low power nvme recommendation for laptop

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wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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I am looking for nvme m2 for my laptop.... I want to prolong the battery life so appreciate if anyone can recommend the lowest power nvme. doesn't need to be the fastest just need to be the lowest power consuming..

I put Adata XPG SX6000 into my laptop, not knowing that it was a very hot power consuming part... runtime was only 3.75 hr.

changed to Sandisk X600 which was just sata m2. definitely slower but now laptop shows 5.3 hr of runtime. also run a lot cooler.
 

Evan

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Jan 6, 2016
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Samsung 960 EVO or similar consumer drive would probably be the best low power type drive.
 

Evan

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Jan 6, 2016
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Oh absolutely, pro or evo, 970 as well.
All consume some power writing. But all idle or devsleep very well.
Seems to be in the latest dives the evo is almost as good as pro (you said for notebook not server) and is a lot cheaper but sure the pro is great also.

Is it Windows or Linux ? Windows generally will win the low power title by a good margin but not sure how the Linux kernel have evolved in 2018 so maybe it’s closer now.

The intel drives like the 600p to me are just a low cost play and I would stay away from that drive.
 

wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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ok. will see if i can get one....its win10. samsung 960 and 970 is nice and fast but i sure hope it's also low idle and active power. the adata parts was definitely bad for laptop. it was running very hot so i also suspect it was using a lot of power and it did. The cooler parts i think usually use less power also.
 

Evan

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Jan 6, 2016
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While I have no experience of the ADATA ssd using a Realtek controller according to specs it should idle ok, the Samsung still can use 5-6w if active so heat generator and battery consumer.
 

wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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I can say from personal experience now that the Adata XPG SX6000 part is a no go for laptop. ran very hot and also used a lot of power.

When i changed to Sandisk X600, i got over 1 hr more of battery... also the Sandisk X600 ran a lot cooler....

I think i read somewhere that nvme does use more power than sata m2? but that adata thing was way hotter and i think it did use a lot more power than the Sandisk X600.... i mean it was $20 for 128gb nvme so i am guessing adata didn't care to really optimize anything?
 

Evan

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Jan 6, 2016
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Oh yes NVMe used more power (outright not for work done), compare say 860 Evo vs 960 Evo,
Both 40-50mw idle
NVMe is 5.5w busy
SATA is 2-4.5w busy
But the thing is NVMe should be busy for less time due to being faster.

Real world I don’t know now, in past NVMe was bigger consumer of power but that was earlier drives, its quiet possible that has reversed now as I know they have become more efficient recently.
 

wildpig1234

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Aug 22, 2016
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well. for a laptop at least for me i think the power consumption and heat is a bigger point than outright performance.... the time saving is not that much more noticeable between nvme and m2 sata most of the time if there is a significant decrease in battery time.

for movie watching when there is intermediate accessing, i think it does make a difference in battery time between nvme and sata to some degree
 

mineblaster

New Member
Jan 16, 2019
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i put an intel 760p in the misses pc (2tb) and it works pretty well and isnt garbage like 660p.
it took about 20 minutes to image 400gb from an intel 750 and power rating of 50 to 70 millawatts (active) although i do not know if performance takes a dive if it is or almost full, but for now a great drive so far.