WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.359 everybody's heard of m.2 ssds these 00:00:03.280 --> 00:00:11.120 little tiny doodads that manage to be many times smaller and many times faster 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:18.039 than traditional computer hard drives or even regular SATA ssds but there is 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:24.519 understandably a ton of confusion that exists around how to choose one and 00:00:21.680 --> 00:00:36.320 install it in your existing system so let's figure that out shall we 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:43.320 if you haven't seen nerd Sports yet check it out all the episodes are 00:00:40.800 --> 00:00:48.280 available now for free over at youtube.com/ channelsuperfun 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:55.600 before we get started though we need to differentiate between physical standards 00:00:51.680 --> 00:00:58.399 and protocol standards this right here 00:00:55.600 --> 00:01:03.040 is a mini DisplayPort cable and this right here is a Thunderbolt cable but 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:12.799 they look the same this USB type-c port is running at 00:01:07.360 --> 00:01:16.840 USB 2.0 speeds this one is USB 3 which 00:01:12.799 --> 00:01:19.920 can be 10 or even 20 times the speed and 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:23.680 this one is Thunderbolt 3 which is 00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:26.799 faster still and comes with a host of 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:31.200 other capabilities so backing up then 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:34.079 because most cables are just a physical 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:40.320 electrically conductive wire connecting point A to point B nothing would prevent 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:46.000 a you know piece of cod hanger from connecting between a receiver and a home 00:01:42.479 --> 00:01:49.240 theater speaker or let's say an Ethernet 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:51.880 cable from being used to carry an HDMI 00:01:49.240 --> 00:01:58.079 digital video signal in fact that product exists okay but back to computer 00:01:54.119 --> 00:02:00.360 drives again m.2 is one of several 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:05.799 physical connector standards that allows an SSD to be attached 00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:11.680 internally to your computer this motherboard right here conveniently 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:14.160 gives us a great example of all of them 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:20.519 so what you're looking at right now is SATA or Serial ATA this connector 00:02:17.760 --> 00:02:27.040 suffers from more latency because of its indirect connection to the 00:02:22.920 --> 00:02:30.959 CPU right here is the basically dead 00:02:27.040 --> 00:02:33.480 SATA Express standard that uses two PCI 00:02:30.959 --> 00:02:40.159 E Lanes which are better because they're connected more directly to the CPU but 00:02:36.239 --> 00:02:43.440 has a very bulky connector and no drive 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:47.720 support to speak of this one right here 00:02:43.440 --> 00:02:50.440 is u.2 which uses four PCI El Lanes 00:02:47.720 --> 00:02:55.640 twice as many as SATA Express but has all but disappeared outside the 00:02:52.519 --> 00:02:59.080 Enterprise space and finally this one 00:02:55.640 --> 00:03:01.400 right here is m.2 which has basically 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:06.440 one out versus the other NextGen connectors at this point thanks to its 00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:12.159 performance it also uses a maximum of four PCI Lanes as well as its compact 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:18.400 form factor that allows it to be used not just for desktops but also for ultra 00:03:14.920 --> 00:03:20.319 thin notebooks but and getting back to 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:26.319 the whole lesson on protocol versus physical standards most of these 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:29.200 physical connections support multiple 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:34.239 protocols that is to say more than one way for the computer to communicate with 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:40.840 the drive's controller over the physical wires and if you aren't using an NVMe 00:03:37.519 --> 00:03:43.760 protocol Drive in your m.2 slot you 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:51.400 might not be getting the full experience so if your computer has a PCIe m.2 slot 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:58.079 and you can see the difference here between an NVMe capable one and an ahci 00:03:55.159 --> 00:04:02.640 only one here they're usually labeled then it's simple you just plug it in 00:04:00.760 --> 00:04:09.519 maybe configure a couple settings in the BIOS and poof it's Off to the 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:12.439 Races but then what if you don't have a 00:04:09.519 --> 00:04:19.759 PCI Express m.2 slot on your motherboard okay well step one make sure you don't 00:04:16.440 --> 00:04:21.759 have one some motherboards even hide 00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:24.960 this connector on the back and it's small enough that it can be pretty easy 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:31.600 to miss then step two ensure that your 00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:37.120 motherboard actually supports booting to 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:40.759 an NVMe Drive in general anything z97 or 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:43.720 x99 chipset and newer will have that 00:04:40.759 --> 00:04:48.840 support and if it does and you still want to use a drive then you want to 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:51.039 pick up one of these little guys these 00:04:48.840 --> 00:04:56.479 cards plug into a PCI E slot on your motherboard just like a video card sound 00:04:53.639 --> 00:05:02.400 card Etc consult your motherboard's manual to find out how many lanes each 00:04:59.240 --> 00:05:05.080 slot has and what speeds they operate at 00:05:02.400 --> 00:05:11.800 more is better and I've got a couple different versions here Silverstone has 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:16.560 an NVMe only one and one that supports 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:19.360 both an NVMe and ahci remember that's 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:24.880 the same protocol as SATA over a slightly different m.2 connector that 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:30.639 are reasonably priced then there are more premium options like the wings from 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:35.080 angelbird that looks a little cooler and includes a thermal shield and pad to 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:41.880 keep the drive from overheating we're going to use this sp500 fisen controller 00:05:38.280 --> 00:05:44.240 based NVMe SSD from Corsair for our demo 00:05:41.880 --> 00:05:47.759 here once everything is hooked up you can move the mounting screw around 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:52.120 depending on the length of your NVMe drive and then you just need to make 00:05:49.919 --> 00:05:56.160 sure you're running the latest ufi BIOS on your board and go through the same 00:05:54.120 --> 00:06:00.520 steps as our previous board that supported it natively going back further 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:05.199 than the last couple generations of boards things get a little dicey 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:10.720 theoretically all the way back to p67 days you can install an NVMe SSD in one 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:16.560 of these PCI Express cards just like this but you won't get the full benefit 00:06:14.960 --> 00:06:22.160 unless it's a newer one because you won't actually be able to boot from the 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:28.000 drive and right now NVMe drives are a little bit too expensive for most people 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:31.680 to want to use them as a steam library 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:34.919 and there is yet another wrench to throw 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:37.960 in the spokes of this whole ordeal while 00:06:34.919 --> 00:06:42.120 the connector on the motherboard may be 00:06:37.960 --> 00:06:47.880 capable of both NVMe and ahci operation 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:51.479 I'm not aware of any NVMe m.2 drives 00:06:47.880 --> 00:06:54.160 that will work across either protocol so 00:06:51.479 --> 00:06:59.720 if you have an NVMe board you want to get an mvme drive or maybe you could run 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:03.840 an ahci one and if you have an ahci only 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:07.400 m.2 slot then you will need an ahci so 00:07:03.840 --> 00:07:10.080 more protocol overhead SSD just like 00:07:07.400 --> 00:07:15.720 this one and don't expect to get Earth shattering performance out of it we are 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:22.039 working with rockat look at that it's like a spin move or whatever to give 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:24.919 away their cross headsets designed for 00:07:22.039 --> 00:07:29.160 multiplatform multi-use multi-purpose use on 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:34.240 multi-platforms some of its features include include large 50mm neodymium 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:39.520 magnet drivers it comes with dual microphones one designated for PC and 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:43.360 one designated for mobile the mics are detachable and plug into a port on the 00:07:41.479 --> 00:07:49.879 underside of the left ear cup and they've got quick access volume controls 00:07:45.520 --> 00:07:52.240 memory foam ear pads a light 185 G 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:55.639 profile and to enter all you need to do is watch this video and enter through 00:07:53.879 --> 00:08:01.800 the link in the video description the giveaway will run for 7 days from today 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:03.479 7 days so move fast so I hope that 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:08.520 clears things up and you guys have a better understanding of m.2 now I sure 00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:12.280 do cuz I had to do all this research to make this 00:08:10.080 --> 00:08:15.479 video so thanks for watching guys if you disliked this video hit that dislike 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:18.720 button but if you liked it hit the like button get subscribed maybe even 00:08:16.919 --> 00:08:22.840 consider checking out where to buy the drives or accessories we featured at 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:25.720 Amazon at the link in the video description also down there is our merch 00:08:24.360 --> 00:08:30.560 store where you can buy cool shirts like this one wo like that or our community 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:34.919 form which you should totally join now that you're done doing all those things you're probably wondering what to watch 00:08:32.719 --> 00:08:38.719 next so check out our latest video right there over on Channel Super Fun I think 00:08:36.560 --> 00:08:42.959 it's like RC car bowling or some nonsense like that pretty fun