Buying A SATA3 drive but will run as SATA2

Skibo2012 · 01-06-2013, 07:33 PM

Hello. I have never messed with SSD drives before, but figure I wanted to upgrade my computer with something and this is what I will add. I have a Asus P6X58D Premium MB which has 6 Intel ICH10R SATA2 ports and 2 Marvell 88SE9123 SATA3 ports. Right now in the computer I have 1 150G raptor drive and 2 1G WD Black drives, plus a Asus BW-12B1ST Bluray drive. I am not using the SATA3 ports and am thinking I won't when I get the SSD drive, since from what I seem to see it would be better to just use the Intel SATA2 ports. I realize I will loose throuput speeds, but even adding a SSD in SATA2 will improve boot times drastically over the raptor I would think. Anyone have a different opinion that I should conect it to the Marvell port? Also, I was thinking of just getting a Samsung 840 (not Pro) 250G drive. I'm going to have to check out the other thread on what I will need to do when I get the drive, but hope to do a fresh install of Windows 7 when I put it in. Also, right now I have the SATA ports set for EIDE, but I guess I should set it in BIOS to AHCI when I am ready to reload Windows. Will my raptor, 2 WD black drives and Asus bluray drive work with this setting? Thanks. Oh yes, is it OK to partition a SSD? I was thinking I'd set up a partion that I would load Windows 7 onto of about 80G and then another that I would make a games partition. I usually like to keep these seperate when I set up my desktop. Thanks again.

taltamir · 01-06-2013, 09:08 PM

dear science please use line breaks

SATA2 is just fine. it just means your max speed is going to be 300 MB/s (that is bytes not bits). which is a very nice speed.
Using the intel connector is a good idea

SLM Crew Chief · 01-06-2013, 10:00 PM

Timely thread.

I've been thinking of adding a SSD to my Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P board. I've got plenty of SATA 2 ports.

My current setup is two 7200 rpm 75 gig Seagate drives in Raid 0. A 120 gig SSD would give me almost the same space and most likely a speed increase? Am I fairly correct in assuming that any SATA 3 drive is easily going to outrun the SATA 2 interface on the board?

I'm looking at the G Skill Phoenix III. It's 120 gigs for under 100 dollars. So far I haven't found any reviews of the drive though.

Good idea... bad idea? I admit to being behind on the SSD tech and I've been trying to catch up but I don't think I need the speed of the Mushkin Chronos Delux or Samsung 840 Pro... do I?

Mir96TA · 01-06-2013, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLM Crew Chief

Timely thread.

I've been thinking of adding a SSD to my Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P board. I've got plenty of SATA 2 ports.

My current setup is two 7200 rpm 75 gig Seagate drives in Raid 0. A 120 gig SSD would give me almost the same space and most likely a speed increase? Am I fairly correct in assuming that any SATA 3 drive is easily going to outrun the SATA 2 interface on the board?

I'm looking at the G Skill Phoenix III. It's 120 gigs for under 100 dollars. So far I haven't found any reviews of the drive though.

Good idea... bad idea? I admit to being behind on the SSD tech and I've been trying to catch up but I don't think I need the speed of the Mushkin Chronos Delux or Samsung 840 Pro... do I?

I have some M.B. and I am using Sata 3 SSD and HDD. Those SSD and HDD interface are excatly same. However SSD perform little bit faster on SATA III.
MY SSD is pretty much pegging out SATA II througput.
However my SSD beats my Black 1 TB HDD with day night difference.

ronbo613 · 01-07-2013, 11:40 AM

On those relatively older Gigabyte motherboards, use an SATA port on the Intel chip, the Marvell controller does not play well with SSD's.
I use a Samsung 830 on my GA-P55A-UD4P, an SATA II board, it works great.

SLM Crew Chief · 01-07-2013, 12:52 PM

Thanks for the information. I figured the Intel controller would be better.

The Samsung is about the same price as the drive I was looking at for the 840 series. Is the 830 worth the price premium when I'm going to have it on a SATA II port?

MontyAC · 01-07-2013, 01:00 PM

Get whichever is the cheapest.

Skibo2012 · 01-07-2013, 09:18 PM

Don't know how the pricing was before, but looks like the 840 is now cheaper than the 830.

I was thinking of getting one 840Pro 256G and partition it with one half having Win7 install and the other half games (I like to keep these things seperated). I instead didn't know how SSDs liked being partitioned, so I ordered 2 840Pro 128G. Don't know if this was the best choice, but the price comes out close to the same in the end.

SLM Crew Chief · 01-08-2013, 10:07 PM

I ordered an 840 non pro, the 250 gig one. The TLC memory isn't the fastest and doesn't have the longest life rating but I found a decent price and it isn't going in my primary system. Looking forward to it.

Mir96TA · 01-08-2013, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronbo613

On those relatively older Gigabyte motherboards, use an SATA port on the Intel chip, the Marvell controller does not play well with SSD's.
I use a Samsung 830 on my GA-P55A-UD4P, an SATA II board, it works great.

What ?

They have two different Sata II connection.Blue is from Intel (IC10HR) and Purple from JMicron ( JMB36x) and both of them Sata II
I did HDD benchmark (WD 1TB Black) I see no difference what so ever.
I have tried IDE, ACHI and Raid 0