M.2 NVME vs. SSD vs. HDD - Loading Windows and Games Benchmarks

If you are looking for a storage device to improve your PC performance, you might be wondering what are the differences between M.2 NVME, SSD, and HDD. These are three types of storage devices that have different advantages and disadvantages when it comes to speed, capacity, and price. In this review, I will compare them based on their loading times for Windows and games, as well as their other features.

M.2 NVME stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express, which is a protocol that allows SSDs to communicate with the PC via the PCIe interface. This means that M.2 NVME drives can achieve faster data transfer rates than SATA-based SSDs and HDDs, which use the older SATA interface. M.2 NVME drives are also smaller in size and consume less power than other storage devices.

SSD stands for Solid State Drive, which is a type of storage device that uses NAND flash memory to store data. Unlike HDDs, SSDs have no moving parts, which makes them more silent, durable, and energy-efficient. SSDs also offer faster loading times than HDDs, but not as fast as M.2 NVME drives.

HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive, which is a type of storage device that uses spinning magnetic disks and read/write heads to store data. HDDs are the oldest and cheapest among these three storage types, but they are also the slowest and most power-hungry. HDDs are suitable for storing large amounts of data at a low cost, but they are not ideal for performance-oriented tasks.

To compare the loading times of these three storage types, I used the video results from 1, 2, and 3 as references. The videos show the boot time and the time to load a game level on each device, using a system with an Intel i5 processor and an RTX 2060 graphics card. The games used are Metro Exodus, Watch Dogs 2, Far Cry New Dawn, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Battlefield 5.

As you can see, M.2 NVME drives offer the fastest loading times for Windows and games, followed by SSDs, while HDDs lag behind in terms of speed. However, speed is not the only factor to consider when choosing a storage device. You also need to consider the capacity, price, compatibility, and reliability of each device.

M.2 NVME drives have the highest performance, but they also have the highest price per GB among these three storage types. They also have lower storage capacities than SSDs and HDDs, ranging from 128 GB to 2 TB. Moreover, not all motherboards have M.2 slots that support NVME protocol, so you need to check your motherboard specifications before buying an M.2 NVME drive.

SSDs have a lower price per GB than M.2 NVME drives, but they are still more expensive than HDDs. They also have higher storage capacities than M.2 NVME drives, ranging from 128 GB to 4 TB. SSDs are compatible with most motherboards that have SATA ports, which are more common than M.2 slots.

HDDs have the lowest price per GB among these three storage types, but they also have the lowest performance. They have the highest storage capacities among these three storage types, ranging from 500 GB to 16 TB. HDDs are compatible with almost all motherboards that have SATA ports.

In terms of reliability, M.2 NVME drives and SSDs have similar lifespans, which depend on the amount of data written to them over time. Both types of drives have a limited number of write cycles before they wear out, which can be measured by their TBW (Terabytes Written) rating. However, both types of drives are more reliable than HDDs in terms of shock resistance and failure rates.

In conclusion, M.2 NVME drives offer the best performance at a smaller footprint, but they are more expensive and require a compatible motherboard. SSDs offer a great balance of speed and cost-effectiveness, but they have lower storage capacities than HDDs. HDDs offer large storage capacities at low prices, but they are slow and less reliable than M.2 NVME drives and SSDs. The choice between these three storage types depends on your needs for performance, capacity, and budget.