What Size SSD for OS and Main Work Apps

[Blade Runner]

I am about to pre order one of the new Samsung NVME M.2 SSD sticks for my build but I am unsure what size will be best.

I currently have a SM951 ACHI 256GB M.2 Stick and with page files, my work apps/ files (30GB approx.), the OS and overprovision it was about 50% full. This was with 32GB of RAM, I now have 64GB.

The question is, would the 256 be okay or would the 512 be better? I was under the impression that running a drive over 50% full made it a little slower.

Can anyone help?

 

[Wraith]

I use to run a 60GB Crucial V4 as my OS and main apps Drive and that worked just fine, so long as you don't exceed 80% capacity on SSDs you'll be fine. I'm inclined to say 128GB minimum these days what with prices dropping and capacities getting ever larger.

Also with 64GB Ram you really don't need page files, hell even with 8GB it's not really needed and page files only reduce the life of a SSD anyway. Turn that off or if you must have one use a Mech drive instead.

 

[JR23]

I'd always go for a 480/512 and that would be all my storage taken care of for the entire build. 240/256 is definitely enough for an OS drive and a cheeky game/bunch of files. But even packing light you will use it all. If your organised and have loads more drives in the rig then I don't see that as a big problem though.


With one of my builds I had a 120GB and 240GB SSD set aside for it, in the end I decided to install the OS on the smaller one and then put all games and programs on the secondary. That is actually working quite effectively tbh.

JR

 

[RandomBadger]

I use a 256gb SSD for OS which is probably full of junk as its half full but I use 2x WD black 1tb for storing media and games etc. So I'd say 256 but if you got the extra £££ get the 512gb as you can never have to many Gigs, Ay lads

 

[Blade Runner]

I use to run a 60GB Crucial V4 as my OS and main apps Drive and that worked just fine, so long as you don't exceed 80% capacity on SSDs you'll be fine. I'm inclined to say 128GB minimum these days what with prices dropping and capacities getting ever larger.

Also with 64GB Ram you really don't need page files, hell even with 8GB it's not really needed and page files only reduce the life of a SSD anyway. Turn that off or if you must have one use a Mech drive instead.

I hadent thought about turning off the page file, that's a good point.

I'd always go for a 480/512 and that would be all my storage taken care of for the entire build. 240/256 is definitely enough for an OS drive and a cheeky game/bunch of files. But even packing light you will use it all. If your organised and have loads more drives in the rig then I don't see that as a big problem though.

With one of my builds I had a 120GB and 240GB SSD set aside for it, in the end I decided to install the OS on the smaller one and then put all games and programs on the secondary. That is actually working quite effectively tbh.

JR

I have a couple of 256 850 Pros which will be in raid 0 and a 512 850 Pro as a backup drive so I should be okay.


Thanks for the replys Wraith and JR; taking all the above into account, I think I will go with the 256.

 

[Blade Runner]

I've pre-ordered the 256 version from OCUK, I really was tempted by the bigger drive but as they say, size isn't everything......

The 256 is plenty big enough, the 512 also has its chips on both sides, unlike the 256 which only has them on the top surface, this means my water block will be in direct contact with all the main bits.

 

[SPS]

I wouldn't recommend turning off the page file for various reasons.
You can move its location onto a different drive though if size is an issue.

 

[William]

I would personally go with 250GB since I think it's more than enough for OS and core apps but it depends on apps you are going to use. If you think you can make use of that extra space and money is not the problem than I would advise you to go with bigger drive.

 

[NeverBackDown]

I wouldn't recommend turning off the page file for various reasons.
You can move its location onto a different drive though if size is an issue.

When you have enough memory it's pretty pointless. Plus there's no upside to getting less ssd space and giving it a shorter lifespan.

 

[SPS]

When you have enough memory it's pretty pointless. Plus there's no upside to getting less ssd space and giving it a shorter lifespan.

This is not entirely true, Windows will still page out pages when the physical RAM is not exhausted for background/long-serving apps. I never said that the OP should keep it on the SSD, but just not to disable it completely. Simply decrease the size to a GB or so and move it to a hard drive.

 

[NeverBackDown]

This is not entirely true, Windows will still page out pages when the physical RAM is not exhausted for background/long-serving apps. I never said that the OP should keep it on the SSD, but just not to disable it completely. Simply decrease the size to a GB or so and move it to a hard drive.

Then what's the point of them allowing you to disable it if it still uses it.. also some people may have only ssds(like me) so can't just move around the pagefile

 

[SPS]

Then what's the point of them allowing you to disable it if it still uses it.. also some people may have only ssds(like me) so can't just move around the pagefile

If you disable it then it's not going to use it is it. I've had my page file on my SSD for 3 years now. It's really not a massive issue on modern hardware.