD will work.

Personally, I'd got for a Crucial MX500 instead of that Kingston.
Similar price, fewer reported issues.

 

[SkyNetRising]

So a standard 2.5 SSD like , say , a kingston A400 will work fine (as a boot drive too) ?

Kingston A400 is a bad choice.
Get Crucial MX500 instead or Samsung 860 evo.

 

[gsen]

The MX 500 doesnt seem to come in a 240 GB version. Thats a BX 500. No such difference between the two except for the drive capacity i guess ?

 

[SkyNetRising]

BX is inferior to MX.
MX500 has 250GB model.

 

[USAFRet]

MX500, 250GB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764WCXCV

500GB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0784SLQM6

 

[dreamteam]

I did see somewhere that NVMEs have speeds of about 6-7x that of normal SSDs. Thats's why i wanted to put one in

first, NVMe won't boot without UEFI unless you buy the 950 PRO, Kingston H. Predator, Plextor PCI..etc
second, you can use a PCI-E 1 adapter card but you get half the read/write speed only.
if you want to go the cheaper route pick the Kingston KC600 not the A400 or even better something from Samsung, Intel, Kioxia...