The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    M.2 SSD for A15 R1 - Double or Single Sided??

    Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by gibson00, Sep 28, 2015.

  1. gibson00

    gibson00 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    gibson00, Sep 28, 2015
    #1
  2. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    judal57, Sep 28, 2015
    #2
  3. kgh00007

    kgh00007 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    80
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    50
    Trophy Points:
    41
    I have 2 SSD's in mine, the OEM Samsung PM851 and an 850 EVO, both are single sided. A double sided would fit, but not sure if there are different connections on the bottom of the double sided drive? I think it would be ok, the only way to find out would be to try it! The manual just says M.2 drives, no mention of single or double sided!

    To be safe maybe just get a single sided and you will be fine!
     
    kgh00007, Sep 28, 2015
    #3
  4. kgh00007

    kgh00007 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    80
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    50
    Trophy Points:
    41
    edit, double post.
     
    kgh00007, Sep 28, 2015
    #4
  5. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    my m.2 SSD are double side ... and it fit perfect
     
    judal57, Sep 29, 2015
    #5
  6. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    judal57, Sep 29, 2015
    #6
  7. rinneh

    rinneh Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    854
    Messages:
    4,897
    Likes Received:
    2,191
    Trophy Points:
    231
    Slightly offtopic. But do the underside panel on your Alienwares also have some sort of locking spacer on the screws as well? Had it with my previous model and the crappy thing was that one of the screw holes was too loose which prevented the crew from fully locking while tightening it. I am afraid it happened because of unscrewing these screws with the locking spacer in place. Afraid to open my replacement Alienware 15 because of that.
     
    rinneh, Sep 29, 2015
    #7
  8. kgh00007

    kgh00007 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    80
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    50
    Trophy Points:
    41
    They look like 850 EVO SSD's and I'm pretty sure the back of them looks like this:

    294x294.jpg

    If that's the case, then they are single sided, not double sided.

    Double sided means that there are flash memory chips on both sides of the stick, the front and the back.
     
    kgh00007, Sep 29, 2015
    #8
  9. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    i dont know if i understand what are you talking about, but i took this pics of my AW15 and i opened it like 7 times

    [​IMG]
     
    judal57, Sep 29, 2015
    #9
  10. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    it will fit because the chip is really thin and the hole of the screw is extruded like 1 centimeter
     
    judal57, Sep 29, 2015
    #10
  11. kgh00007

    kgh00007 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    80
    Messages:
    464
    Likes Received:
    50
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Actually I just checked and all the double sided M.2 drives available where I am are the shorter 2260 length, which is 60mm in length. These will not work in the AW15 R1 as it does not have a mounting hole for the 2260 M.2.
    You need the 2280 M.2, which is 80mm in length, for the AW 15 R1. So make sure you check that before ordering.

    The one you linked is a 2260DS, so it will not actually work.

    If you're in Canada, I got a good price for a 500GB Samsung 850 EVO from Direct Canada, so you can check them out.


    You really need to be careful with the information you give. The last thing anyone wants is for someone to buy a part based on your recommendation only to find out that it doesn't work.
     
    kgh00007, Sep 29, 2015
    #11
  12. judal57

    judal57 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    274
    Messages:
    1,164
    Likes Received:
    650
    Trophy Points:
    131
    you don't have to to put the screw to make it work, you can use a tape.. that is what i used when i didn't have the screws
     
    judal57, Sep 29, 2015
    #12