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    Not sure which option to go with - M.2 or full SSD

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by ComradeQuestion, Jul 12, 2014.

  1. ComradeQuestion

    ComradeQuestion Notebook Consultant

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    My Lenovo t540p has an M.2 slot. I was thinking of using that to stall my operating systems to (Linux/Windows) and then keep the 500GB 7.2kRPM drive for storage.

    Alternatively, maybe I would just get a full 512GB SSD, though that would cost significantly more.

    Would there be a very significant performance benefit to having the full SSD instead of just having my programs/OS installed to one with storage on HDD?

    Also, suggestions for specific drives are welcome.
     
    ComradeQuestion, Jul 12, 2014
    #1
  2. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    The 42mm M2 drives are currently limited by the fact that 128GB is the largest one on the market from what I recall...not really all that much space for a dual boot.

    Either wait for the larger capacities to become available - which shouldn't take all that long - or get a full-size SSD for the main bay and call it a day.

    I'd go with the latter, but that's me.
     
    ajkula66, Jul 12, 2014
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  3. ComradeQuestion

    ComradeQuestion Notebook Consultant

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    128GB doesn't seem too small. When will 256GB drives be available?
     
    ComradeQuestion, Jul 12, 2014
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  4. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    OK, then...


    No clue. I'd suspect within the next few months.
     
    ajkula66, Jul 12, 2014
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  5. ComradeQuestion

    ComradeQuestion Notebook Consultant

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    Ah, well I can wait a few months.
     
    ComradeQuestion, Jul 12, 2014
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  6. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Does the Lenovo only support the 42mm length?
     
    HTWingNut, Jul 12, 2014
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  7. ajkula66

    ajkula66 Courage and Consequence

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    Unfortunately, yes.
     
    ajkula66, Jul 12, 2014
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  8. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

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    The Transcend 256GB 42mm is imminent. In fact, someone might have it in stock.

    Some test results for the 512GB 80mm Transcend are here. While the write performance isn't the best, the idle power consumption looks good (unlike the recent Crucial SSDs).

    John
     
    John Ratsey, Jul 13, 2014
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  9. Zer0 C00l

    Zer0 C00l Notebook Consultant

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    the full size 2.5 inch drives fastest interface is sata express which is limited to 2 lanes of pci-e. The m2 slot can have an x4 pci-e lanes slot. So m2 ssd's have the potential to be faster than sata express ssd's, they are also lighter and smaller. It's wins all around choosing m2 over 2.5"
     
    Zer0 C00l, Jul 20, 2014
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  10. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    Except capacities are small and price is high compared with mSATA and SATA. M.2 is too premature IMHO for mainstream laptop use. Sure they can use them in a tablet or convertible where physical package space is at a premium, and performance and capacity aren't of utmost importance. And many of the M.2 SSD's don't even compare with mSATA or SATA drives to take advantage of the PCI-e speed.
     
    HTWingNut, Jul 20, 2014
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  11. djembe

    djembe drum while you work

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    Actually, it is not only possible but planned to add electronics so NVMe (4x SATA performance) PCI express lanes will be available for 2.5" SATA connectors. And current m.2 slots only support up to SATA Express(2x SATA performance), as the implementation to take them to NVMe has not happened yet. You'll have to wait for future devices to support that.
     
    djembe, Jul 23, 2014
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  12. d3adman87

    d3adman87 Newbie

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    d3adman87, Jul 26, 2014
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