I'm stuck deciding between two SSDs: the Acer Predator GM9 and the Samsung 990 Pro, both 4TB. The GM9 is around $83 cheaper than the Samsung, and in my region, SSD prices haven't surged yet. Typically, I would opt for the more affordable Gen 5 drive, even without DRAM, but I'm worried about the MAP1806A controller, which is a 12nm node that might lead to thermal throttling and impact performance. Additionally, my current motherboard doesn't support Gen 5, but I plan to upgrade when AM6 is released soon. Given all this, is it worth investing in a hot Gen 5 SSD, or would the cooler Gen 4 SSD still be a better choice for value?
2 Answers
When you use the MAP1806A in a Gen 5 slot, its power consumption isn't too high compared to other controllers. If you run it in a Gen 4 slot, it tends to stay cooler. A good heatsink, like the Arctic M2 Pro or Thermalright TR-M2, should help manage the heat, so it shouldn't throttle too much during use.
A Gen 5 NVMe SSD really shines when you're doing tasks like video conversions or database compilations. For most everyday tasks though, you might not notice much difference between a good Gen 3 and a Gen 4 drive. Just make sure to steer clear of QLC drives that lack DRAM, which seems like you're already on top of!
Yeah, but considering the Gen 5 is cheaper than Gen 4 but has no DRAM and runs hot, does that change things?