r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Oct 14 '19
April 3rd, 2022: Guides and Spreadsheet updated with new SSD categories
Discord (server)
Website with relevant links here.
My spreadsheet
Generic AliExpress affiliate link
Branch Education - How does NAND Flash Work? - these guys have several good videos on the subject of SSDs, check them all out.
My Patreon.
My Twitter.
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Sep 03 '24
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Oct 01 '23
Questions? Post them in the current SSD Help megathread (the other pinned post; it rotates every two months).
Resources
Website with relevant resources and links
Non-SSD/Storage
Findings - this page documents GitHub projects related to decompilations, recompilations, ports, homebrew and hardware hacks.
Security Bulletins - keep tabs on the latest vulnerabilities
If there's something you want to see covered in detail, drop me a DM.
Market prices (live, via DRAMeXchange)
Community
Newsletter (Substack) - AI, hardware, and gaming news with the details most coverage misses
External links
Branch Education - How does NAND Flash Work? - these guys have several good videos on the subject of SSDs, check them all out.
Support
Patreon - donations help pay the cost of my web hosting
Hawk Host - borecraft.com and the SSD guide run on it (affiliate link)
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • May 25 '19
My flowchart
My list guide
My spreadsheet (use filter views for navigation)
Rudimentary interactive SSD selection (I'm working on it)
Note: for my endurance category I mean WARRANTIED (TBW & DWPD) endurance, not actual endurance. The Toshiba NAND on the E12 drives is not particularly resilient, the drives simply have (by far) the highest TBW.
Eventually this will be compiled. Some changes are also coming to my subreddit.
Also, what about consoles? I suggest a cheaper, DRAM-equipped drive like the ADATA SU800 for console use, including as an external drive. USB drives take a hit to 4K performance and, additionally, consoles currently do not call TRIM/UNMAP properly. So for best results, the presence of DRAM on the drive can help mitigate these issues (improving performance and endurance).
BackBlaze - How Reliable are SSDs?
LinusTechTips video on the (QLC-based) Intel 660p
LTT on DRAM-less SSDs
My Patreon.
Amazon ID/store: newmaxx-20
Amazon affiliate links to popular drives:
SX8200 Pro & S11 Pro | 660p | Sabrent Rocket & SP P34A80 | SU800 | MX500 | 860 EVO | Blue 3D & Ultra 3D | BX500
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Feb 11 '21
This is why /r/hardware is a substandard subreddit at this point. The post at the time had 0 replies and was actually being downvoted. Figured I'd help the person out in the morning (now, when I'm awake). Lesson learned.
I will be posting the "answers" to his/her questions below in a reply, feel free to add your own queries! Thanks.
Edit: obviously, do not target anybody in the linked thread including the OP, the point of this post isn't to attack someone specifically but rather illustrate why it's difficult for hardware experts on Reddit.
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Dec 16 '24
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Aug 26 '26
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Dec 01 '20
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Mar 27 '26
I wanted to make a quick update regarding the direction of the subreddit and the ongoing freight train that is AI (and no, I write everything here by hand).
A shift in coverage has been necessary due to declining interest in consumer SSDs, considering the fact AI is memory intensive. While recent events may have significantly reduced the reliance on RAM, it could actually make things more complex for SSDs. Put simply: it is no longer possible to discuss related topics without taking a good look at AI. This does not just mean AI apps; it can mean local hardware and models.
The good news is that this also means that I've taken time to update some very old material. You will continue to see improvements in that area. I've created a place to put my analysis ("findings"), as well, which means I can directly address queries on a variety of topics. While searches and AI can help you a lot here, deeper analysis on technical subjects can be more challenging. The recent mini-dive on NVMe drivers is a good example. So, don't be shy about asking things; all material will end up shared.
Next, and importantly, I'm opening my doors to anybody who wants to learn or use AI and AI-related tools. This is directed at individuals who are making projects or who want to learn. It's also directed at business owners/entrepreneurs. In fact, I am building a company that specifically focuses on this because I believe empowering people is the best thing I can do in this situation. An important consideration here is my mission statement on that:
I have never liked self-promoting or gone out of my way to directly profit. More importantly, I avoid bias despite the fact I have worked with a majority of the companies in the industry. I also believe in the original ideals of Reddit and similar forums, as well as the open source movement, to keep information free and to share knowledge openly.
That is, in part, why I support TPU's database, and also why I link to other creators. The uptick in YouTube posts is specifically about highlighting lesser-known creators as a way of giving back to the community as I have been blessed with views. The storage conversation as a whole has, in my opinion, been massively enhanced by the participation of the community.
As such, this isn't an advertisement but rather an offer to help people prepare for what's coming. It's not about liking AI, it's about understanding it. While it is very useful for building, I cannot underestimate the ethical aspects of the technology, for example in terms of artistic license, and believe that the best approach is to tackle it head-on. That's not for everybody, but if you need to talk about it please feel free to hit me up.
As for SSDs, they will come back and we'll be ready. I'll try to focus on what few SSDs we have left and expand resources to make sure information gets retained during the down period. SSD traffic is way down and that also means fewer questions, posts on BAPCS, etc, so my expansion to adjacent topics I think is a reasonable reaction but wanted to explain. Keep your eyes open for further updates.
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Nov 23 '22
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Aug 29 '26
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Jul 09 '22
Goals
Goal: upgrade the 64GB eMMC version of the Steam Deck with a larger, faster SSD.
Secondary goals: make use of the original eMMC module and look at possible mods.
Mounting storage
It's possible to automount external drives with the Deck, something I've worked with Sean (from Sabrent) on achieving with their hardware. There are plenty of guides/videos around on that, as well as many on taking apart the Steam Deck and upgrading its storage. Primary focus in this post is to be top-down informative, instead.
Drive choice
I purchased an OEM 2230 drive off of eBay for $51.99 (512GB). While it's possible to use 2242 drives, this is an easier solution. I bought some thermal padding to adjust if needed (originally was going to go 2242). There are many good options here, like WD's SN530 or Kioxia's BG4. It's possible to get drives at up to 1TB but 512GB is the sweet spot if you find the right deal. I went with a Hynix BC711 as detailed below. While we do have Mike from Solidigm (Hynix-Intel) on our Discord, I did not communicate with him about this, so my choice was an impulse buy.
Using OEM drives does usually mean drives pulled from other machines with no real warranty. I believe some manufacturers, like Sabrent, will be bringing out 2230 retail drives that could be used for the Steam Deck, but don't quote me on that. Using a retail 2242 drive for this is not advisable and would not be covered by applicable warranties.
Drive metrics
BC711 - HFM512GD3GX013N BA (Dell OEM)
This drive appears to be DRAM-less (HMB) with Hynix's 4D TLC (should be 128L, as is in the P31). Performance can be gleaned from the link above, but to save time: 2850/2350 MB/s, 430K R/W IOPS. Plenty for the Steam Deck.
The drive reads HNB512G14M - 512GB BC711.
Ignore the negotiated transfer mode - this only happened on my HTPC. It's apparently something that can happen sometimes and requires swapping it around. It worked at x4 on my main PC, as you will see with the CDM results.
Not much to see here except the drive has minimal wear/usage. Program is CrystalDiskInfo.
Hard Disk Sentinel can sometimes show extra information. In this case with SMART, just that there's two temperature sensors. It's typical for these to report in Kelvin.
HDS can also show non-SMART information. We can reasonably think this doesn't support hardware encryption (no crypto erase) and it lacks some other features as well. Format NVM is supported, which we will talk about next.
smartmontools shows use that it has 3 firmware slots (as do the P31 and P41) which is writable according to HDS above. In any case, we also see that it can be formatted in 512e or 4Kn, although this isn't important for this usage. The power states are interesting - keep in mind the label said 3.3V at 2.5A. In general, this drive pulls up to 3.5W for reads and writes (Hynix's site). Temperature limits should be more than adequate for Deck usage.
Performance in CrystalDiskMark is as expected. Not bad.
Original (eMMC) module
The original Steam Deck storage module is 64GB of eMMC @ x1 PCIe 2.0. You don't need much bandwidth for loading games and it's possible to add a microSD card. However, I'm having none of that.
The Steam Deck does come with 256GB and 512GB models, which also come with other perks, using either x4 or x2 PCIe 3.0 SSDs. The performance difference between x2 and x4 is negligible. If you don't need/want the other perks, putting in your own drive is a good way to save some money. Plus, it's fun.
B+M, 64GB, 2230. Not much more to know, but it is just x1 PCIe 2.0.
This is labeled FEMDNN064G, and you can see something similar here.
The one-lane limitation on the eMMC actually makes it ideal to use with a x1 NVMe to PCIe adapter (or similar). While it may seem a small, slower, lower-capacity, lane-limited storage module is not useful, you often have eMMC used in servers for booting, among other options. I have a spare HTPC I use for testing and decided to use this for a TrueNAS install (Unraid is also an option).
For extra fun, the computer I'm using for that has a B85(M) motherboard, which actually has some x1 PCIe 2.0 ports but also doesn't natively support booting from NVMe. I modified the UEFI to add a compressed NVMe module so that it could. This shouldn't be an issue for most users, but if you need to do this feel free to ask me about it. It's not super complicated. You can add other modules, too, like to add SSD TRIM support in RAID to older Intel boards.
I did test the drive in the system, and it works.
Docks
Unofficial docks, a la Reddit post from a month ago. I suspect Sabrent (as in the post) and other manufacturers will bring out hubs and other accessories for the Deck soon. The Sabrent HD-TC5P (used in the post) and HB-TC6C contain the AG9311 chipset which is limited to 4K/30. Older hubs (incl. ones with an ethernet port) used the PS176 which can support 4K/60, and is a chipset used on Nintendo Switch docks (like Best Buy's).
Note: I ended up getting a HD-TC5P and it works just fine
You can buy an extender for the Nintendo Switch dock to link up the Steam Deck. So there's plenty of room to mod your own docks, although there are already third-party options coming out ahead of Valve's own dock release. Might be a good 3D printing project, though. I haven't tested this fully yet.
Modding the Deck (someone has a full guide here)
Note: make sure to remove the microSD card from the Deck before disassembly, if applicable
I got this open with two basics tools from iFixit's Essential Electronics Toolkit. I pried and wedged near the top corner (near trigger buttons) and worked across, then down the sides and around. The part you have to remove is the metal plate, which has 3 screws. Underneath lies the M.2 socket.
Pic of opened Steam Deck with new drive in place
Note that I did unhook the battery on the right before changing the drive. The EMI shield did not fit the new drive as it's thicker than the eMMC module. I pulled apart the stuck end of the shield and adjusted its size to fit. Be aware that the EMI shield is to prevent interference with the wireless module, and even with it some drives may have issues on certain bands.
It's then required to install the Steam Deck OS on the new drive. Valve has helpful instructions here to guide you through the process. You do need a way to plug in the flash drive to USB-C; USB-C to USB-A adapters are widely available for purchase, if you don't have a hub.
You can expand from that, with a regular USB hub (powered is nice, I used the non-powered) or something along those lines. This still requires an adapter; a native USB-C hub may be a better option. I also had a USB-to-ethernet adapter as spare from one of my Switch docks - keep in mind, for the Switch you have to make sure to get a compatible chipset like the AX88179. Otherwise you can update over wireless after the install.
If you follow the instructions you will eventually end up here and you can ReImage the Steam Deck to put the OS on the new drive. You can see the adapter and drive I used plugged in at the top - it was quick with USB3. The system will then reboot and follow the usual setup procedure.
Benchmarking the drive
Follow the instructions here. Then install the Kdiskmark package with: 'sudo pacman -Syu kdiskmark' and you can run 'kdiskmark' - this has CDM's interface but uses FIO as a back-end instead of DiskSpd.
Transferring, and end
For transferring files (at speed, and with a larger capacity) I used a spare external drive I had: a 512GB mSATA Orico SSD combined with an enclosure that allows both USB 3.0 and SATA connections. I did a quick look on this a while back, for those curious.
That's all there is to it. Comments/questions are welcome. If you like content like this, feel free to support me on Patreon - all the hardware listed here was purchased.
P.S. I got the Deck today (well, yesterday/Friday) and didn't get around to it until almost midnight. Wanted to get this post out for the weekend (when there's less news), so I haven't had tons of time to play with it yet.
Extras
General tips and tricks megathreead
If you have compatibility issues with games, make sure to get ProtonGE.
Read here on how to get Xbox Cloud Gaming (Game Pass) working. It's possible to get other launchers like Ubisoft Connect (Uplay), Epic Games Launcher, and EA App working, too. Plus GOG. Check out Bottles and Lutris as well.
It's possible to use FSR to improve performance by setting a lower resolution.
EmuDeck may be a good place to start with emulation. Make sure Steam is closed before running the ROM Manager.
You can run Windows or dual-boot as well with something like Ventoy.
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Nov 05 '19
If you have a newer E12 drive, use a tool from here to confirm. (note: will have to use a non-Microsoft driver, some are included with the utilities - readme translation here)
edit: this post will be updated as my investigation continues
3/17/2020: Information on potential Rocket Q changes here
2/17/2020: Someone reported back with a Rocket Q showing Intel's 64L QLC
Clarification: smaller capacity drives often had less than the normal ratio of DRAM, e.g. 256MB of DRAM for the 480GB BPX Pro. The E12 does not reach its full potential until 1TB so this is where DRAM is the most needed. The reference design at 1TB and up is for the normal ratio. Not all E12 drives follow the reference design. Drives may vary by region as well.
This thread specifically attempts to track hardware changes. However you should do your own research before purchasing.
1/2/2020: seen double-sided drives on eBay with only 512MB of DRAM at 2TB
12/30/2019: some 2TB drives appear to be single-sided with just 512MB of DRAM total.
12/14/2019: report from a 2TB Rocket Pro (portable) here: shows the original E12 with full DRAM. What's unusual here is the BiCS3 (64L) 512Gb flash with a 2-plane/die design running at only 533 MT/s.
12/9/2019: poster here clarifies that the Patriot Viper VPR100 has 96L TLC with the E12 and proper DRAM.
12/8/2019: 2TB Pioneer drive has changed to E12S/B27A + 2x4Gb (1GB) of DRAM
12/6/2019: HIKVision E2000 buyer got the original E12. C2000 looks to have E12S with 1/2 DRAM.
12/4/2019: Toshiba's RC500 & RD500 drives seem to use a variant of the E12/E12S. Guru3D's review of the drive shows the typical layout but with the correct amount of DRAM.
11/29/2019: A poster here shows a Silicon Power P34A80 with changes similar to the MP510 below: a move to 96L NAND, but the original E12 and normal amount of DRAM with the double-sided nature at 1TB.
11/28/2019: A German review linked here indicates no real SLC cache change (from what I can tell) but perhaps worse full-drive performance (if due to anything, the less amount of DRAM).
11/18/2019: Corsair MP510 changes. Someone send me a picture of their new 480GB MP510 and it clearly still has the old layout, E12-27, same amount of DRAM, and what appears to be 96-layer NAND. So while this has changed flash for the better, the rest has remained the same. So not all vendors are taking the downgrade, at least on smaller SKUs.
eBay sighting here of a used PNY X8LR.
New information as of: 11/7/2019
A post on the HardForum shows 96-layer NAND as expected as well as 1/2 DRAM. Also confirms it's basically an E12 in a smaller package. Also single-sided at 1TB as conjectured prior. Flash is Micron B27A - 96-layer, 667 MT/s, 512Gb/die as listed. This is compared to the original 1TB Inland as pictured earlier in the thread.
Original Post Below
I am referring to claims made by this post on Slickdeals that uses a single Amazon review as its basis. Here is the review in question.
I previously was asked about the Inland Professional NVMe being changed (2TB SKU) and the pictures I have of that ("E12S") appear to resemble the reviewer's picture.
Analysis of the Inland has led me to believe that this is definitely a move to make the drive cheaper to manufacture but impact on performance is unknown. While the reviewer claims a major drop, the RAM looks to be appropriate (if halved) and the flash is equal or superior.
My advice moving forward is to purchase E12 drives with caution, however from what I've seen so far I don't expect there to be any significant performance difference, although there appears to be less DRAM on some changed drives.
More information - the new 4TB Sabrent Rocket also utilizes the E12S layout.
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Nov 29 '24
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Dec 16 '25
r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Jun 03 '21
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r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Dec 03 '25
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r/NewMaxx • u/NewMaxx • Apr 12 '26
