Drive selection for Hackintosh on Ventura - 970 Plus vs SATA SSD

When deciding between using the Samsung 970 Evo Plus and a SATA SSD like the Sandisk Extreme Pro for a Hackintosh setup, especially with macOS Ventura, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind.

Samsung 970 Evo Plus vs. SATA SSD (Sandisk Extreme Pro)

  1. Compatibility and Performance Issues:

    • 970 Evo Plus: Earlier versions had issues with TRIM and performance in macOS. However, firmware updates have reportedly resolved many of these issues. The NVMe protocol used by the 970 Evo Plus generally offers faster performance than SATA SSDs.
    • SATA SSD (Sandisk Extreme Pro): Typically, SATA SSDs have broader compatibility with macOS and are less likely to face issues like those seen in some NVMe drives.
  2. Speed and System Performance:

    • The 970 Evo Plus, being an NVMe SSD, will likely offer faster boot and data transfer speeds compared to a SATA SSD, assuming no compatibility issues.
    • For "general snappiness and system performance," NVMe drives usually have an edge due to their higher throughput and faster read/write speeds.
  3. macOS Updates and Long-Term Compatibility:

    • macOS updates might affect the performance and compatibility of NVMe drives like the 970 Evo Plus. It’s important to stay informed about any issues reported by the Hackintosh community after major macOS updates.
    • SATA SSDs are less prone to these compatibility fluctuations with macOS updates.
  4. Use Case:

    • If you're looking for maximum performance and are willing to troubleshoot potential issues, the 970 Evo Plus might be the better choice.
    • If you prefer stability and a hassle-free experience, the SATA SSD would be more favorable.

Recommendation

Given that the reported issues with the 970 Evo Plus are from the past and may have been resolved with firmware updates, it might be worth trying it first, especially for its superior speed. However, keep a backup plan with the SATA SSD in case you encounter unexpected issues.

It’s also advisable to keep an eye on the Hackintosh community forums for any recent experiences or reports related to the use of 970 Evo Plus with macOS Ventura, as real-world user experiences can be very informative.

Just curious, prepping my current desktop for when I receive my AMD GPU this week. I have a 970 Evo Plus drive on the latest firmware, and a Sandisk Extreme Pro SATA 4TB SSD. the 970 Evo plus has issues with TRIM and performance from what I've heard, but I also read earlier that the latest firmware fixed issues with TRIM and boot speeds are fast now, on someone's success post

which would be more favorable to general snappiness and system performance? The SATA Extreme Pro, or the 970 Evo Plus with it's controller MacOS doesn't like, but updated to the latest firmware?

These are data drives already being used on my PC, not my Windows boot drives.

All the issues I'm seeing with the 970 Evo Plus are from long ago.

submitted by /u/AliTheAce
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