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HP Recommended
Zbook 17 G4
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

I am on the verge of purchasing a fully configured HP ZBook 17 G4.  I am an engineer not a gamer.  I downloaded the technical manual to evaluate the components.  Page 39 shows an M.2 scenario with both B and M notches which implies that the two nvme PCIE slots will only handle 2 lanes rather than 4.  Nor is it clear that this is PCIE 3.0.  In different HP spec sheets, I have also seen references to both C236 and C238 chipsets.

 

Can someone please clarify the M/B notch - lane issue and the C236/C238 question.  I would like to install a pair of Samsung 960 Pro 1TB M.2 mvme PCIE 3.0 x 4's in RAID 0.

 

Thank you in advance.  

10 REPLIES 10
HP Recommended

The "deep dive" specs you want are not publicly available. I see the picture in the Manual shows a B + M disk but the slot also supports a 2 notch M keyed disk like this one:

 

Z Turbo drive.

 

It does have 2 different chipsets available depending on if you get the Intel Core or Xeon processor version. 

 

The only other mobile workstation that can compete with it is the Lenovo P71 which also does not fully reveal its PCIe specs:

 

http://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-p/ThinkPad-P71/p/22TP2WPWP71

HP Recommended

Thanks very much for the response.  Unfortunately, I do need quad buffeing for the graphics, otherwise I would go for a GeForce solution.  The dual TB3 ports are also fantastic, but one is likely to be used by  dual DP monitors.

 

Once again, thanks!

 

Trevor

 

 

HP Recommended

I bought the Xeon-based Zbook 17 G4 a couple months ago and I also bought a Samsung 960 pro for it.

 

The good news is that the ZBook 17 G4 is equipped to natively support one M.2 SSD.  You can have a 2nd SSD, but the port is a regular 2.5" SATA port so you don't get the speed benefit of a M.2.  The bad news is that the machine goes bonkers if the Samsung 960 pro is installed.

 

By bonkers I mean it takes several minutes to POST and then acts very eratically including spurious hangs.  Randomly it will "recognize" the 960 Pro (most times it does not).  Tried for several days but couldn't get far enough to install an OS onto it.  I currently have the 960 installed but I disabled its port in the BIOS.  In this mode the machine is fairly stable (I have Ubuntu 17.04 installed).  Hopefully they'll get it fixed in a BIOS update and I can flip the swith.

 

Worst of all on this was HP Support.  I spent many hours over multiple sessions and got answers of "Yes it should work", "No it's not supported", and various "try this..." dead ends.  Useless.

 

HP Recommended

You should have come here and I would have advised not to get the 960 Pro. You are not alone in having issues with it. HP specifies its own Turbo Drive for use in this model. E.g. 512 GB, Turbo Drive, G2, MLC 921335-001

 

for which they ask a Kings Ransom.

 

However, others have reported success with the NVME drives sold by HP for use with consumer models like the Omen laptops:

 

Solid-state drive: 512-GB, M2, PCIe, NVMe solid-state drive supporting TLC 857487-001

 

https://parts.hp.com/hpparts/Search_Results.aspx?mscssid=E40F5B4DA83B4FA289F855FF43769672&SearchIn=P...

 

If you want one of these for the quoted $115, jump on it now as HP is raising the prices behind me as I show where they are selling these below market prices.

HP Recommended

Thanks for the quick reply and info.  While I realized that I was playing at the edge with both of these devices (ZBook 17 G4 and Samsung 960 Pro both being very recent releases), I'm surprised that the laptop selectively works for M.2 devices.  I expected some level of standardization like SATA SSDs such that any "mainstream" equipment like HP and Samsung products will work together.  Clearly I was wrong.  If I was trying equipment from non-mainstream vendors then I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't play together.  But this is HP and Samsung!  Shows me that HP is not testing their stuff sufficiently.

 

<rant>

I've *never* had a compatibility issue with HDs in over 30 years--just make sure the basics are correct (interface/controller, and size) and it's always just worked.  Suddenly it's 2017 and time for a change I guess...

</rant>

 

If I had considered such a ridiculous state of affairs I'd have gone with a different laptop from the getgo.

 

To make this all even worse, since it took HP Support more than a month of useless people giving me the runaround, the window to return my Samsung Pro 960 ended so now I'm stuck with it.  So buying yet another M.2 SSD will be gritty to say the least--and I have a the 1TB 960, so I paid up!

 

I appreciate the links you've provided to get a working alternative, but for now I'll continue using only the SATA SSD.

 

Hopefully with some time others will get this straightened out with HP and an update will fix it.  Not holding my breath...

 

HP Recommended

Lack of standardization with M.2 disks is the rule across the board. This is nothing unique to HP. 

 

If the darn little things weren't so fast I would say M.2 is a bust but just the opposite. Kind of like the old Porsche commercials: No substitute. 

 

I understand why you would keep going to HP Support for 30 days with no result but frankly your experience is not a shock. From what I can discern, nobody quite understands what is going on with this or why. 

 

If I were you I might try to sell the 960 and jump on one of those PM961s at $115 before they raise the price. I also have a 256 gig SM951 originally provided on one of my HP notebooks that I upgraded that I could discuss maybe a trial.

 

PM me if there is any interest. Want to see you happy with that machine. 

HP Recommended

I'd certainly jump on $115, but the price I'm getting from parts.hp.com for the PM961 is $413.  And they're on backorder too.

HP Recommended

Too late. They have raised their prices on all of them in the last 24 hours. Now instead of 50% of retail they are 200% of retail which is more in line with their pricing policy on replacement parts. Oh well, I got three of them at somewhere around $125 or so and have to be happy with that. 

HP Recommended

Hi, i bought  a samsung pm961 500 gb because i want to use it so substitute to the originale 250 gb sm961 on my studiog4. Can you help with the procedure? Thanks

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