Use mSata + SSD together??

[John1012]

Hey everyone,

I have a question regarding a laptop with an msata SSD installed.

I am from Australia and looking at purchasing this laptop:

http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/543-horize-w550eu-ultranote.html

It has a 128gb mSATA already installed with 1 HDD bay free. I already have a 120gb SanDisk Extreme SSD that i will be putting in there once i purchase the laptop.

So my question is do i need to use the mSATA?? i already have 1 SSD. Or can i use both?? Is there any advantages using one over the other or using both together?? I'm a bit confused after researching mSATA and caching so i need some help.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[manofchalk]

From the looks of it the blank drive bay will use just a plain SATA connection. Don't know of any HDD's that can connect by mSATA, so it would make sense its SATA considering they give you the option to put in a HDD.

Seems that the Crucial M4 is built into the laptop, dont think you could take it out. Both would be roughly the same in terms of speed, you wont see any real performance difference between the two drives.
I would use both drives, get a total of 248GB of very fast storage between them.

mSATA is a connection that is lot more "hard-wired" than just your standard SATA port and more oriented toward smaller cache drives. But otherwise they are very similar.
Caching isnt really applicable here. Typically a cache drive is used to complement a HDD, SSD caching another SSD is pointless.

 

[foscooter]

NO!

You don't cache a SSD. You use a SSD to cache a HDD.

 

[John1012]

Thanks for the reply everyone.

I contacted the store and they said the mSATA can be taken out so it's not soldered on or anything.

Oh and i won't cache the SSD .. lol i don't even know how to.

So would it be best to put the operating system onto the SSD and use the mSATA for storage or use both together??

Thanks.

 

[manofchalk]

For optimal performance, the OS should be on an SSD. Whether its through the mSATA or plain SATA connection wont matter.

I would use the mSATA for the OS drive as it is sorta more permanent than the SATA connection. Though it really wouldnt matter.

The way I would configure it is an mSATA SSD for the OS/programs/games, and throw in a 2.5" HDD in the spare drive bay for mass storage. That way you have speed where it matters and capacity for movies and such.

 

[John1012]

Sorry for the late reply.

Yes i might do as you suggested. OS on the mSATA and i might option in the 500gb HDD for storage. I'll probably keep my SSD in my HP laptop so i can use this laptop too.

Only problem is a 3-4 week wait for this laptop 🙁