Question 1

I have a Dell XPS-15 with a 512GB MSATA SSD.  Can I replace that with the Samsung 1TB MSATA SSD?

Thanks,

Bob

Accepted Answer

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to, unless there is an issue with the Dell bios or their hardware. I asked my PC maker's (OriginPC) support team just to double check. I'd advise you the same. I upgraded from a crucial m4 128 or 250 (can't remember) to the 1GB and it's been awesome. Dedicated OS drive fills up relatively quick, so needed a lot of space. Even did a split install with Win8 and Linux Mint.

Question 2

does this come with hard drive cloning software?

Accepted Answer

No, yet Samsung has free data migration (cloning) software available from their web-site for SSD drive cloning.  The software only works with Samsung SSD drives.

Question 3

how is this different from the other 1TB Samsung SSD to a gamer?

Accepted Answer

This is the mSATA version.  It is specifically for tablets and notebooks designed for a mSATA drive, although you can buy a SATA adapter for it, too (but why would you).

If you don't know that mSATA is what you need, you don't know enough to buy it.  Samsung's other 840 drive is SATA, which is the standard PC SSD/HDD interface connector definition.

mSATA is more expensive than SATA, because it is new and smaller in size.  This is the largest mSATA drive available.  I got it to put in my Dell Ultrabook.  Also, it is Samsung's new three-bit per cell technology, which no one else has in production.

Question 4

Has anyone installed this device in a Dell Precision M6800? Even though this device is twice as large as the Crucial M500 480GB, the Crucial has an added capacitor on it. Has anyone experienced an event where the added capacitor would have come in handy on their Samsung? I’m trying to decide which mSATA device to purchase to run Win 7 and my programs on.

Accepted Answer

I don't have a Dell Precision M6800, but I do have a Dell Precision M6500, and I am using this now and it works great.  Note that it requires your FCM slot - it won't work in the WWAN or other slots (you probably already knew that).  The only other thing I can comment on is that it would NOT work in my M6500 without the primary hard drive also installed.  It wouldn't even detect the mSATA was there.  Once I put the primary HD back in, it saw both.  In my case, my primary HD is another Samsung 840 EVO anyway, but I thought that interesting.

Due to this restriction, it might be a little more tricky to force the mSATA to be your primary OS & programs drive.  I'm using it as a data drive, so it wasn't a big deal for me.  Your experience on your M6800 may vary, of course. :)

The mSATA drive works great though - it's *ALMOST* as fast as the regular 840 EVO SSD.  I mean, darn close... spitting distance away.  Definitely a nice addition - 3 SSD drives in a laptop now! :)

Question 5

Is this drive compatible with an Asus X750JB laptop?

Accepted Answer

If the asus uses a msata harddrive it will work but I am not familiar with that laptop so I can't say for sure but if you go to the asus website and look up that model they should be able to tell you weather it uses a msata or a 21/2 in sata.

Question 6

I have an empty Mini PCIE2 slot on my MSI Motherboard Number MS-7826 V1.0. Does this kind of SSD plug right into that and how does the BIOS find that to boot from?

Thank you; compgeek

Accepted Answer

No, despite utilizing the same slot the architecture used is different, therefore this SSD will only operate in an available mSATA slot.  If your device has an optical drive (and it is unused or underutilized) one option to acquire additional space is to swap it out for a HDD caddy and install any standard SATA drive (including an SSD, even this one would work, but only if placed in an adapter, which would make it a somewhat costly proposition).  This would eliminate the OD, but most folks use their drive sparingly, so an external OD would be a viable option.

Question 7

what is this used for? is it like an ssd but faster

Accepted Answer

The Samsung 840 EVO looks to your operating system like a drive partition (C:\ D:\ etc).  Using the enclosed software, I put my operating system (Windows7 x64) and programs I use most on the SSD.  I also used a program called XXCLONE that was recommended by Maximum PC magazine.

The difference in boot-up times and operating system call times is stunning, because there are no moving mechanical parts.

If you are comfortable working inside your computer case and you understand what a disk partition is and what SATA cables are, I think you would be OK installing the SSD.  It's just like installing a mechanical hard drive.

Good luck.

Question 8

Will this fit and work with a yoga 2 pro?

Accepted Answer

Their website and manual has detailed instructions on everything but memory and the memory limits seem to imply a permanent RAM install. You will need to contact Lenovo support directly.

This is a great unit, hundreds of years MTBF. Hope you're successful.

Question 9

I have a Dell XPS 8500 (Early 2012) [Service tag 3T3KPW1] with a SSDR, 256, S3, FULL, LITEON, M3M. Can I upgrade to this 1TB mSATA drive?

Accepted Answer

Overkill for two reasons.
1. Are you sure your Dell support SATA3. If not buy a much less expensive card at the SATA level it supports.
2. All you gaining if form factor for significantly higher price before you add the cost of an adaptor cable. The EVO 850 laptop form factor will work at a lower cost and higher MTBF, 2M hours versus the 840 1.5M. Both are hundreds of years but half a million more for a lower price? If you have 16GB of RAM (8GB?) it even includes caching software to improve SSC access and reduce read/write cycles.

Question 10

will this fit an imac?

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, no.  Apple has decided to force their own proprietary adaptation of mSATA into their products, so you can't buy an industry standard mSATA drive, you have to either buy Apple's drives or other ones specifically compatible with the Mac, like from Other World Computing (OWC).

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