Drives!

Chapter 7 — Storage

Storage holds everything that persists when the power goes off — your OS, your code, your tools, your data. Unlike RAM (Chapter 6, which forgets everything on shutdown), storage is permanent. For a development workstation, storage speed directly affects how fast your IDE opens, how quickly compilation reads and writes object files, how snappy Docker image pulls feel, and how long Windows boot takes. You have two excellent SATA SSDs worth keeping, and one gap to fill: a fast NVMe boot drive.

Your existing storage (all kept): Samsung 870 EVO 2TB SATA SSD, WD Blue SA510 1TB SATA SSD, and three external USB hard drives (10TB + 5TB + 5TB). These all transfer to the new build with no changes. The main addition is a new NVMe M.2 boot drive, which this chapter selects and sizes.

The Storage Speed Hierarchy

Not all storage is equal. Here is the real-world sequential read speed of each storage type — the speed at which large files (OS install, Docker layers, VM images) are read from the drive:

PCIe Gen 5 NVMe (e.g. Crucial T705)~14,000 MB/s

PCIe Gen 4 NVMe (e.g. Samsung 990 Pro) ← target~7,400 MB/s

PCIe Gen 3 NVMe (e.g. Samsung 970 EVO Plus)~3,500 MB/s

SATA SSD (e.g. Samsung 870 EVO ← you have this)~550 MB/s

USB 3.0 external HDD (your 10TB/5TB drives)~100–200 MB/s

All sequential read. Random read (small files — git, compilation) follows a similar pattern but with smaller absolute differences. Gen 4 NVMe is 13× faster than SATA for large sequential reads.

Gen 5 is not the answer. PCIe Gen 5 NVMe drives run extremely hot (some require active cooling), cost significantly more than Gen 4, and the extra speed is only perceptible during large file transfers. For a dev workstation where the bottleneck is compilation logic and I/O pattern (many small files), not sequential throughput, Gen 4 is the rational sweet spot. The jump from SATA (your current boot drive scenario) to Gen 4 NVMe is dramatic. The jump from Gen 4 to Gen 5 is marginal.

Understanding the Specs

Interface / Protocol

NVMe (PCIe) or AHCI (SATA)

NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a protocol designed for flash storage — low latency, high parallelism, uses PCIe lanes directly. AHCI is the older protocol designed for spinning hard drives and used by SATA SSDs. NVMe is dramatically faster for everything a dev workstation does. Your new boot drive should be NVMe.

Form Factor

M.2 (NVMe) or 2.5" (SATA)

M.2 is a slot on the motherboard — no cables, no bay needed. Most NVMe drives use M.2 2280 (80mm long). Your Samsung 870 EVO and WD Blue are 2.5" form factor and go into drive bays with SATA data and power cables. Both types connect to the new motherboard.

PCIe Generation

Gen 4 = sweet spot

Gen 3 NVMe: ~3,500 MB/s. Gen 4: ~7,400 MB/s. Gen 5: ~14,000 MB/s. B760 boards have both Gen 4 and Gen 5 M.2 slots (primary slot is usually Gen 4 or Gen 5 depending on the board). A Gen 4 drive in a Gen 5 slot runs at Gen 4 speed — fully supported and backwards compatible.

Sequential Read / Write

e.g. 7,400 / 6,900 MB/s

Speed for large contiguous reads and writes (OS install, Docker image pull, VM creation). The headline marketing spec. Important, but less representative of daily dev feel than random 4K performance. Drives within the same PCIe generation are often within 10% of each other here.

Random 4K Read / Write

Most important for dev

Speed for reading/writing tiny 4KB blocks — the pattern of compilation, git operations, IDE indexing, database queries, and most real dev I/O. Gen 4 NVMe drives typically achieve 800K–1,000K IOPS random 4K read, vs ~100K IOPS for SATA SSDs. This is where the day-to-day difference is felt.

DRAM Cache

Prefer drives with DRAM

A small DRAM chip on the drive stores the mapping table (FTL — Flash Translation Layer) so the controller can find data instantly. DRAM-less drives (HMB — Host Memory Buffer) borrow a slice of your system RAM instead, which is slower under sustained random I/O. For an OS/dev drive with constant small-file access, DRAM cache gives more consistent performance.

Capacity

1TB or 2TB for boot drive

1TB: Windows 11 (~30GB) + tools (~50GB) + active dev projects + Docker images (~100–300GB total) = comfortable. 2TB: same, but room for WSL2 distro images, multiple large active projects, and local VM disks without thinking about it. The price jump from 1TB to 2TB Gen 4 NVMe is typically only £20–35.

TBW (Terabytes Written)

300–600 TBW per 1TB

Total data you can write before NAND cells statistically degrade. A dev workstation writing 30–50GB/day would exhaust a 600 TBW drive in ~33 years. In practice drives are replaced every 5–7 years for other reasons. TBW is rarely a concern with any brand-name Gen 4 NVMe — just avoid very cheap no-name drives with suspiciously low TBW ratings.

Your Existing Storage — Keep or Replace?

InterfaceSATA 6Gb/s

Form factor2.5" SATA

Sequential read560 MB/s

Capacity2TB — generous

TBW rating2,400 TBW (exceptional)

DRAM cacheYes

Recommended useData, archives, VMs, large projects

One of the best SATA SSDs ever made. 2,400 TBW endurance is far above typical consumer SATA SSDs. Keep it as secondary data storage — it will serve reliably for many years. Connect to a SATA port on the new motherboard with the included data cable.

InterfaceSATA 6Gb/s

Form factor2.5" SATA

Sequential read560 MB/s

Capacity1TB

TBW rating400 TBW

DRAM cacheHMB (no dedicated DRAM)

Recommended useSecondary data, personal files, backups

Solid mid-range SATA SSD. No dedicated DRAM (uses HMB), but for secondary data storage this is completely adequate — sustained random I/O is not the use case here. Keep it as tertiary storage or a dedicated drive for personal files, downloads, and archive.

InterfacePCIe Gen 4 NVMe

Form factorM.2 2280 (no cables)

Sequential read~7,000–7,400 MB/s

Recommended capacity2TB (preferred) or 1TB

DRAM cacheYes — required for OS drive

SlotM.2 slot 1 (primary PCIe Gen 4 slot)

Estimated cost£65–90 (1TB) / £100–140 (2TB)

This is the only new storage purchase needed. Installing Windows on an NVMe Gen 4 drive transforms the experience — boot times drop to under 15 seconds, IDE launch is near-instant, and compilation I/O completes before you notice it. Specific recommendations follow below.

ConnectionUSB 3.0

Total20TB external archive

Action neededNone — plug into new build's USB-A

USB storage transfers transparently to the new build. Plug into any USB-A 3.0+ port on the rear I/O panel. No drivers or reconfiguration needed. Suitable for long-term backups, media archives, and cold storage of old projects.

Drive Organisation Strategy

With three internal drives and three external drives, a clear organisation strategy prevents confusion and maximises the benefit of each drive's characteristics. The fast NVMe handles everything that needs to be fast; the SATA SSDs handle everything that needs to be large and accessible; the externals handle cold storage.

Windows 11 Pro IDEs (IntelliJ, VS Code, PyCharm) Active dev projects Docker Desktop + images Node.js / Python / Java runtimes Git repositories (current) WSL2 virtual disk Databases (PostgreSQL data dir) Browser profiles + dev tools

Archived dev projects VM disk images (.vmdk / .vhdx) Large datasets / training data Video captures / screen recordings Software installers Overflow Docker volumes

Personal documents Downloads Music / personal media Internal backups of C: data Game installs (if any)

Full system backup (Macrium / Veeam) Long-term project archives Raw video / photography Cold storage Offsite rotation copies

Docker data root: By default Docker Desktop stores images and container data in C:\ProgramData\Docker. Docker images for a typical dev setup (multiple services, databases, runtimes) can easily reach 50–100GB. Move the Docker data root to a dedicated folder on the NVMe drive via Docker Desktop → Settings → Resources → Advanced → Disk image location. Do this before pulling images, not after, to avoid a slow migration.

Recommended NVMe Boot Drives

All recommendations below are PCIe Gen 4, M.2 2280, with DRAM cache. Available in 1TB and 2TB — 2TB is strongly recommended given the minimal price difference and your multi-container dev workload.

InterfacePCIe Gen 4 × 4, NVMe 2.0

Sequential read7,450 MB/s

Sequential write6,900 MB/s

Random 4K read1,600K IOPS

DRAM cacheYes (LPDDR4)

TBW (2TB)1,200 TBW

Warranty5 years

HeatsinkAvailable as heatsink variant

1TB: £70–90 / 2TB: £110–140

Samsung's current flagship consumer Gen 4 NVMe. Samsung controllers and NAND are manufactured in-house — exceptional reliability track record, consistent firmware updates, and Magician software gives excellent drive health monitoring, performance benchmarking, and secure erase. The 990 Pro fixed the earlier 980 Pro's thermal throttling issues. First choice for a build that will run for 5+ years.

InterfacePCIe Gen 4 × 4, NVMe 2.0

Sequential read7,300 MB/s

Sequential write6,600 MB/s

Random 4K read1,200K IOPS

DRAM cacheYes

TBW (2TB)1,200 TBW

Warranty5 years

HeatsinkAvailable as heatsink variant

1TB: £70–85 / 2TB: £110–135

Western Digital's flagship Gen 4 NVMe — the same drive recommended for PlayStation 5 expansion, which required a drive that could sustain maximum throughput indefinitely under console workloads. Performance is essentially identical to the Samsung 990 Pro. If the Samsung is out of stock or costs more, this is a direct equivalent. WD Dashboard software provides health monitoring.

InterfacePCIe Gen 4 × 4, NVMe 1.4

Sequential read7,300 MB/s

Sequential write6,900 MB/s

Random 4K read1,000K IOPS

DRAM cacheYes (DDR4)

TBW (2TB)2,550 TBW — highest here

Warranty5 years

HeatsinkUsually includes heatsink variant

1TB: £65–80 / 2TB: £105–130

Phison E18 controller — the same silicon used in several top-tier Gen 4 drives. The FireCuda 530's 2TB variant has an exceptionally high TBW rating of 2,550 TBW — over double the Samsung at the same capacity. Irrelevant in practice (you'll never reach it), but it's a confidence indicator of the NAND quality. Often slightly cheaper than the Samsung 990 Pro for equivalent specs.

InterfacePCIe Gen 4 × 4, NVMe 1.4

Sequential read7,400 MB/s

Sequential write6,500 MB/s

DRAM cacheYes

TBW (2TB)600 TBW

Warranty5 years

1TB: £55–70 / 2TB: £85–110

Crucial (Micron's consumer brand) with an Innogrit controller and Micron NAND. Saves £15–25 over the Samsung at broadly similar sequential specs. Real-world random I/O is slightly behind the flagship drives, but for a dev workstation this is barely perceptible. Good choice if you want to spend the savings elsewhere in the build.

What to Look For (and Avoid)

PCIe Gen 4 NVMe for the OS/boot drive
DRAM cache on the primary OS drive
2TB for boot drive — headroom for Docker + projects
Named brands: Samsung, WD Black, Seagate FireCuda, Crucial
5-year warranty on NVMe drives
TBW ≥ 300 TBW per 1TB capacity
Use motherboard M.2 heatsink on the NVMe drive
Separate drives for OS and data (isolation + easier reinstall)
Keep existing SATA SSDs — no need to replace them

Booting Windows from a SATA SSD when M.2 slots are available
PCIe Gen 5 NVMe — runs hot, costs more, marginal gain
DRAM-less drives as the OS boot drive (fine for data, not boot)
Single huge drive for everything — OS failure = data risk
Skipping the motherboard M.2 heatsink — NVMe drives run hot under load
Buying a cheap no-name NVMe with no verifiable TBW rating
Connecting SATA drives without checking M.2 slot SATA-port sharing
Leaving Docker data in the default location before pulling images

Assembly

Installing the NVMe M.2 drive (boot drive)

Remove the M.2 heatsink from slot 1

The primary M.2 slot on most B760 boards has a heatsink held by one or two small Phillips screws. Remove them and lift the heatsink away. Set it aside — you'll reattach it after fitting the drive. The thermal pad on the underside of the heatsink is pre-applied; do not remove the protective film until just before you reinstall it.

If your motherboard ships with a thermal pad film on both the heatsink and the PCB below the slot — remove BOTH films. Some builders miss the PCB-side film, which insulates the drive from the heatsink and produces higher temperatures.

Insert the NVMe drive at 30°

M.2 NVMe drives insert at a 30° upward angle (not flat). Align the drive's gold contacts (notched edge) with the slot's key, then slide it in firmly until the contacts are fully inserted. The drive will sit at a 30° angle above the board, supported by the slot on one end and unsupported at the other.

The key notch on the NVMe drive prevents it from being inserted backwards, but a slightly misaligned insertion can damage pins. If it doesn't go in smoothly, do not force it — realign and try again.

Press flat and secure with the retaining screw

Press the free end of the drive flat toward the board. A small retaining screw or clip (M.2 standoff supplied with the motherboard) secures the end of the drive. Some boards use a small screw into a threaded standoff; newer boards use a screwless clip mechanism. Either way: secure the drive flat to the board before reinstalling the heatsink.

The M.2 retaining screw is tiny and often falls into the case interior during installation. Use a magnetic screwdriver and keep a parts tray handy. Losing this screw means the drive will pop out of position under vibration.

Remove heatsink thermal pad film and reattach heatsink

If you haven't already, peel the protective film from the thermal pad on the underside of the heatsink. Lower the heatsink squarely onto the drive and retighten the heatsink screws — finger-tight, then a half-turn more. The thermal pad compresses slightly under the heatsink weight; this is normal and correct.

Connecting the SATA SSDs

Check M.2 slot SATA port sharing — before connecting SATA cables

Some motherboards disable a SATA port or two when an M.2 slot is in use, due to shared PCIe lanes. Check your board's manual — there is usually a compatibility table showing which SATA ports remain active based on M.2 slot occupation. On B760 boards with 6 SATA ports, populating M.2 slot 1 with an NVMe drive typically has no effect on SATA availability, but verify for your specific board.

Mount the 2.5" SSDs in the case drive bays

The Fractal Define 7 has multiple 2.5" and 3.5" drive bays behind the PSU shroud and on the rear of the case. Screw each 2.5" SSD into a drive tray or bay using the four screws from the side. The drives can also be mounted to SSD brackets or tool-free sleds depending on the case.

In the Fractal Define 7, the 2.5" drive bays on the rear of the motherboard tray are ideal for SATA SSDs — they hide behind the board and keep cables tidy.

Connect SATA data cables: drive → motherboard

SATA data cables are thin, 7-pin, L-shaped at one or both ends. Connect one end to the SATA port on the drive and the other to a SATA port on the motherboard. Route cables through grommets for tidiness. SATA cables are keyed — they only connect in the correct orientation and click into place.

SATA data cables are not usually included with the drives themselves — they come with the motherboard (typically 4 cables). If you have more drives than included cables, buy additional SATA data cables (very cheap — £3–5 for a two-pack).

Connect SATA power cables: drive → PSU

SATA power cables come from the PSU (your Corsair TX550M is semi-modular — attach the SATA power cable to the PSU). One SATA power cable typically daisy-chains 3–4 drives. Connect one branch to each drive's wide 15-pin SATA power connector. These are keyed and cannot be connected backwards.

Testing Storage

BIOS detection: Enter BIOS after first power-on. All installed drives should appear in the Storage/Boot section. The NVMe drive typically shows as "M.2 PCIe Gen 4 — [model name]". SATA SSDs appear in the SATA port list. If a drive is missing: check the heatsink screw/clip on M.2, check SATA data cable seating, and verify the SATA port isn't disabled due to M.2 slot sharing.

CrystalDiskInfo — health check (after OS install): Download CrystalDiskInfo (free). Open it and confirm all drives show Good health status and green icons. Check the Power On Hours for your existing SATA SSDs (gives an idea of how much life they've had). S.M.A.R.T. warnings here indicate a drive that needs attention before use.

CrystalDiskMark — speed benchmark: Download CrystalDiskMark (free). Run the default test on each drive. Expected results: NVMe Gen 4 sequential read ~6,000–7,400 MB/s; SATA SSD sequential read ~500–560 MB/s. Significantly below these numbers on the NVMe drive may indicate it's running in the wrong slot (Gen 3 instead of Gen 4 — check BIOS to verify the slot's PCIe mode).

Windows Disk Management: Right-click Start → Disk Management. All three internal drives should appear. The NVMe (C:) will already have Windows installed. The two SATA SSDs appear as unallocated or with their previous partitions. Initialise and format any unallocated drives here (GPT partition style → NTFS → assign a drive letter).

Samsung Magician (if using 990 Pro or 870 EVO): Samsung Magician provides detailed health monitoring, firmware updates, and a performance benchmark specific to Samsung drives. Run the Diagnostic Scan on the 870 EVO — it checks all sectors and confirms the drive is fully healthy. Also use it to verify the 990 Pro's firmware is current.

NVMe temperature check under load: In HWMonitor (or CrystalDiskInfo), note the NVMe drive temperature during a sustained large file copy (e.g. copying 20GB between the NVMe and a SATA drive). Gen 4 NVMe drives run hot — 50–70°C under sustained load is normal. Above 80°C suggests the motherboard M.2 heatsink is not making good contact — check that the thermal pad film has been removed and the heatsink is fully seated.

Next: Type PC8 to generate Chapter 8 — Graphics Card (GPU), covering your existing RTX 3050 LP, confirming it handles 3 monitors at the right resolutions, and what upgrade options look like if you ever want more GPU headroom.