Should AHCI be enabled for an SSD

ahciinstallationssd

I have ordered a OCZ SSD and it will be the first that I have installed. In prepping for it's arrival and install, I reviewed MSI web site to be sure I do as much right the first time as possible. On their site MSI HQ Usere to user faq they note the following:

AHCI and SSDs

Typically, many hardware review sites, as well as SSD manufacturers
are recommending that AHCI mode is used with SSD drives. However, we
have run our own tests here in the forum, and we believe this is
misleading, only where SSD drives are used independently (ie not in a
RAID array).

AHCI mode as previously explained enables NCQ (native command queuing)
which is really not required for SSDs as they do not need optimizing
in this way as there is no physical movement of heads or platters. In
many cases, it can actually hinder SSD performance, and even reduce
the lifetime of your SSD.

In many of the answered questions and directions here on SU, enabling AHCI has been strongly implied. My goal is to set the drive up for max performance and longest life. This MSI statement has moved me to inquire with you.

So the question is, use AHCI or not and why?

I have a MSI 790FX-GD90, 4 GB ram, running windows home premium 64.

EDIT: I should add that If this all goes well, I intend on getting a second SSD for RAID setup.

Best Answer

I would enable AHCI, because:

  • It often boosts performance (your SSD might be an exception, but if you run a SSD and a HDD then the HDD will get some boost).
  • It offers additional features (e.g. hot-plugging drives).
  • It is enabled just about everywhere else and having a system unexpectedly in a ancient compatibility mode would throw me for a loop. I realise this might be a personal thing.

Reasons not to use AHCI:

  • You use windows XP (now nearly 12 years old) and do not want load additional drivers during installation. (XP does not understand AHCI. It need a floppy with drivers for that).
  • If you have the rare situation where one specific disk is slower with AHCI. In the part you quoted it merely states that it can actually hinder performance. Not that it does, nor that it is significant. Therefor I would test with both AHCI enabled and with AHCI disabled.

Note that if you run Windows 7 (or Linux or BSD), then you can change betyween AHCI and IDE-compatible mode without reinstalling. You do need to enable a service in Windows 7.

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