Does SATA III to USB 3.0 cable slow down a SSD significantly?


I have a 2019 T5 and a 2021 T7T. Very happy with both.

I'm inclined more towards the SanDisk (if it is comparable in terms of performance and longiviity) just to have variety.

But now I am thinking I should probably get an M.2 Nvme like Samsung 980 and an enclosure with thunderbolt support.
I also have an M.2 Nvme in an enclose. It's an SK hynix Gold model. This model, actually:

It runs pretty well. I put it in this toolless enclosure:

It's quite fast.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro Beta
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home built
    CPU
    Ryzen 9 5900X
    Motherboard
    MSI MPG X570S Edge Max WiFi
    Memory
    Patriot Viper Gaming DDR4 Extreme Performance (2 x32MB)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ZOTAC RTX 3060 Twin Edge OC 12GB GDDR6/ ZOTAC Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB GDDR6 192-bit Gaming Graphics Card
    Sound Card
    Proprietary
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic XG2530 25"/Benq XL2411P 24"/ ASUS VA24DQSB) 23.8"
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080 240Hz/144Hz/60Hz (based on monitor setup above)
    Hard Drives
    SK hynix Gold P31 1TB PCIe NVMe Gen3 M.2 2280 Internal SSD
    ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart 700W 80+ White Certified PSU
    Case
    Rosewill ATX Mid Tower Gaming Computer Case, Gaming Case with Blue LED for Desktop
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H60i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    ~950Mb/s upload/ ~700Mb/s download
    Browser
    Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Norton 360
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 3700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550 Gaming GEN3 Gaming Motherboard
    Memory
    32MB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    I forget, but it's old. I can't see the need to upgrade it.
    Sound Card
    Propietary
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER LED 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung SSD 3.5"
    Case
    Corsair
    Cooling
    Stock
    Mouse
    Logitech
    Keyboard
    Logitech
    Internet Speed
    ~750Mb/s download / ~750Mb/s upload
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender and Malware Bytes
I also have an M.2 Nvme in an enclose. It's an SK hynix Gold model. This model, actually:

It runs pretty well. I put it in this toolless enclosure:

It's quite fast.
The 1 TB Samsung 970 Plus has a rated lifespan of 1,200 TBW compared to the 1TB Samsung 980 that has a rated lifespan of 600 TBW. Despite being the older model, is the 970 Plus better than the 980?

I didn't find any enclosure that supports Thunderbolt, including Asus Strix Arion. Is the Arion any better than the Sabrent/ SSK. MOKiN? What makes it more than twice expensive?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Yes. But in this case one could use ReadyBoost (with a quality flashdrive connected via USB) or replace the HDD with an SSHD.

An SSHD is basically a HDD with a very large cache that it intelligently preloads frequently accessed files into. So basically a HDD grouped together with a small SSD, fitting on one single SATA port and in the same 2.5" form factor.

But I do not believe there are many notebooks out there matching your description that lack M.2 slots or at least an optibay slot.

Those which have a 1 TB or 2 TB HDD, probably have a M.2 slot or if it is an older notebook then an optical drive, which could be replaced for an SSD with optibay.
I have an optical bay with a BlueRay player which is unused. I can use it to add a 3rd internal disk. But I read somewhere that adding too many disks will stress the motherboard. How do I make best use of it without stressing out the motherboard?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
But I read somewhere that adding too many disks will stress the motherboard. How do I make best use of it without stressing out the motherboard?
In what way is the MoBo stressed?
I have 4 HDDs in my PC with no sign of stress
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self built
    CPU
    Intel i8400
    Motherboard
    ASUS PRIME Z370-P
    Memory
    16GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GT710
    Sound Card
    ASUS Xonar D2X
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell SE2417HGXF Full HD Gaming Monitor, 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung V-NAND SSD 860EVO
    Other spinning HDDs
    PSU
    Xilence XP420
    Cooling
    PSU fan and stock CPU fan
    Mouse
    Microsoft
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Avira free
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 on VMware (Release, Beta and Dev)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
Yes. But in this case one could use ReadyBoost (with a quality flashdrive connected via USB) or replace the HDD with an SSHD.

An SSHD is basically a HDD with a very large cache that it intelligently preloads frequently accessed files into. So basically a HDD grouped together with a small SSD, fitting on one single SATA port and in the same 2.5" form factor.

But I do not believe there are many notebooks out there matching your description that lack M.2 slots or at least an optibay slot.

Those which have a 1 TB or 2 TB HDD, probably have a M.2 slot or if it is an older notebook then an optical drive, which could be replaced for an SSD with optibay.
Even so, it still also depends on how much internal storage capacity you need. You could decide to replace an old 500GB / 750GB HDD with a 2TB HDD (or SSHD) and at the same time also decide to use optibay to replace an optical drive with an additional 2TB HDD (or SSHD). For reasons that should be completely obvious, having an SSD for the OS and for slow-loading apps (and etc.) is nice. But there are still limitations if you really need 4TB of storage and you really need this 4TB to be internal storage. Most people do not, but if you are that guy who does, if you aren't being held back by the speed, like for example if you are taking proper advantage of the fact that both physical drive units can transfer data at the same time, and, for another example, you also own Diskeeper to optimize the I/O, then the discussion ends. That was my only point.

As for ReadyBoost, although related of course, that's for working around the problem of having only limited RAM size, but yeah, RAM can also be used for caching physical drive units, and for creating a Ramdisk (with optional Dynamic Memory Management, if using Romex Software Primo Ramdisk).
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF Gaming (2024)
    CPU
    i7 13650HX
    Memory
    16GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Cooling
    2× Arc Flow Fans, 4× exhaust vents, 5× heatpipes
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
  • Operating System
    11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Medion S15450
    CPU
    i5 1135G7
    Memory
    16GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe
    Sound Card
    Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme; Emotiva UMC-200; Astell & Kern AK240
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia XR-55X90J
    Screen Resolution
    3840×2160
    Hard Drives
    2TB SSD internal
    37TB external
    PSU
    Li-ion
    Mouse
    Logitech G402
    Keyboard
    Logitech K800
    Internet Speed
    20Mbit/s up, 250Mbit/s down
    Browser
    FF
I have an optical bay with a BlueRay player which is unused. I can use it to add a 3rd internal disk.
Good idea! You can do that.
But I read somewhere that adding too many disks will stress the motherboard.
This is not true. The motherboard is meant to handle I/O.
How do I make best use of it without stressing out the motherboard?
Well in your case we're talking exclusively about SATA interfaces which are meant to handle hard disk (or SSD) activity. And if you have multiple SATA ports then that is because it is powerful enough to handle multiple storage devices. Don't worry about it, that is my opinion.

The thing you read was probably about I/O bottlenecks. That is true, all motherboards have a throughput limit, this boils down to interfaces. But with SATA drives you won't even come close to that and even if you did, there's nothing to worry about, it just won't max out the speeds when transferring files. Example: your drive has a maximum read speed of 600 MB/s, but your board is heavily overloaded with I/O operations. Then maybe it won't reach 600 MB/s but just 30 MB/s. BUt as soon as the load decreases (file transfer completes) it will be back to full speed.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

It depends on your machine. For example, this laptop came with a 1TB HDD. It is a 7200 rpm drive so it was not terrible. The laptop has a M.2 slot though so I decided I wanted an SSD. The question was SATA or Nvme since the slot supports both. On research I found that even though the slot will accept and recognize an Nvme drive, it can only be used as a data drive and not a boot drive. Acer support confirmed this. Therefore I went with an M.2 SATA drive and it's fast enough. Sequential read speed is more than triple over the HDD and random access is at least 15 times faster. The HDD is still in and serves to keep my system backups since backing up to it is much faster than any external drive I have.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
for another example, you also own Diskeeper to optimize the I/O, then the discussion ends. That was my only point.

As for ReadyBoost, although related of course, that's for working around the problem of having only limited RAM size, but yeah, RAM can also be used for caching physical drive units, and for creating a Ramdisk (with optional Dynamic Memory Management, if using Romex Software Primo Ramdisk).
I'm running macOS Monterey in VMware. It is usable, but the experience could be better.

Is there anything that can be done to make it run more seamlessly?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

My Computers

System One System Two

This one requires quite a bit of work, but promises better performance. Running MacOS on Windows 10 with WSL2, KVM and QEMU

And since you have Windows 11, you already have the neccessary components
This is again new stuff for me. Can't anything be done with the VMware installation itself?

I had earlier tried multiple times with VirtualBox, and while I managed to install macOS, it was unusable because the mouse was so unresponsive.

With VMware, the mouse is pretty responsive, and so is the OS. But of course it isn't as smooth as the host Windows system. I have allocated 8 GB RAM and 2 Processor cores, and I wish the experience was a little better. It is very much usable, but just not very fast and smooth.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
This one requires quite a bit of work, but promises better performance. Running MacOS on Windows 10 with WSL2, KVM and QEMU

And since you have Windows 11, you already have the neccessary components
During macOS installation, I received errors when installing the unlocker. It was a server side problem. Now they have fixed it and I was able to run the unlocker successfully. Once that was done, I was able to install VMware Tools which enhances functionality of various components.

I can now open macOS in full screen and it is also little bit smoother than before. Can't really complain because I am running this on a 2013 machine.

But there was one part during installation that is bothering me:

Screenshot 2021-12-10 at 12.11.07 AM.png

When I disallowed it, the installation failed. But once allowed, installation completed successfully. I haven't seen this popup in any of the YouTube videos on installaton.

Any idea what that is and how safe it is?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
I also have an M.2 Nvme in an enclose. It's an SK hynix Gold model. This model, actually:

It runs pretty well. I put it in this toolless enclosure:

It's quite fast.

I do like Sabrent's prodcuts. Some quality enclosures. I have their 5-bay external HDD enclosure with USB-C hub. Good stuff.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Photoshop/Game/tinker build
    CPU
    Intel i9 1300KS
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Maximus Z90 Dark Hero
    Memory
    64GB (2x32) G.skill Trident Z5 RGB 6400 MHZ 32-39-39
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio, Vanatoo Transparent One; Klipsch R-12SWi Sub; Creative Pebble Pro Minimilist
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Eizo CG2730, ViewSonic VP2768
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440p x 2
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB nvme, SK-Hynix 2 TB P41 nvme, Raid 0: 1TB 850 EVO + 1TB 860 EVO SSD. Sabrent USB-C DS-SC5B 5-bay docking station: 6TB WDC Black, 6TB Ironwolf Pro; 2x 2TB WDC Black
    PSU
    850W Seasonic Vertex PX-850
    Case
    Fractal Design North XL Mesh, Black Walnut
    Cooling
    EKWB 360 Nucleus Dark AIO w/Phanteks T30-120 fans, 1 Noctua NF-A14 Chromax case fan
    Keyboard
    Glorious GMMK TKL mechanical, lubed modded
    Mouse
    Logitech G305 wireless gaming
    Internet Speed
    380 Mb/s down, 12 Mb/s up
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender, Macrium Reflect 8 ;-)
  • Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple 13" Macbook Pro 2020 (m1)
    CPU
    Apple M1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600
    Browser
    Firefox
The 1 TB Samsung 970 Plus has a rated lifespan of 1,200 TBW compared to the 1TB Samsung 980 that has a rated lifespan of 600 TBW. Despite being the older model, is the 970 Plus better than the 980?

Didn't see an answer to this. The 1TB 970 Evo plus has the same TBW endurance as the 1TB 980: 600 TBW. It is the 2TB 970 Plus that has 1200:


- The 980 has no onboard DRAM. The 970 Plus has 1GB of onboard DRAM. The 980 uses a smallish amount of your computer DRAM though, called Host Memory Buffer (HMB), but it is not the same.
- They use different TLC NAND flash and a different controller (the 980 uses the same controller as the portable T7 SSD).
- The 970 Plus has 42GB of SLC cache, the 980 160 GB
- The 970 Plus has better iops and performance in general, but the 980 isn't shabby

970 Plus is better but more expensive.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Photoshop/Game/tinker build
    CPU
    Intel i9 1300KS
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Maximus Z90 Dark Hero
    Memory
    64GB (2x32) G.skill Trident Z5 RGB 6400 MHZ 32-39-39
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio, Vanatoo Transparent One; Klipsch R-12SWi Sub; Creative Pebble Pro Minimilist
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Eizo CG2730, ViewSonic VP2768
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440p x 2
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB nvme, SK-Hynix 2 TB P41 nvme, Raid 0: 1TB 850 EVO + 1TB 860 EVO SSD. Sabrent USB-C DS-SC5B 5-bay docking station: 6TB WDC Black, 6TB Ironwolf Pro; 2x 2TB WDC Black
    PSU
    850W Seasonic Vertex PX-850
    Case
    Fractal Design North XL Mesh, Black Walnut
    Cooling
    EKWB 360 Nucleus Dark AIO w/Phanteks T30-120 fans, 1 Noctua NF-A14 Chromax case fan
    Keyboard
    Glorious GMMK TKL mechanical, lubed modded
    Mouse
    Logitech G305 wireless gaming
    Internet Speed
    380 Mb/s down, 12 Mb/s up
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender, Macrium Reflect 8 ;-)
  • Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple 13" Macbook Pro 2020 (m1)
    CPU
    Apple M1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600
    Browser
    Firefox
I just remembered a piece of news about the 970 Evo plus. Due to parts shortages, Samsung changed out the controller part from a Phoenix Controller to an Elpis (Elpis is the controller used on the 980 Pro) and performance suffered. So take the performance numbers in reviews with a grain of salt.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro x64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    DIY Photoshop/Game/tinker build
    CPU
    Intel i9 1300KS
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Maximus Z90 Dark Hero
    Memory
    64GB (2x32) G.skill Trident Z5 RGB 6400 MHZ 32-39-39
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus ROG Strix 4070 Ti OC
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio, Vanatoo Transparent One; Klipsch R-12SWi Sub; Creative Pebble Pro Minimilist
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Eizo CG2730, ViewSonic VP2768
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440p x 2
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB nvme, SK-Hynix 2 TB P41 nvme, Raid 0: 1TB 850 EVO + 1TB 860 EVO SSD. Sabrent USB-C DS-SC5B 5-bay docking station: 6TB WDC Black, 6TB Ironwolf Pro; 2x 2TB WDC Black
    PSU
    850W Seasonic Vertex PX-850
    Case
    Fractal Design North XL Mesh, Black Walnut
    Cooling
    EKWB 360 Nucleus Dark AIO w/Phanteks T30-120 fans, 1 Noctua NF-A14 Chromax case fan
    Keyboard
    Glorious GMMK TKL mechanical, lubed modded
    Mouse
    Logitech G305 wireless gaming
    Internet Speed
    380 Mb/s down, 12 Mb/s up
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender, Macrium Reflect 8 ;-)
  • Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Apple 13" Macbook Pro 2020 (m1)
    CPU
    Apple M1
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1600
    Browser
    Firefox
Can't say I agree with that, although what I really care about is not the antivirus but rather the firewall. The third-party firewall (I use ESET myself) allows me to control which programs on my computer access the internet in real time. I don't think WD gives me enough capabilities in that respect.
I use Defender and the Windows firewall in it's default setup. In my opinion, it's all a home user needs. I've used other firewalls and got fed up with the constant nags to allow this or block that. It's all smoke and mirrors in my opinion.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom built
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
    Motherboard
    MSI B550-A Pro
    Memory
    16 GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200
    Graphics Card(s)
    PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6600XT with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Realtek integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer Nitro 24" RG241Y 144hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital Black SN770 1 TB NVMe SSD
    Samsung 860 QVO 1 TB SATA SSD
    Seagate Barracuda 1 TB HDD
    PSU
    LEPA B650 650 watt
    Case
    Enermax Coenus
    Cooling
    Cooler Master Hyper T4 air
    Keyboard
    CM Storm Devastator
    Mouse
    E-Blue Cobra Jr.
    Internet Speed
    100mbs
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Optical Drives: LG DVD-RW and Pioneer BluRay/ DVD burner
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus ROG Zephyrus G14
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
    Motherboard
    Asus board (GA402RK)
    Memory
    16 GB Samsung DDR5-4800
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Radeon 680M and discrete Radeon RX 6800S with 8GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    Integrated Realtek with Dolby Atmos
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen 14" WQXGA, IPS, 120hz refresh rate
    Screen Resolution
    2560 X 1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD (WD Black SN850)
    PSU
    Battery power and Asus power brick/adapter. Also has USB-C charging
    Case
    Laptop
    Cooling
    Laptop fans in vapor chamber
    Mouse
    Touchpad and Omoton bluetooth mouse
    Keyboard
    Built in RGB backlit
    Internet Speed
    100mbps
    Browser
    Edge Chromium
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
I use Defender and the Windows firewall in it's default setup. In my opinion, it's all a home user needs. I've used other firewalls and got fed up with the constant nags to allow this or block that. It's all smoke and mirrors in my opinion.
What "a home user needs" entirely depends on the said user. Those "constant nags" are controlled by the settings: you may choose an "interactive mode" (using ESET terminology since that's what I use) and then yes, it will keep asking you what to do. Alternatively there is an "automatic mode", "policy-based mode", and "learning mode". There are gazillion other settings that control the way the firewall behaves. In Defender most of these settings are not present. That's all I'm saying. I'm sure there is a reason for this and that's exactly the proverbial "home user" who according to Microsoft does not know much about anything and hence better not left alone to make decisions.

In my opinion, a disciplined user does not really need any security software. If you use the net prudently, the chance of getting a virus is next to zero. So yes, Defender "works good enough". But how do you know it works good enough? You don't get any viruses. Well, most likely you would not get any viruses without the Defender either. Same with the firewall. Do you care to lock certain programs out of the network? If not, you don't need the firewall since no hacker will ever want to hack you, right?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-10600K
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix Z490-A Gaming
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 1650
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung U32J59x 32" 4K
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
If you use the net prudently, the chance of getting a virus is next to zero.

But how do you know it works good enough? You don't get any viruses.
You don't know that. Nowadays malware are made to be invisible, with no noticeable performance loss whatsoever. If it managed to sneak past Windows Defender, you wouldn't know.
Well, most likely you would not get any viruses without the Defender either. Same with the firewall.
Are you aware that an operating system, and also user applications can have severe security vulnerabilities, that can get exploited over the local network, or over the internet? You might want to look up worms like Conficker or exploits like EternalBlue. There isn't much hope to defend against that kind of exploits with Defender. However, a more professional security suite, with a robust intelligent firewall, HIPS and ransomware detection, with an arsenal of other highly sophisticated detection tools, could prevent these, with a good chance even for zero day exploits.
With Defender and Windows Firewall, you could be vulnerable to them.
Do you care to lock certain programs out of the network? If not, you don't need the firewall...
The average user doesn't, that is what an intelligent firewall is for. And yes, a firewall is needed.

In my opinion, a disciplined user does not really need any security software. If you use the net prudently, the chance of getting a virus is next to zero.
I don't think this is true. Don't forget about exploits. A software update is not always released (or installed) in time, you need some kind of defence against zero day exploits.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

Is the Silicon Power SSD faulty or is it being severely limited by the cable
Your cable most likely doesn't support UASP. This means you can't reach max speeds for the SSD. UASP supported cables has a chip built in that controls this. Usually they are in form of USB HDD enclosures.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 build 10.0.22631.3296 (Release Channel) / Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo A485
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 2700U Pro
    Motherboard
    Lenovo (WiFi/BT module upgraded to Intel Wireless-AC-9260)
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    iGPU Vega 10
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" FHD (built-in) + 14" Lenovo Thinkvision M14t (touch+pen) + 32" Asus PB328
    Screen Resolution
    FHD + FHD + 1440p
    Hard Drives
    Intel 660p m.2 nVME PCIe3.0 x2 512GB
    PSU
    65W
    Keyboard
    Thinkpad / Logitech MX Keys
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 2S
    Internet Speed
    600/300Mbit
    Browser
    Edge (Chromium)
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    SecureBoot: Enabled
    TPM2.0: Enabled
    AMD-V: Enabled
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 build 10.0.22631.3296(Release Preview Channel)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom
    CPU
    i7-7700k @4.8GHz
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME Z270-A
    Memory
    32GB 2x16GB 2133MHz CL15
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA GTX1080Ti FTW 11GB
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    32" 10-bit Asus PB328Q
    Screen Resolution
    WQHD 2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    512GB ADATA SX8000NP NVMe PCIe Gen 3 x4
    PSU
    850W
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 chromax.black
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 2S
    Keyboard
    Logitech MX Keys
    Internet Speed
    600/300Mbit
    Browser
    Edge (Cromium)
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    AC WiFi Card
You don't know that. Nowadays malware are made to be invisible, with no noticeable performance loss whatsoever. If it managed to sneak past Windows Defender, you wouldn't know.

Are you aware that an operating system, and also user applications can have severe security vulnerabilities, that can get exploited over the local network, or over the internet? You might want to look up worms like Conficker or exploits like EternalBlue. There isn't much hope to defend against that kind of exploits with Defender. However, a more professional security suite, with a robust intelligent firewall, HIPS and ransomware detection, with an arsenal of other highly sophisticated detection tools, could prevent these, with a good chance even for zero day exploits.
With Defender and Windows Firewall, you could be vulnerable to them.

The average user doesn't, that is what an intelligent firewall is for. And yes, a firewall is needed.


I don't think this is true. Don't forget about exploits. A software update is not always released (or installed) in time, you need some kind of defence against zero day exploits.
I suppose you have a "professional security suite". Then it has a log where you can read how many "threats" it dealt with over time. Let's imagine an experiment. You turn on your computer and leave it alone. How long will it take before your security suite will detect a "threat" of any kind? Now look into your logs and compare the result of the experiment with the existing data corresponding to your actual usage pattern.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-10600K
    Motherboard
    Asus Rog Strix Z490-A Gaming
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce GTX 1650
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung U32J59x 32" 4K
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
a more professional security suite, with a robust intelligent firewall, HIPS and ransomware detection, with an arsenal of other highly sophisticated detection tools, could prevent these, with a good chance even for zero day exploits.
Which ones in the market satisfy these criteria?

I have a simple strategy. Most programs I install do not need internet for core functionality. So I block internet access to most apps through Windows Firewall. It is usually apps from Google, Microsoft, Apple, and a handful of highly reputed apps that are allowed internet access on my system. And that too only if the apps rely on internet for core functionality.

I don't mind having un-updated apps as long as they function correctly. I do manually update them once a month or so. I keep my OS up-to-date all the time. All my browsers are configured with maximum security and also kept up-to-date.

Every single program I download is first uploaded to VirusTotal and would be installed only if 100% clean.

I have never had any malware infections on my system.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Envy dv7
    CPU
    Intel Core i7 3630QM
    Motherboard
    HP
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 4000 & Nvidia GeForce GT 635M
    Sound Card
    IDT High Definition
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Crucial MX500 on bay 1.
    1 TB Seagate HDD on bay 2.
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

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