Keep Windows on SSD or Move to NVME PCIE

MarkMcG · 31 Dec 2021 at 13:10

I currently have windows on a 250GB Samsung EVO SSD installed when I built my PC in 2016.
I have just installed a 1TB WD SN570 NVME PCIE3 Drive.

Would I see much benefit in cloning the SSD to the NVME Drive and making that the boot drive?

Any tips on best way to do this?

Snapshot · 1 Jan 2022 at 07:35

It depends how you use your PC. You'll see some benefit but probably not as much as you might expect.

The usual recommendation for cloning software is Macrium Reflect.

EsaT · 1 Jan 2022 at 10:20

If you don't restart PC often, there's very little potential benefit.
(unless having too little RAM)

Also while cloning drive would be easy, default partition layout done by Windows installer being retarded would make it harder to expand C drive.
If you have that bad habit of storing everything in that one black garbage bag.
(automatically created recovery partition after Windows partition instead of before it)

Though would be best to keep extra space of new drive as own partition in case of ever needing to nuke Windows installation.

hawker1986 · 2 Jan 2022 at 21:20

I did this a while ago, as others have said didn’t make a noticeable difference to general performance.

OspreyO · 3 Jan 2022 at 19:52

I tend to keep a new drive as data drive and the existing SSD just for the OS. There probably is a bit of performance difference. But I'm doing nothing that requires it.

throwaway4372 · 3 Jan 2022 at 20:02

Option A
1. disconnect the old drive
2. install windows fresh on the new drive
3. profit

Option B
1. leave it as-is
2. meh.

Heinz57 · 4 Jan 2022 at 14:36

I've just reinstalled Windows onto a Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (NVME), previously I had been using a Samsung 850 Pro 1tb (SATA). So far, I cannot tell any difference in general use at all. In fact, I suspect it's booting a tiny bit slower!

Kelt · 5 Jan 2022 at 13:26

I have Windows 11 on an SSD, boot time around 20-30 secs.

Will be buying a 2TB Gen 4 NVME for games, I don't really need faster boot times, and I put my PC to sleep anyways.

Cyber-Mav · 5 Jan 2022 at 16:28

Maximize those iops get onto the nvme bandwagon.

BananaDunka · 6 Jan 2022 at 16:02

I did exactly this a while back as I had all my OS and games/apps on the boot SATA SSD. Upgraded from intel 730 series 480GB to Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB. The SATA was consistently 500MB/s+ read and write even after several years and hundreds of TB of writes.

The biggest difference I I noticed was that Lightroom's ability to load RAW files off the library is quicker and things just seem snappier even though they were quick anyway before.

Both drives booted Windows 11 in around 15 seconds. By the time I enter the PIN on the logon screen all my previously open apps inc Firefox windows are already there and waiting when the desktop appears.

I used Samsung Data Migration tool btw that did the cloning whilst Windows was already running. Super easy and quick.

Cyber-Mav said:
Maximize those iops get onto the nvme bandwagon.

Exactly, whilst load times for apps and games will remain largely similar, the IOPs boost is noticeable!

ProfGunna · 20 Jan 2022 at 10:04

THis is great.