New PC Planning: Storage Options

Current configuration:
Internal:
1x 2TB WD Black HDD: OS/Programs/Games/User Data (1.02TB Free)
1x 2TB WD Black HDD: iTunes Library/Backup (1.33TB Free)

External:
1x 6TB WD Blue: Media (3.12TB Free)
1x 6TB WD Blue: Media (3.04TB Free)

iTunes Library is currently 330GB, User Data appx ~500GB

The new Motherboard I am currently looking at has 1 M.2 2280 Slot and 4 6Gbps SATA ports.

MY options are;

Configuration 1:
1x M.2 1TB - 2TB: OS/Programs/Games, 1x 4TB - 6TB HDD: User Data/iTunes/Backup/Misc

Configuration 2:
1x M.2 1TB - 2TB: OS/Programs/Games, 1x 2TB HDD: User Data/iTunes, 1x 2TB HDD: Backup/Misc

Configuration 3:
1x 2TB SSD: OS/Programs/Games, 1x 2TB SSD: User Data/iTunes/Backup/Misc

The externals will remain as is and will probably be upgraded to 8TB or 10TB in the next 2-4yrs as they're only half full and are only 2-3 years old.

One bonus to Configuration 2 is, once Windows is installed on the M.2, I can wipe my current 2TB HDD's and repurpose them, thus saving the $100 or so each for new drives.

What Im looking for is a speed increase, in boot time and program/game loading times, balanced against lifespan. I know SSD's used to be somewhat less long lived than HDD's. I know also that that has improved drastically in teh last few years. Never having had an SSD before I have no experience with them and it is still of some concern until I have used one and have some first hand knowledge.

I normally swap my HDD's out at 3-5yr intervals. I don't do a bunch of writing to disk/data shuffling regularly. I would estimate I create/Writeto external/Remove maybe 25-50GB a month and thats a bit on the heavy side. Not counting the usual writes from Game patches, updates to windows, installing a new program etc,...

I basically want to know if SSD's would good with the minimum of 3-5yrs of use before I have to satrt worrying about swapping it, assuming no catistrophic failures. I know how to partition and divide up disks, but I would like to keep this as simple as possible since my current case has 2 hot swap bays at the front, and the new MB has an M.2 slot.

The M.2 and SSD's I'm looking at curently are all Crucial MX500's or variations thereof.

TIA for any advice or suggestions.

I would NOT assume SSDs have a shorter life span. That could be true in any given case, but it's rank speculation. Your drive could fail in 5 minutes or not in your lifetime.

You can likely use two M.2 drives----one in the supplied port and another via an add-on card.

I use an add-on card personally.

Specifically, a SIIG M.2 NGFF SSD M Key NVMe PCIe 3.0 x 4 Card Adapter.

15 bucks at Newegg.

The only reason I used the card was that I could not find the tiny screw used to affix my M.2 drive to the motherboard.

Those screws are supplied with the motherboard, not the drive---I could not locate it and they are extremely difficult to replace because each board manufacturer uses their own specific screw--they are not standardized.

I suppose the fastest SSD speeds would be obtained with the latest generation of M.2 drives----but as far as I know, they are supported only on certain AMD motherboards, not Intel. But------I'm not sure if the speed difference is even noticeable in the real world.

I would consider this:

Boot drive: An SSD large enough to hold Windows and ALL installed programs, perhaps half filled. That might be as small as a 256 GB drive or as large as 1 TB--depending on how much space your installed applications require. No personal data on this drive.

Of course, plan for future growth of the C partition, but only you know how fast that might be. My C has varied between 30 and 45 GB for the last 10 years. Currently at 38, but was at 31 a month ago---mostly contingent on what Windows Update has in mind.

Maybe your C grows 5 GB a year. Maybe 50. Mostly depending on if you keep data on C. I don't.

Data drive--- internal, preferably SSD, and preferably just one drive. To include iTunes, video, mp3, whatever you have. Probably a single partition, split into folders. You can get 2 TB SSDs for as little as $200 at times. This might be one or more HDDs rather than an SSD if expense enters the picture.

Backup---likely external, likely large HDD.

Obviously any SSD is going to be a speed bump over my current HDD's.

My main concern is does it still make sense to use an SSD for a Boot/Programs drive and separate user data/files onto an HDD?

Or, as I seem to be finding, have SSD's basically become large and reliable enough that I can simply swap my HDD's for SSD's and use as I normally would a mechanical drive and not give any more thought to it than I would an HDD.

I do make and keep back ups of all my user data, and intend to continue to do so, regardless of what storage medium I currently use.

ignatzatsonic said:

I would NOT assume SSDs have a shorter life span. That could be true in any given case, but it's rank speculation. Your drive could fail in 5 minutes or not in your lifetime.

ignatzatsonic said:

You can likely use two M.2 drives----one in the supplied port and another via an add-on card.
I use an add-on card personally.

Specifically, a SIIG M.2 NGFF SSD M Key NVMe PCIe 3.0 x 4 Card Adapter.
15 bucks at Newegg.
The only reason I used the card was that I could not find the tiny screw used to affix my M.2 drive to the motherboard.
Those screws are supplied with the motherboard, not the drive---I could not locate it and they are extremely difficult to replace because each board manufacturer uses their own specific screw--they are not standardized.
I suppose the fastest SSD speeds would be obtained with the latest generation of M.2 drives----but as far as I know, they are supported only on certain AMD motherboards, not Intel. But------I'm not sure if the speed difference is even noticeable in the real world.
I would consider this:
Boot drive: An SSD large enough to hold Windows and ALL installed programs, perhaps half filled. That might be as small as a 256 GB drive or as large as 1 TB--depending on how much space your installed applications require. No personal data on this drive.
Of course, plan for future growth of the C partition, but only you know how fast that might be.
Maybe your C grows 5 GB a year. Maybe 50. Mostly depending on if you keep data on C. I don't.
Data drive--- internal, preferably SSD, and preferably just one drive. To include iTunes, video, mp3, whatever you have. Probably a single partition, split into folders. You can get 2 TB SSDs for as little as $200 at times. This might be one or more HDDs rather than an SSD if expense enters the picture.
Backup---likely external, likely large HDD.

If I buy 2x 2TB SSD's and simply replace my HDD's as currently configured, my Primary "C" drive would be sitting around 1/4 full ~512GB used. That's with all my currently installed games and their data and zero user data/files. The secondary drive with iTunes, user data, files etc would be sitting about 1/2 full ~1TB used.

My Media and back ups (separate drives) are in an external NAS.

When I built this PC, I started from scratch and just copied my data over once windows was installed. It has taken roughly 5yrs to get to the 1TB used mark with all updates, programs and user data. I did change the C drive out about a year or so ago and just cloned the drive.

I don't have any way of knowing for sure, but I add to my user data/files maybe a few GB's in a given year at most. Probably under 5, definitely less than 10. Since new media files are moved to the NAS once processing is complete and then removed from the internal drives completely.

What you seem to be saying and I seem to be reading elsewhere is to go ahead and swap my HDD's for SSD's move my user data/files to the secondary drive and don't worry so much about it. If I have the opportunity and finances to throw an M.2 in as a primary drive, go ahead and do that.

Is that about right?

ignatzatsonic said:

See comments:

I would likely swap the HDD's out for SSD's, then once complete transfer of user data/files is confirmed, wipe the HDD's and keep them as spare back ups.

Yes, expense is an issue. I am planning the new PC. Once built I will not have the funds for replacement of drives for approximately 3-5yrs minimum unless tragedy strikes. I have spare, working HDD's I can swap out now if that happens, SSD's not so much. I will only be able to buy 2, and as these are my first 2, I have no extras lying around at the moment just in case.

ignatzatsonic said:

If expense matters little, then I'd avoid internal HDDs.

I would NOT make a big distinction between internal M.2 data drives and internal 2.5 inch SSD (SATA) data drives.

Standard 2.5 inch SATA SSD is likely to be cheaper than M.2 NVMe SSD.

Who knows if SATA will be around in 5 years. That might be a factor?

You need to be sure your motherboard can support NVMe boot drives. Most new ones can.

I'd certainly try to get an M.2 NVMe boot drive.

Confirm the key requirements of the motherboard M.2 ports. M key is most common. The drive has to mate properly with the port.

This (ASUS TUF GAMING B550M-PLUS (Wi-Fi) AMD AM4): t.ly/XUSC (Specifies M Key)

And this (Crucial P1 2TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe Internal SSD): t.ly/Ni1M

Or two of these (Crucial MX500 2TB 3D NAND SATA 2.5 Inch Internal SSD): t.ly/s4ve

I will be able to do, financially, the M.2 + 1-2 HDD's or 2x 2.5" SSD's or 1x 2.5" SSD + 1-2 HDD's. At least initially.

ignatzatsonic said:

You say your current C occupies about 500 GB.

Could you do OK with a 1 TB NVMe boot drive?

Is ANY of that C 500 GB occupied "data" that can be put on D? Or is it ALL Windows and installed applications?

My current C drive is about 1TB used, roughly half of that is my user data/files. So Windows and programs are about 500GB or so. I do play some games, I have a Steam account with maybe a dozen games, and a few games installed outside of services, but I'm not a dedicated, huge gamer like some.

Whether 1TB would suffice, is part of what Im trying to determine. If I move my user data/files to the secondary drive, that drive would go from 1TB used to roughly 1.5TB used. Though I would probably add 10GB or less to that drive per year in permanent additions. I don't tend to collect large files often. Most of the files I keep are like images, text files, maybe some excel spreadsheets and word docs,...