Why ever go with SSD over mSATA for primary drive? T430 T430s

[realtanu]

I plan on upgrading my new T430s with a new primary hard drive, moving the stock 500GB drive to a storage drive.  I planned on getting a 256GB SSD.  Why would I do that since there are 256 mSATA drives for pretty much the same price, lower weight, and slightly less power!? 

Is there any reason at all?  T430s has a mSATA SATA3 connection.

[sarbin]

'afternoon.

i can think of no reason, other than the need to open up the machine (and depending on model, risking voiding warranty), not to go the mSATA SSD route. that's exactly what i did on my X220.

cheers.

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

I thought the mSATA on the T430s is a SATAII connection.

[sarbin]

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lead_org wrote:
I thought the mSATA on the T430s is a SATAII connection.

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me, also.

[realtanu]

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sarbin wrote:

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lead_org wrote:
I thought the mSATA on the T430s is a SATAII connection.

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me, also.

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I asked two Lenovo iChat reps and they said SATA III.  I haven't seen a spec sheet first hand.  

I'm a newbie.. but does it have to do with i7 vs. i5 processor?

[sarbin]

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realtanu wrote:

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sarbin wrote:

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lead_org wrote:
I thought the mSATA on the T430s is a SATAII connection.

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me, also.

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I asked two Lenovo iChat reps and they said SATA III.  I haven't seen a spec sheet first hand.  

I'm a newbie.. but does it have to do with i7 vs. i5 processor?

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nope. it's determined by the SATA controller. my X220 is SATA2 for mSATA and SATA3 for the main bay, and if i've read correctly, the ultrabay. regardless, i'd still recommend the mSATA SSD strategy.

i'll do some digging to see if i can find some definitive specs.

regards.

edit: have a look at: http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/T400-T500-and-newer-T-series/T430s-mSATA-speed/td-p/767485

post #4 by someotherguy. from personal experience, i'd take his info as much more accurate than iChat reps, fwiw. some reps mistake SATA III with SATA 3gb/s.

[realtanu]

Email conversation with Lenovo sales guy:

Me: Can you please confirm with tech support that the t430s supports SATA III in the mSATA/WWAN port?    More specifically, that a SATA III msata card will work at SATA III versus just work at a SATA II?   I am under impression that the T430s used to only have SATA II connection in the WWAN slot

Response:  An Msata slot would not be measured by SATA speed.

Me:  Isn’t it determined by the SATA controller?  More specifically:  I’ve read that the Ivy Bridge chipset only supports two SATA-III ports and if the internal HDD bay and ultrabay are both SATA III, doesn’t that mean the mSATA by definition cannot be SATA III?

Response:  The MSATA slot will not be controlled by the sata controller.

Me:  What am I missing?  How is it controlled/connected?

Response:  It is in the system's WWAN slot on the mother board.

Me: You have my sale regardless.  Is it possible to ask one of the engineers?  

Response: Yes, it is definitely placed in the WWAN slot on the mother board, that is how it is connected,

[sarbin]

you're going to end up just going round-and-round chasing this info, unless you get direct access to the engineers. there are certain folks on the forum whom i trust to have the correct info. someotherguy is one of those folks.

my free advice ( worth exactly what you paying for it ) would be to get the mSATA SSD, install it and your os/software, and enjoy the performance boost you'll gain.

regards.

[realtanu]

Updated email

Lenovo Sales:  mSATA drive will work through WWAN, not SATA I /II/ III controllers.  The actual speed depends on the job.  Top speed is comparable to SATA III and faster than SATA I, SATA II.  Right around 6 GB/Sec. 

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

Sigh. The support person obviously has no idea what he or she is talking about. That WWAN slot in your T430s that has mSATA capability, follows the SATA protocol when the mSATA drive is inserted into the slot.

There is a reason why it is called mSATA and not mPCIe SSD.