SSD recommendation for networked HTPC

[Valantar]

I'm looking for a drive for an upcoming HTPC build. The vast majority of its storage will be on a NAS, so I don't need much capacity - I'm looking at a 500GB m.2 drive (250 is low enough to affect performance, and isn't that much cheaper). The question is which drive I should pick. I've been looking at low-end NVMe options like the Intel 660p, Crucial P1 and WD Blue SN500, but can't really decide. Also, the step up to significantly faster options isn't that big - but big enough to take a chunk out of my budget. The PC will mainly be used for video and streaming, but also some browsing and light gaming. It'll likely run some torrents, but to the NAS for the vast majority of downloads, skipping the SSD.

For now, the 660p is the cheapest, and seems like a good deal - but I'm a bit wary of QLC given that the drive might be the target of some torrent downloads over its lifespan. The same goes for the P1, but given its similar (or worse) performance and slightly higher price, the 660p seems to win out. Then there's the DRAM-less TLC SN500, which seems to perform surprisingly well for such a drive (at least according to AnandTech).

Any recommendations?

 

[Mussels]

i cant speak for the 660p but my 6000p is pure garbage, with writes under 50MB/s when the cache gets full. sounds like it wouldnt be too bad, but it lags out my VR system just from updating steam games -.-

TLC and QLC are not an issue for this kind of thing, as long as you get a drive with good performance for sustained writes... i'm really heavily keen on recommending any and all samsung SSDs.

 

[Jetster]

If cost is an issue just get a Samsung 860 EVO and call it a day. I have the 1 Tb in my HTPC. You can get by without a m.2 and NVMe But of the ones you listed WD Blue SN500

 

[Valantar]

i cant speak for the 660p but my 6000p is pure garbage, with writes under 50MB/s when the cache gets full. sounds like it wouldnt be too bad, but it lags out my VR system just from updating steam games -.-

TLC and QLC are not an issue for this kind of thing, as long as you get a drive with good performance for sustained writes... i'm really heavily keen on recommended any and all samsung SSDs.

Thanks, but isn't the 6000p an enterprise version of the old 600p? There seems to be a consensus that the 660p is a significant improvement over that. I've pretty much used Samsung SSDs exclusively previously (great performance and good pricing here in Norway until recently), but they don't have any options in this space, and all of the ones mentioned above are described as faster than any SATA drive for normal workloads, meaning something like an 860 Evo seems like a poor choice (especially as it's more expensive).

If cost is an issue just get a Samsung 860 EVO and call it a day. I have the 1 Tb in my HTPC. You can get by without a m.2 and NVMe But of the ones you listed WD Blue SN500

Obviously I know I can "get by" with pretty much whatever SATA-based SSD and be reasonably happy with it - I've yet to experience a slow-feeling SSD. Still, m.2 is an obvious choice for this build, as it reduces cable clutter and allows far easier installation into the case I want (Lazer3D HT5). 2.5" SSDs are needlessly large and cumbersome unless you're looking for extreme capacities. The point here isn't "getting by", but getting a snappy and affordable SSD that fits my build. I could still go m.2 SATA, but with low end NVMe being this cheap, I don't see why I would. A 500GB 860 Evo m.2 is 29 NOK (about $3) cheaper than a 1TB 660p. In other words, it makes no sense whatsoever. At that price I might as well add another 150 NOK and get the WD Black SN750.

 

[Mussels]

yeah its 600P with encryption and its... poo. Good thing i got it cheap.

I havent tried the other drives/brands you mentioned, so i dont have any first hand advice there.

 

[newtekie1]

i cant speak for the 660p but my 6000p is pure garbage, with writes under 50MB/s when the cache gets full. sounds like it wouldnt be too bad, but it lags out my VR system just from updating steam games -.-

TLC and QLC are not an issue for this kind of thing, as long as you get a drive with good performance for sustained writes... i'm really heavily keen on recommending any and all samsung SSDs.

I'm thinking that might have something more to do with the encryption than the QLC poor write performance. I'm guessing the encryption is overloading the controller on the SSD?

Because I can tell you from my experience with the 600p and 660p, that the read speed is not dramatically affected by the cache filling up during a write. The read goes down when reading and writing, but the read speeds are still faster than a SATA SSD or at worst the same as an SATA SSD.

 

[Valantar]

I'm thinking that might have something more to do with the encryption than the QLC poor write performance. I'm guessing the encryption is overloading the controller on the SSD?

Because I can tell you from my experience with the 600p and 660p, that the read speed is not dramatically affected by the cache filling up during a write. The read goes down when reading and writing, but the read speeds are still faster than a SATA SSD or at worst the same as an SATA SSD.

So, judging by what you're saying, the 660p is a perfectly fine drive in day-to-day use?

 

[newtekie1]

So, judging by what you're saying, the 660p is a perfectly fine drive in day-to-day use?

For most people, sure. It really only struggles on big writes, which is rare, and it doesn't kill read performance.

You mention writing torrents to it, but those are going to be limited likely by your internet connection which will probably be way slower than what the drive can handle, so it shouldn't be much of an issue.

 

[Valantar]

For most people, sure. It really only struggles on big writes, which is rare, and it doesn't kill read performance.

You mention writing torrents to it, but those are going to be limited likely by your internet connection which will probably be way slower than what the drive can handle, so it shouldn't be much of an issue.

Yeah, I'm not worried about performance in that regard, only the effect of a bunch of random writes to the drive - write amplification might be an issue with that use case, and while the detrimental effects of QLC on endurance have yet to be proven in real life usage, I'm a bit wary. Still, as I said, the vast majority of torrents will hit the NAS directly. All in all it sounds like the 660p will be a decent bet.

 

[NumberCruncher]

I was going to get a 660p, but ended up with a A Data sx8200p 512gb. Super fast 5 yr warranty an d TLC nvme. 77$ US from Amazon

 

[silkstone]

I picked up a Sabrent Rocket 256Gb for my HTPC build for $30 on Amazon. Reads are around 2,200 MB/s and writes are 600 MB/s. I believe it uses TLC. I'm happy with it.