Storage is one of the most important factors that laptop users take into consideration when purchasing a laptop. Although many laptop manufacturers and retailers advertise some features to entice you to buy a new laptop, most laptops have had the same operating power (CPU, GPU, etc.). What differentiates many laptops is their hard drive because it dictates storage capacity. Upgrading your hard drive can be equivalent to you getting a new laptop due to the sheer increased bandwidth. With faster and more efficient storage, your laptop can perform at elite levels.
NVMe Hard Drives:
When selecting a hard drive for your laptop, NVMe is the best storage option for both laptops and desktops. Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) is a high performance and scalable storage protocol. The NVMe protocol exploits low latency data paths to underlying media. This results in significantly increased performance and lower latency in comparison to other hard drives and legacy protocols.
NVMe is crucial for enterprises because it helps optimize for both performance and storage. Many applications that are run by businesses have extensive data demands and can slow down performance significantly. NVMe helps businesses avoid data bottlenecks, latencies and any other factors that can slow down performance.
NVMe vs. legacy technologies:
Samsung NVMe, SSD 970 EVO
When choosing a solid-state drive (SSD), there are an array of options for customers; this includes traditional SATA SSD drives, SATA M.2 drives, PCIe M.2 Drives, and more. Although these options have many differences, it’s important to note that you need to check for compatibility. Even if the motherboard has the right connector, it does not mean it’s compatible. What separates NVMe from the legacy options is that NVMe improves performance while carrying a significant workload. The NVMe protocol uses flash storage via a PCle bus to provide a high-bandwidth, low latency user experience; NVMe can leverage SSDs, multicore CPUs and gigabytes of memory. This allows NVMe to have complex use cases such as AI/machine learning applications, DevOps applications and anything that requires real-time interactions with users. The stability provided by NVMe storage prevents apps from crashing and slowing down when they are performing multiple functions.
Cost considerations:
Although NVMe hard drives are very powerful, you should consider the cost prior to purchasing it for your laptop. Many legacy and outdated laptops have lower market value than the actual NVMe hard drive. In these cases, buying a NVMe drive is not the most cost-effective solution because the majority of performance issues lie within the laptop. Depending on the size of the NVMe drive you are shopping for, the prices can range. Most NVMe drives that are used for business purposes are cost-effective and can be found at retail stores like Amazon, Walmart and OfficeMax. It’s important to note that not all laptops will be able to support NVMe drives, so you’ll need to check with the laptop manufacturer before you purchase one. To learn more about NVMe drives, give us a call, and also see this related article from PC Magazine titled “The Best SSDs for Upgrading Your Laptop in 2020”. Good luck!
Daniel Haurey Jr. is the president and founder of managed IT services provider Exigent Technologies, which he founded in 1997. Under his leadership, the MSP has earned accolades ranging from Channel Futures MSP 501 to being named SonicWall’s 2024 MSP Growth Partner of the Year. Dan is a true entrepreneur, dedicated to growing, investing in, and mentoring small businesses. You can find him on LinkedIn, where he regularly posts about technology, business, leadership, and community.