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2.1 Drive type and road type

Lesson

Practice lab

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Build and test

Quote storage for a photo-editing workstation

A photographer needs responsive apps and a separate 2,000 GB archive, with $170 for drives. Select an SSD system drive using the documented 2.5-inch SATA bay or M.2 2280 NVMe-only slot. Use the supplied prices; plan backup separately from the archive.

Drive subtotal—
Archive capacity—

Change choices to compare results, then check the requirements.

  • Keep drive cost at or below $170
  • Use solid-state storage for the system
  • Match the documented interface
  • Provide at least 2,000 GB archive capacity
Lesson notes

SSDs and HDDs store data differently; SATA and NVMe define their communication paths.

SSD versus hard drive

A hard drive uses moving parts. An SSD has no spinning platter and can reach data quickly. Hard drives can still be useful for low-cost bulk storage, but SSDs are usually better for the operating system and apps.

  • SSD: faster response, no moving platter.
  • HDD: often cheaper for large capacity.
  • Use the right drive for the job.

SATA versus NVMe

SATA is an older road that is still useful. NVMe is a faster road through PCIe. The workload and motherboard slot decide whether the extra speed matters.

Worked example

Inputs: Manual: slot M2_1 supports M.2 2280 PCIe/NVMe only. X is M.2 SATA; Y is M.2 2280 NVMe.

Task: Separate form factor from protocol and choose a supported candidate.

Check the reasoning

Y matches length and protocol; X is physically similar but unsupported by this stated slot.

M.2 alone does not mean NVMe. Check keying, length, heat clearance, and shared ports.