Which NVMe SSD would you keep?

Along with a Samsung 950 Pro I purchased previously, I have a choice of SSDs to keep from some laptop replacements from Dell. All are 512GB.

Samsung 950 Pro
Samsung PM961
Toshiba THNSN5512GPUK

I have a feeling with my workload it won't make any sort of noticeable difference. I am not a gamer, no CAD, etc...just office type work. I mostly care about battery life and keeping the heat down. Not to mention I have only half the available lanes anyway.

I would consider buying something else like a 960 EVO.....since I'm crazy.

 

NVME and heat down? Didnt they throttle because of heat?

 

@mvalpreda I'd sell them all and get a 2TB 960 Pro. Or 1TB something, at least. Maybe even SATA, because they are cheaper and tend to stay cooler.

 

I would second the 2TB capacity models - but not in M.2 format...

The 2.5" SATAIII SSD's are still the SSD's for notebook use.

 

@tilleroftheearth there ain't many ultrabooks where 2.5" drives go... even some mainstream-sized laptops ditch it completely.

 

Agreed. But when there's a choice, 2.5" SSD's are consistently (sustained) faster, cooler and cheaper too.

 

I'm assuming you're still recommending the Extreme Pro and 850 Pro? Or are there newer drives you'd recommend?

 

Depends on the workload, of course. If you just want/need 'snappy' the 1TB or 2TB EVO is better...

If you need highest sustained performance over time? The Extreme Pro and 1 or 2 TB 850 Pro are still better (even if not as zippy feeling).

The Extreme Pro is very hard to source lately (but still my first choice for my workloads).

Haven't had a need to test for newer drives (yet). I'm waiting to see when Optane will make it's 'full' SSD debut at capacities I can live with.

 

I don't do any work that requires fast storage performance, so technically I don't "need" anything fast or snappy. But I enjoy the faster boot + load times, the reduced battery drain, and the reduced noise/vibration/heat of an SSD over an HDD. Hence why I usually do end up going for something like the 850 EVO (though I did snatch an Extreme Pro on sale).

I believe this is true of the vast majority of consumers. Very few of us actually need a super-fast SSD, since very few people perform work that demands extreme storage performance. For a laptop, SSDs confer many benefits of course, but none that warrant buying a high-end Extreme Pro/850 Pro/NVMe drive over a mid-range 850 EVO.

 

To clarify;

The differences between an adequately sized EVO (or any other TLC based SSD) and an Extreme Pro or 850 Pro is that the latter can perform like SSD's for extended periods lasting hours, not mere minutes, like their TLC based counterparts which will go below HDD speeds when used in the wrong workflow.

I agree that most consumers don't need anything like what almost any current SSD offers. But thinking that notebook SSD's provide 'extreme storage performance' is not the realm they're actually in or currently suitable for.

 

If your cooling laptop can provide good cooling then choose either 950 pro or pm961.