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Cheap but reliable 256gb M2 PCIe NVME Gen3 for Media Server?

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  • 10-04-2021 5:48pm
    #1
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,807 ✭✭✭


    Building Plex/Emby/Drivepool/Snapraid/Win10 Media Server for my brother using his GFs’ ‘old’ :rolleyes: i7 8700K/AsRock Z370m-ITX and my spare CM Masterbox Q500L case, DeepCool Assassin 3 Twin Tower Cooler, 2x Corsair 900D 3-Bay Hotswap caddies, (can accommodate 6x 3.5” HDD’s) Corsair CX450m PSU, 2x 140mm Thermaltake Riing RGB LED fans (Front intake through the HDD Caddies) and 4x 120mm Thermaltake Riing RGB LED fans. (1 at rear exhaust, 2 on the Deepcool Assassin 3 and one replacing the PSU fan acting as a permanent exhaust too.)

    Waiting on him dropping up the CPU/Mobo but with a placeholder mITx mobo I had for measuring and cutting the motherboard tray to accommodate the HDD caddies, well it looks the business if I do say so myself.

    ....and then he told me he’ll probably put it in a cupboard!! NOOOoooooo!!! :D:D

    Anyway, the mobo has 6x Sata Ports, so I want to pick up a cheap 256GB M2 PCIe NVME Gen3 for the OS and Media related software to keep all 6 Sata ports free to be populated by the 6x Sata cables from the Hotswap bays. (Assuming an active M2 NVME drive doesn’t de-activate 1 or 2 of the Sata ports in which case I gain no advantage or Sata port sparing so instead I’d just put in a spare 256GB 2.5” SSD I have for the OS/Software)

    [EDIT] just checked the mobo specs and it says this...
    *If M2_1 is occupied by a SATA-type M.2 device, SATA3_0 will be disabled

    I assume a Gen 3 NVME is not a ‘Sata-type M.2 device’ ?? Or is that exactly what it is??

    So any recommendations WRT M2 NVME’s ie. what and where to buy with delivery ASAP?

    TIA

    Might post a photo tonight or tomorrow once I cable tidy suited to the port positions on the new mobo going in.


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    #2
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,306 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    m.2 drives can work in either PCI-e mode or SATA mode. They'll also be physically keyed with different notches to reflect which they are.

    From the sounds of it, a SATA mode one is going via the SATA controller, and thus replaces one of the ports.


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    #3
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,807 ✭✭✭Calibos


    Spear wrote: »
    m.2 drives can work in either PCI-e mode or SATA mode. They'll also be physically keyed with different notches to reflect which they are.

    From the sounds of it, a SATA mode one is going via the SATA controller, and thus replaces one of the ports.

    So the quoted speed rating of the drive should give a clue whether its a Sata mode drive or PCIe mode drive even if specific declarations are missing?? ie. No mention of anything higher than 550MB/s in the specs means 'Avoid'. ?


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    #4
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,306 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    Calibos wrote: »
    So the quoted speed rating of the drive should give a clue whether its a Sata mode drive or PCIe mode drive even if specific declarations are missing?? ie. No mention of anything higher than 550MB/s in the specs means 'Avoid'. ?

    Any decent listing should make it clear from the description whether it's PCIe or SATA. If not, a photo of it should make the two notches of a SATA version apparent.


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    #5
    Calibos
    Registered Users Posts: 7,807 ✭✭✭Calibos


    Scared by some negative reviews for the cheaper drives so in the end I opted for the old reliable Samsung and ordered a 256GB 970 EVO Plus NVME Gen3. Spending €700 instead of €400 for something is a hard pill to swallow but its easier to swallow the exact same relative price difference when one is talking about €70 (Samsung 970) versus €40 (Sabrents, Adata, Crucial, Kingston etc).


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