SSD / HDD for OS?

[mattdanielc]

Hi guys - think I’m almost ready to buy a new laptop - just got some questions about the drive.

Im going to buy a 512gb M2 SSD

i could then get another smaller 256 go M2 SSD within my budget - or a 1 TB HDD

if I went with the HDD -how can I make sure PCS install Windows on the fastest SSD rather than then HDD? (Do they always chose the fastest / can I specify)

also I don’t really need 1tb as well as the 512 - so presume people would recommend going for 2 SSD instead?

finally, if I go with the 2 SSD - do I need to choose the smallest one first on the ordering stage to get windows installed on it?

Thanks

 

[SpyderTracks]

As a second drive, it's worth getting an HDD for cost reasons.

256Gb just isn't worth it as a data drive, you're really looking at a minimum of 1Tb.

When you proceed on the order it will ask you where you want to install the OS.

 

[Oussebon]

Also buying a 256gb SSD and a 512gb SSD is a real waste of space. It's a laptop, you only get 3 drives at most. Buying those 2 drives would be using up 2 of your 3 slots with a medium and a small drive.

It would be much more sensible, if the plan were to buy a 256gb SSD and a 500gb SSD, to just buy a single 1TB SSD.

As above, it may make even more sense to buy a 500gb SSD and a 1TB HDD.

What is the full spec you are considering though? And the budget, and your uses for it?

As not all SSDs are equal. Some like the 970 Evo are a bit faster, but for many uses will not give a meaningful performance difference and instead only leave a £100 hole in your wallet.

 

[mattdanielc]

Also buying a 256gb SSD and a 512gb SSD is a real waste of space. It's a laptop, you only get 3 drives at most. Buying those 2 drives would be using up 2 of your 3 slots with a medium and a small drive.

It would be much more sensible, if the plan were to buy a 256gb SSD and a 500gb SSD, to just buy a single 1TB SSD.

As above, it may make even more sense to buy a 500gb SSD and a 1TB HDD.

What is the full spec you are considering though? And the budget, and your uses for it?

As not all SSDs are equal. Some like the 970 Evo are a bit faster, but for many uses will not give a meaningful performance difference and instead only leave a £100 hole in your wallet.

Thank you. My budget is £1000 (strictly not over). My current spec is:
Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/cosmosVIII-15/2hBKhx6HQw/

Main uses are for games like Total War series and Starcraft 1 and 2 (I just play RTS on PC) so nothing too demanding. And for work, so Word, Excel etc.

 

[Oussebon]

Don't buy a Cosmos for gaming with Total War titles - at least get the Optimus with its 1650. You can add storage whenever you like, but you can't upgrade the GPUs in laptops, so the GPU is what will ultimately determine its obsolescence.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD 120Hz 45% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor 9750H (2.6GHz, 4.5GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair 2666MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 - 4.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1st Storage Drive
NOT REQUIRED
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB ADATA SX6000 Pro PCIe M.2 2280 (2100 MB/R, 1500 MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor
1 x 120W AC Adaptor
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Battery
Optimus X Series 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (2.4 Gbps) + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
1 x USB 3.1 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Keyboard Language
MULTI COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Chassis
Clevo NH55RAQ (4GB GTX-1650, i7-9750H, 120Hz N4)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days
Price: £970.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/optimusX-15/Pg5sHkEMAs/

If you already had a Windows licence you could use you could potentially go for a 1660 ti.

 

[mattdanielc]

Don't buy a Cosmos for gaming with Total War titles - at least get the Optimus with its 1650. You can add storage whenever you like, but you can't upgrade the GPUs in laptops, so the GPU is what will ultimately determine its obsolescence.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD 120Hz 45% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor 9750H (2.6GHz, 4.5GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair 2666MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 - 4.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1st Storage Drive
NOT REQUIRED
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB ADATA SX6000 Pro PCIe M.2 2280 (2100 MB/R, 1500 MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor
1 x 120W AC Adaptor
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Battery
Optimus X Series 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (2.4 Gbps) + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
1 x USB 3.1 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Keyboard Language
MULTI COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Chassis
Clevo NH55RAQ (4GB GTX-1650, i7-9750H, 120Hz N4)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days
Price: £970.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/optimusX-15/Pg5sHkEMAs/

If you already had a Windows licence you could use you could potentially go for a 1660 ti.

Thank you - I ordered this build

Just changed to silver warranty and also to a 1TB drive instead of 512. so I was naughty and went over the 1k limit

 

[mattdanielc]

Don't buy a Cosmos for gaming with Total War titles - at least get the Optimus with its 1650. You can add storage whenever you like, but you can't upgrade the GPUs in laptops, so the GPU is what will ultimately determine its obsolescence.

Chassis & Display
Optimus Series: 15.6" Matte Full HD 120Hz 45% NTSC LED Widescreen (1920x1080)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i7 Six Core Processor 9750H (2.6GHz, 4.5GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)
16GB Corsair 2666MHz SODIMM DDR4 (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 - 4.0GB GDDR5 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
1st Storage Drive
NOT REQUIRED
1st M.2 SSD Drive
512GB ADATA SX6000 Pro PCIe M.2 2280 (2100 MB/R, 1500 MB/W)
Memory Card Reader
Integrated 6 in 1 Card Reader (SD /Mini SD/ SDHC / SDXC / MMC / RSMMC)
AC Adaptor
1 x 120W AC Adaptor
Power Cable
1 x 1 Metre Cloverleaf UK Power Cable
Battery
Optimus X Series 4 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
Thermal Paste
STANDARD THERMAL PASTE FOR SUFFICIENT COOLING
Sound Card
2 Channel High Def. Audio + SoundBlaster™ Cinema
Bluetooth & Wireless
GIGABIT LAN & WIRELESS INTEL® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (2.4 Gbps) + BT 5.0
USB/Thunderbolt Options
1 x USB 3.1 PORT (Type C) + 2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 1 x USB 2.0 PORT
Keyboard Language
MULTI COLOUR BACKLIT UK KEYBOARD
Operating System
Windows 10 Home 64 Bit - inc. Single Licence [KUK-00001]
Operating System Language
United Kingdom - English Language
Windows Recovery Media
Windows 10 Multi-Language Recovery Image - Unlimited Downloads from Online Account
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365 (Operating System Required)
Anti-Virus
BullGuard™ Internet Security - Free 90 Day License inc. Gamer Mode
Browser
Microsoft® Edge (Windows 10 Only)
Notebook Mouse
INTEGRATED 2 BUTTON TOUCHPAD MOUSE
Webcam
INTEGRATED 1MP HD WEBCAM
Warranty
3 Year Standard Warranty (1 Month Collect & Return, 1 Year Parts, 3 Year Labour)
Chassis
Clevo NH55RAQ (4GB GTX-1650, i7-9750H, 120Hz N4)
Delivery
STANDARD INSURED DELIVERY TO UK MAINLAND (MON-FRI)
Build Time
Standard Build - Approximately 7 to 9 working days
Price: £970.00 including VAT and Delivery

Unique URL to re-configure: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/saved-configurations/optimusX-15/Pg5sHkEMAs/

If you already had a Windows licence you could use you could potentially go for a 1660 ti.

@Oussebon Can I ask you one more question? I ordered the build as above (just with a 1tb drive) but am considering changing the order to a 1660 ti instead of the 1650. It's another £118 for me. Can I afford it? yes but I don't really want to. But do I need it?

I play Starcraft 1 and 2...and then Total War. My last Total War is Rome 2 which was the last one my PC could play (I had an i5 and a GTX 750 Ti. So this 1650 card will be a significant upgrade. But I'd love to be able to play Three Kingdoms (Total War). It looks like from my research I'll be able to play it fine - hopefully on High settings, but at least medium. I'm just worried though that it might not be good enough.

Would value any of your insight? Thanks

 

[Oussebon]

Ignore the recommended requirements and just go straight for actual benchmarks. Those numbers sound basically plausible given how (the more powerful) GTX 1060 does here:

Total War: Three Kingdoms PC Performance Review - OC3D

Introduction This is going to be an ambitious performance analysis. The Total War series is one that demands more than a few hours of playtime and ships as a two-in-one gaming experience, providing players with turn-based campaigns and real-time battles. That means that there is a lot of...

www.overclock3d.net

And certain other reviews:

SAPPHIRE RX 5600 XT Pulse Review - KitGuru

It has been a turbulent week for AMD's latest GPU. Announced at CES 2020, the RX 5600 XT was meant t

www.kitguru.net

Three Kingdoms is a very demanding title - way moreso than Rome 2.

Let's say you buy an Optimus with a GTX 1650. You're buying a laptop that is basically capable of playing Three Kingdoms on Medium at 60fps - which is not a great purchase... as if you're spending £1000 on a laptop that already scrapes Medium settings on the latest iteration of a franchise that we know is going to put out new titles every year or two and that you know you like, that's not very futureproof.

Of course it's impossible to futureproof a PC entirely and mad to try, but with a laptop you do want an element of futureproofing in the GPU since the only way to upgrade the GPU in a laptop is to buy a new laptop for £1000+. Unlike a desktop where you can just buy a new GPU every 2-4 years for £250.

Laptop graphics cards are not the same as the desktop ones that are named the same. Firestrike benchmark scores give a decent picture of relative performance. A laptop 1660 ti is ~60% more powerful than a laptop 1650:

Best Graphics Cards - November 2024

See the best Graphics Cards ranked by performance.

benchmarks.ul.com

So you get something that's 60% more powerful for a ~12% cost increase for the system as a whole.

The 1650 in the Optimus is something of a minimum for modern total war titles. If you can afford a 1660 ti, it will keep the laptop useful for gaming for quite a bit longer, probably saving you money as you won't want to buy a new one nearly as soon.

 

[mattdanielc]

Ignore the recommended requirements and just go straight for actual benchmarks. Those numbers sound basically plausible given how (the more powerful) GTX 1060 does here:

Total War: Three Kingdoms PC Performance Review - OC3D

Introduction This is going to be an ambitious performance analysis. The Total War series is one that demands more than a few hours of playtime and ships as a two-in-one gaming experience, providing players with turn-based campaigns and real-time battles. That means that there is a lot of...

www.overclock3d.net

And certain other reviews:

SAPPHIRE RX 5600 XT Pulse Review - KitGuru

It has been a turbulent week for AMD's latest GPU. Announced at CES 2020, the RX 5600 XT was meant t

www.kitguru.net

Three Kingdoms is a very demanding title - way moreso than Rome 2.

Let's say you buy an Optimus with a GTX 1650. You're buying a laptop that is basically capable of playing Three Kingdoms on Medium at 60fps - which is not a great purchase... as if you're spending £1000 on a laptop that already scrapes Medium settings on the latest iteration of a franchise that we know is going to put out new titles every year or two and that you know you like, that's not very futureproof.

Of course it's impossible to futureproof a PC entirely and mad to try, but with a laptop you do want an element of futureproofing in the GPU since the only way to upgrade the GPU in a laptop is to buy a new laptop for £1000+. Unlike a desktop where you can just buy a new GPU every 2-4 years for £250.

Laptop graphics cards are not the same as the desktop ones that are named the same. Firestrike benchmark scores give a decent picture of relative performance. A laptop 1660 ti is ~60% more powerful than a laptop 1650:

Best Graphics Cards - November 2024

See the best Graphics Cards ranked by performance.

benchmarks.ul.com

So you get something that's 60% more powerful for a ~12% const increase for the system as a whole.

The 1650 in the Optimus is something of a minimum for modern total war titles. If you can afford a 1660 ti, it will keep the laptop useful for gaming for quite a bit longer, probably saving you money as you won't want to buy a new one nearly as soon.

Thank you again I changed the order to include the 1660 Ti Can't wait for it to arrive. Been 4 working days so far so I'm hoping it might arrive early next week.

Only annoying thing is I realised that if I'd gone for this spec to begin with...I could have ordered it in the PROTEUS VII case which looks nicer than this one! But I'll live

Thanks for all of your advice on here.