What is M.2 SSD? Different Types of it
We live in an age where small is large and less is more. Thin, portable devices are the need of the hour today because they are power-packed functional products that make life easy. Now, what makes them so powerful despite their size? What helps them perform ridiculously well and challenge the others in their league? It is the SSD or the solid-state drive.
M.2 (Pronounced M-dot-2) is the latest, best performing solid-state drive in the market today. It competes with the already existing mSATA SSDs. When you compare both, you will see that the former is smaller and higher performing. The SSD was previously called Next-Generation Form Factor (NGFF), which we think is an apt name for it due to its functionality.
What is M.2 SSD used for majorly?
On the market, many people are under the impression that M.2 SSD is all about storage. While one of its main features does revolve around storage, that’s not all there is to this small-form-factor. Its speed is a huge feature as well. Storage happens almost with the blink of the eye with this. To get a better idea, think of the speed that mSATA provides. Now multiply that with 4. Now you understand, don’t you?
Another lovely feature of the M.2 SSD is its DevSleep, which conforms to systems that go into sleep mode when not in use. This automatically reduces power consumption, making it very efficient.
What are the downsides of M.2 SSD?
We wouldn’t call this a downside, but you will face problems if your computer does not use PCI-Express Bus. The performance will be the same as SATA 3.0 drive, and you will have issues during booting.
What are the types of M.2 SSD?
These SSDs can be divided into different types based on their sizes and connectors. While the width is usually 22mm, the length may vary. Today, you will see 30mm, 42mm, 60mm, 80mm, and 110mm varieties. You should buy the right one based on the measurements that you can easily mount on our motherboard. The measurements are given clearly on each SSD.
There are also types based on the sockets. On the market today you will see M key and B key. The difference between the two keys lies in the number of PCI-E lanes. M key uses up to 4 lanes while the B key uses can only use a maximum of 2 PCI-E lanes. M key M.2 SSDs are more commonly used when compared to B key. However, there are drives that are keyed for both so you won’t face a problem at all.
Conclusion
Now that you have a fair idea of M.2 SSD, its features, and its different types you can make an informed decision while making a purchase. Understanding all this may be slightly complicated, but it is important because going wrong could compromise the performance of your system and we are sure you wouldn’t want that!
We encourage you to read this thoroughly and spend some time on the different types of M.2 SSDs so that you are clear on these small, powerful drives.