Hybrid vs sole SSD

[TexasIndian]

As I sit here typing over the incredibly loud & annoying whine of my 1.5tb HDD, I have another

question in a long line of dumb-ass queries:  comparing a brand new desktop with ONLY SSD

hard drive vs. a brand new HYBRID desktop (ie: 1tb HDD+256gb SSD); won't the hybrid still create

that frickin' fan noise?  Usually online mddle of night in dead-quiet house...except for "wheeeee"!!!!

😖🙉🔊   (best to keep this hidden from me)🔨

[NonSequitur777 · Accepted solution]

@TexasIndian,

Good question.  And yes indeed, as long as there is an actual HDD lurking inside your PC -even if it is a secondary or tertiary drive, you'll still hear the occasional doggone-awful groaning noises whenever it retrieves or writes data, especially when/if the drive is heating up or getting ready to retire.

I have noticed that higher quality HDDs are noticeably less noisy, though.

Moving & hi-rev spinning parts as HDDs do employ, well, they create noise.

So, for me: GO SATA or M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD!

Kind Regard,

NonSequitur777

[TexasIndian]

Thanks for that NonSequitur777,

You've just affirmed what I suspected, but wanted a geek's opinion vs my own ('idiot').

Finding good prices @ Costco (considering config) but unfortunately ALL are 'hybrid';

plus one of rationalizations I use convincing me to spend $$ for a new pc, is the roar!

[NonSequitur777]

@TexasIndian,

Are you referring to your initial inquiry here: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/TE01-3254-Desktop-DONT-KNOW-WHA..., when you asked, and I quote: "what's your honest opinion(s) of your TE01-3254? (I'm currently shopping for the exact same unit)"? (emphasis added)

Summarizing, an HP ENVY Desktop TE01-3254 (319L6AA) has very good to excellent upgrade potential.  However -let's cut to the chase, for this desktop's size and capabilities, I am at a complete loss to explain why the heck this PC was fitted with a flaccid 310 watt power supply. This really should be the first item to go, of course.  As mentioned, this TE01 desktop is compatible with the 500 watt OEM HP p/n: L05757-800 power supply, which has one 6+2-PCIe and one 6-pin PCIe power cables.

These proprietary HP power supply units, compared with industry standard ATX power supplies are way overpriced.  If I ever were to purchase one of these PCs, I would use an "ATX 24-pin to SATA 15-pin power adapter card" to add/sync a secondary external power supply to power a high-end graphics card -but that is probably something only computer geeks like myself would entertain.
(Link for L05757-800 power supply: https://www.sparepartworld.com/laptop-spare-parts/internal-power-supplies/internal-power-supplies-l0....)

Anyway, the advantage of a 500 watt power supply is that you could power very decent graphics cards which you can currently purchase (new or used) for very reasonable prices: RTX 2060, GTX 1660 Ti, RX 6600 XT, RX 580, to name but a few.

Also, this TE01 desktop is fitted with the N00594-601 Reno2 LGA1200 motherboard (SSID: 89B5), which is compatible with the Intel i7-12700 processor. This is a very powerful CPU -see the performance comparison between an i7-7700K -which in itself is more than sufficient to smoke any (3D) game thrown at it with ease if coupled with a higher-end GPU, and the i7-12700: https://cpu.userbenchmark.com/Compare/Intel-Core-i7-7700K-vs-Intel-Core-i7-12700/3647vsm1750830.

Also, this TE01 desktop has one M.2 NVMe 2280 SSD socket, which I would personally upgrade to a 1TB Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD and making it the primary (boot) drive if it isn't configured like that anyway.

Also, this TE01 desktop can be fitted with up to 2 x 32GB DDR4 PC4-23400, 2933 MHz, Non-EEC, UDIMM, 288-pin RAM, but for 99% of PC usages you don't need that much RAM -I would recommend 2 x 16GB RAM sticks.  Or at least 2 x 8GB RAM.

Mind you, I would purchase Samsung or Crucial DDR4 PC4-25600, 3200 MHz RAM, since these RAM are amongst the best you can get, and they would be cheaper than the PC4-23400 2933 MHz RAM.  Don't be surprised if this TE01 desktop would down throttle the RAM speed to 2933 MHz, but that is still plenty fast.

Anyway, perhaps I am digressing.

Good luck with all your computer related endeavors.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[TexasIndian]

WOW, what a tirade!  And NO, there is no such thing as 'digressing' when you're teaching (only piss-poor listeners).

THIS is why I ask (detailed) questions  and prefer same back (too few words often results in too little knowledge).

Doesn't matter I only understood 1/3 of what you said (okay 1/4) but isn't that why Page & Brin invented Google!!

All your detail is very well compiled and only convinces me to wait for the 'monster sale' to return ($380 off!!).

Albeit NOT a gamer (last game played was Pong!) and if ever change my mind, teen grandson lives down the

street with a VERY powerful (and bright) CyberPower Master.  However, I always shop with 'future-proofing' in

mind....such as my current HPE 500f ready to be replaced after 12 years service...was THE rig @ MicroCenter

way back then; thus looking for similar equivalent with today's upper-eschelon standards (hence all my shopping

filters start with "12th Gen Intel i7" and UHD 770 (vs 750/730) graphics.  Can't imagine Intel's UHD 770 isn't at least

equal to- / superior to- / more powerful, etc than MY pc's graphics card (brand new card when bought pc May 2010)

AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card (512mb DDR3 dedicated memory).  Feel free to school me here.

PSU: Have read several reviews stating 310w Gold-80 is plenty powerful enough IF NOT gaming/installing card/etc.

More queries: why replace 1tb SSD?  Not a good one? Or is the Samsung far more superior to whatever comes 'standard'??

Memory: even I 'm just smart enough to know stupid to put ONE memory stick in dual-channel config...even if 16gb (agree?).

So if/when this bloody thing goes on 'monster sale' again, my plan was to either add another 16gb OR replace both with 8x2.

Logic here is I can get on Amazon one 16gb stick (which obviously won't be EXACT same card) or just dump it and install two new (same exact cards) likely better than 'standard' single card (Crucial/Vulcan Z/ G.Skill/etc (for same $$).  PLUS I have $$ 

sitting in my Amazon account.  So which is best...'mismatched'' 16x2 = 32gb OR new, zippy 8x2=16gb cards (NOT gaming)?

May be annoying as hell, but you're actually lucky; would've harrassed you to death several months ago when 'building' my

grandson's 'beast'....actually built for him by CyberPower, but I researched the crap out of all technical parts & all available options before going to 'configure' it.  Had specific budget, with newly-educated minimals list, HIS games/preferences/etc.

[NonSequitur777]

@TexasIndian,

Thank you for the refresher: for your computing needs a 310 watt power supply is fine.

If you are planning to do any video or photo editing or anything beyond browsing the internet, you may consider adding a low-cost graphics card to your PC, unless your desktop already comes with one.

Fortunately, graphics cards have come down in pricing quite a bit, if you need one.

Here are two examples of quality basic graphics cards under $100: the ZOTAC GeForce GT 1030 2GB and the MAXSUN GeForce GT 730 4GB.

Anyways, sounds like you did a wonderful job building a gaming rig for your grandson!  To do it right, taking your time thinking things through, researching and then making informed/the best decisions is exactly what it takes to create what you did.  And no worries, providing computer assistance -especially if I happen to be knowledgeable in particular areas, is actually cathartic for me.  In some sense, paying it forward, so to speak.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

@TexasIndian,

And with regards to your question, quote: "So which is best...'mismatched'' 16x2 = 32gb OR new, zippy 8x2=16gb cards (NOT gaming)?"

How "mismatched" is the added 16GB RAM module?  As long as it has similar specifications, that's probably what I would lean towards.

Kindly,

NonSequitur777

[TexasIndian]

Thanks,

I'm a 'car guy' so use a lot of auto-analogies to express my pseudo-knowledge 

especially in areas where I'm definitely NOT!!  But you're right, after deciding we

had actually NO desire in building his gamer ourselves (he's ADHD teen boy and

I'm an OleGrumpyBazzerd) decided next best thing was 'customize' vs pre-build.

And yes, TONS of research (every frickin' component) and Google ("what's a xxx?").

Afterwards, feel I can configure a beast, though have NO desire do it from scratch.

He loves it, brags about it, won't get off the bloody thing, plays people worldwide.

PC I'm waiting to go back on sale (ideally BEFORE Black Friday) is HP TE01-3254;

per previous 'future-proofing, decided MUST-HAVE minimum is 12th gen i-7; 1tb

SSD (NO growling hdd!!); 16gb>TWO channel!!; minimum UHD 770 since graphics

will be Integrated, ideally wifi 6 (will settle for 5) to go with my AX11000 tri-band

('future-proofing' remember?) with ~15 frickin' streaming devices in our house!!

Lastly, Windows 11...have NO issue with W10 (except how last 2 updates screwed

current pc up-since NOT W11 compliant); have NO idea if I'll like it/be as 'navigable'

as W10 is for me, but again - 'future-proofing'.  May be an old man, but I'm on the 

few that WANT to advance....why listen ONLY to classic rock from the 60's and 70's

with so much good CURRENT music??  Some of these whipper-snappers can jam!

Oh yeah, MUST also be able to connect to 5.1 Surround Sound....what, gonna dump

Klipsch speakers back in a box??  These suckers (huge woofer!!) really fill a room!!

[NonSequitur777]

@TexasIndian,

Yours is an excellent plan, and I wholeheartedly agree with it.

If you have the time, let me know how things work out.

Glad to be able to assist fellow Forum members!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[TexasIndian]

Comes with ONE 16gb memory stick (like having one of those v-6's or v-8's that switch off entire HALF

of the 'V' to save money...it's a frickin' muscle car that turns into a 3-cylinder Fiat!!...weeee neeneenee)

Put in TWO sticks!!  Uh, sorry. Has A 16gb DDR4-3200 SDRAM card.  Can't get HP to provide WHICH card

they uswe via multiple requests...so assume it's a non-brand 'HP'-labelled generic.   So my previously-

mentioned "lack of knowledge" would presume as nice as 32gb would be (eventhough NOT a gamer) it

would likely be about 28gb more than I'll ever use (it's what grandson installed); instead of having all the

left-side of my tires being top-line Michelin's and right side tires being $50 WalMart specials...match 'em.

Which (for same cost) I can pull the ONE 16gb and install TWO matching Michelin  vroom-vroom 8gb sticks 

OR install a 2nd 16gb stick that'll be a Michelin high-end alongside the 'whatever the hell' box HP grabbed.

Agree? Disagree?  Starting to be sorry you ever replied??  (agree w/2x8gb idea? provide your Michelin choices).