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SSD for Windows 10 Desktop

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  • 12-10-2016 10:39pm
    #1
    DarraghR
    Registered Users Posts: 508 ✭✭✭


    I was just wondering is the SSD that goes into a laptop the exact same as the one that will go into a desktop? I have already installed one in my 17" MacBook Pro and want to do the same on my gaming rig.

    Some advice on which one to buy would also be great. I got the Samsung Evo 256gb for the Mac but might get a 500gb for my desktop as I have a lot of Steam games and Adobe Suite software. Model: 700-311na

    When it comes to installing one in a desktop do I need a special bay and what SATA cables etc. do I need to take into account. My system is a HP ENVY, i7, 16gb RAM and 3TB HDD.

    Finally is it easy to move Windows 10 from my current HDD to a new SSD. What about the license will I have to pay for a copy?

    By the looks of it I will be ordering the SSD and anything else needed from www.geizhals.eu as my girlfriend is Polish so I can post it to her fathers home and see will be visiting in 2 weeks.


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    #2
    ItHurtsWhenIP
    Registered Users Posts: 2,011 ✭✭✭ItHurtsWhenIP


    I recently replaced my Desktop's failing HDD with a Samsung 850 Evo 500GB. Tis great (speed wise)!

    You'll need a 2.5" to 3.5" cradle (~€3-€5) to get it to fit in the Desktop bays.

    If you're replacing a current SATA drive, then you can re-use it's cable. Otherwise buy a new SATA cable.

    You can get an SSD with a cloning kit (effectively a SATA-USB adapter) so you plug the SSD in externally first - Use the cloning software to copy the HDD - Then swap the drives and bingo bongo. Jobs a Good 'un. No fussing with licenses or nothing.

    Now you say you've a 3GB HDD - if you were to clone this, you'd need to cut the amount of used space down to below the size of your SSD.

    But if you choose to keep the 3TB in there, then what I'd suggest is that you simply ignore this cloning nonsense and do a clean install of Win10 on the SSD (your license entitlement is stored on the machine, so you're fine to do this).


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    #3
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    To answer the first line, they can be.

    If you want to go practical: 2.5" (Laptop Size) drive.
    If you want extra ooomph: M.2 NVME Drive. Up to about 3x faster. You won't see it in gaming etc but if you're working with the Adobe Suite then its great as a scratch disk ;)


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    #4
    Serephucus
    Registered Users Posts: 7,180 ✭✭✭Serephucus


    Most SSDs are your standard 2.5" form factor, though the height can vary (not relevant for desktops).

    As far as installation, you just plug a data and power cable into the drive, and you're good to go. While you can mount it in a caddy, spend extra on an adaptor, etc. you really don't need to. SSDs have no moving parts, so are much much indestructible in terms of normal desktop hazards. I've left most of the SSDs I've used dangling from cables, brought things to LANs, etc. and never even had anything come loose.

    If you're looking at an M.2 drive, they install very like laptop WiFi cards if you've ever done one. Just make sure your motherboard has an M.2 port (most new ones will have one, usually around the PCI slots. It'll do better in benchmarks, but you'll need a pretty specific set of circumstances to be able to notice. As ED says, works great as a scratch disk.


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    #5
    DarraghR
    Registered Users Posts: 508 ✭✭✭DarraghR


    Ok so a M.2 drive is news to me. Is it possible to go into my System Information and find out if I have a M.2 port on my motherboard or must I open up the desktop. Are they better in all senses when compared to an SSD? Obviously an SSD would be more compatible across other platforms like a MAC. And what about price difference. Would a 256gb M.2 drive cost much more than a 256 SSD?


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    #6
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    They're still SSDs, just a different shape. Be careful, I got caught here. M.2 is the form factor, but they can be SATA(normal performance) or NVME which allows much better performance.

    samsung%20950%20pro%20adapter%20card.png

    Some mobos support NVME, but only a subsection support it at the full 4x speeds so a PCIE interface card is usually the way to go.


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    #7
    Venom
    Registered Users Posts: 6,984 ✭✭✭Venom


    DarraghR wrote: »
    Ok so a M.2 drive is news to me. Is it possible to go into my System Information and find out if I have a M.2 port on my motherboard or must I open up the desktop. Are they better in all senses when compared to an SSD? Obviously an SSD would be more compatible across other platforms like a MAC. And what about price difference. Would a 256gb M.2 drive cost much more than a 256 SSD?


    My understanding from various Youtube vids, is that a normal SSD tends to be a tiny bit faster than a M.2 version in general due to how PCI-E lanes work and its only the NVME M.2 drives that are super fast but cost crazy money.

    Google your motherboard to find out if it will support M.2 or NVME.


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