Ssd m2 what is it for. M.2 connector (NGFF) - what is it? Let's figure out what's what! What's planned for the future

Data storage devices are constantly being improved. Their productivity increases. And few people know that NVMe drives exist.

What kind of beast is this and how is it better than regular SSD and M.2? We will talk about this in this article. But first, it’s worth paying attention to the form factor of each type of drive. Each SSD drive form factor connects differently to the motherboard.

What is NVMe and where does it connect?

NVM Express(NVMe, NVMHCI - from the English Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Specification) is a type of SSD drives that is connected via the PCI Express bus.

I think this explanation will be quite enough about what NVMe is. In other words, there are several types of solid state drives - SSD 2.5, mSATA SSD, M.2, NVMe. Moreover, NVMe is also a type of M.2 form factor.

So, before you decide to buy a drive, you should find out whether your motherboard supports it. It’s clear that a regular SSD 2.5 will support it, but the M.2 form factor is a little more complicated.

The M.2 connector has begun to appear in modern motherboards for laptops and regular computers. It's worth checking your motherboard for this connector. It looks like the one shown in the screenshot.

But this is not enough, because in addition to the presence of the connector itself, it is divided into several types.

M.2 SSD has four specifications: 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280. The last one is the most used. Every two digits of the type indicate the width and length of the module. As you can see, it’s impossible to make a mistake with the width.

So, let's say you found a connector on the motherboard and found out which SSD module it supports, you need to find out the type of slot.

M.2 drives operate in SATA and PCI Express mode. The slots have two keys M and B.

If your disk module operates in SATA mode, then it will support two keys M and B.

An NVMe disk drive that operates over the PCIe interface has only one key – M.

The screenshot below shows that SATA SSD can be connected to almost any connector, but M.2 NVMe cannot be installed if there is a “B” key on the connector.

Difference between NVMe and M2 drives

There is nothing to differentiate or compare here, since M2 is an SSD drive form factor. M.2 can be connected to both the SATA interface and PCI Express (which is an NVMe type).

The only difference between these boards is in the supported keys by which the drive will be connected to the interface. We also note that 2.5-inch SSDs and SATA M.2 have almost the same characteristics, because they operate on the SATA bus. NVMe modules work with the PCIe interface, which is much faster than the SATA bus.

History of drives and their compatibility

High-speed memory drives appeared in March 2011. Development has been carried out since 2009. There are now several versions of the NVMe specification:

1. In 2014 - NVMe 1.1b and NVMe 1.2.
2. Since 2015 - NVMe 1.2a.
3. In 2018 - NVMe 1.3c.

In addition to M2 form factors, there were others:

• U.2 (SFF-8639) – drives with a form factor of 2.5 inches, which are intended mainly for servers. They have support for hot swap, SATA and SAS interfaces.
• M.2 (NGFF) is a compact form factor primarily for laptops and desktop computers. The drive can be installed into a connector on the motherboard or directly into a PCIe slot using an adapter.
• Intel Ruler SSD (EDSFF) – used mainly on servers and has hot-swappable support. Announced in 2017 by the company
• Samsung NGSFF is another form factor for server drives. Used as an alternative to disks 2.

Speaking about compatibility, it is worth paying attention to one important thing. Motherboard manufacturers may, for example, install an M2 slot that supports the "M" key. Naturally, any drive will work.

But there are times when the motherboard only supports one SATA or NVMe mode. This is also something you need to know when purchasing new generation drives.

You need to go into the BIOS from your computer and find the settings that are responsible for the operating mode of disks of this format. Usually the setting is called " M.2 Configuration" If you open the operating modes of this option and there will be SATA and PCIE mode, then the device will work with any M2 format drives.

So far, HDD drives occupy the leading position. Yes, they are slow, but many have data volumes that even exceed 500 GB, which means that a regular hard drive of a couple of TB is quite suitable for storage.

Speaking of NVMe, these are drives that are about 2-3 times faster than conventional SSDs, but not everyone can afford even solid-state drives. What can we say about hyper-super fast disks? In any case, the price of both SSD and NVMe is gradually decreasing. The choice of disk depends on the purpose for which you will use it. In general, you can knock out from the lines of Samsung, Intel, ADATA, Kingston and others.

Let's look at the results of an Internet search via Google and see what prices they offer us for such drives.

You can find the main characteristics on the Internet. The disk has a maximum read speed of 3400 MB/s and a write speed of 1500 MB/s. Impressive isn't it? The disk is 250 GB and costs 5,560 rubles. In principle, you can afford such a system.

This 480 GB drive plugs into the PCIe slot. It has read and write speeds of 2500/2000 MB/s. All this stuff costs 41,000 rubles. For an ordinary user who works on a PC at home, it is unlikely that such a disk will be needed. Unless he's running his own mini-server.

But here there is already a 512 GB disk, with higher read and write speeds. But the most interesting thing is that it costs much less than the previous option. For just 10900 you will get this beauty.

In online hardware stores you can find different drive options with different prices. There are options of 128 and 120 GB for 2 thousand and above. Look for the best options for your needs, carefully study the characteristics, try to find reviews to make sure of the real performance of the drive, or conduct tests yourself.

Now you know what NVMe SSD drives are and what types of them exist.

They are becoming increasingly popular due to their many benefits. They are miniature in size and do not take up much space in a laptop, mini-PC or desktop computer case (they are installed directly on the motherboard), however, they allow you to achieve speeds inaccessible to “regular” 2.5-inch SSDs.

You need to know that M.2 SSD drives are available in various formats (can vary in length), as well as two main variations - those using the SATA interface (cheaper and slower) and those using the PCI Express / NVMe interface (more expensive and faster). The currently used SATA interface allows a maximum throughput of 6 Gb/s, while PCIe x4 is up to 32 Gb/s, so the difference in performance can be very large, as well as the price.

By the way, it’s worth mentioning Intel Optane memory (not to be confused with Intel Optane SSD), which has an M.2 media format, but serves to speed up the operation of HDDs. This technology only works on newer Intel platforms, but it works surprisingly well, allowing for significant increases in magnetic disk speeds.

M.2 connectors on motherboards may support both standards, or only one - this is worth checking before purchasing so that, for example, you do not try to install a PCIe/NVMe drive into an M.2 connector that only supports the SATA standard. It is worth noting that you can also connect M.2 PCIe drives to the U.2 port (via an adapter) and to the PCI Express slot.

Below are presented as most efficient SSD designs, which use the PCI Express x4 3.0 (NVMe) bus, and cheaper/less powerful models that use the SATA standard.

Inexpensive M.2 SSD drive

Among the cheap M.2 drives you can find designs that use SATA and PCIe. The capabilities of the former are close to 2.5-inch SSDs, but their size is in their favor, as well as the fact that some computers may not support M.2 NVMe drives.

WD Green PC SSD G2 (120 GB)

The WD Green PC SSD G2 series is one of the cheapest M.2 options. Based on the SATA interface, the performance of the 120 GB model reaches 545 MB/s when reading and 430 MB/s when writing data. The manufacturer used a 4-channel Silicon Motion SM2246XT controller and Toshiba 3D TLC NAND memory cells (but without cache memory).

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280
• Capacity: 120 GB
• Disk interface: SATA III
• Write speed: 430 MB/sec
• Read speed: 545 MB/sec
• Memory cells: Toshiba 3D TLC NAND

ADATA XPG SX6000 (128 GB)

ADATA XPG SX6000 is, in turn, one of the cheapest M.2 SSD media using PCIe 3.0 x2. The manufacturer used a 4-channel Realtek RTS5760 controller and modern 3D TLC NAND memory here. Claimed speeds reach 730/660 MB/sec. A warranty of up to 5 years is provided, but is limited by TBW (75 TB data recording).

It is worth noting that the 256 GB and 512 GB models are not only affordable, but also much faster (1000/800 MB/s).

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2
• Capacity: 128 GB
• Interface: PCI-Express 3.0 x2 (NVMe), PCIe 3.0 x2/NVMe 1.2
• Write speed: 660 MB/sec
• Read speed: 730 MB/sec

ADATA Ultimate SU800 M.2 (250 GB)

ADATA Ultimate SU800 M.2 drives have a very good price-to-features ratio. Modern 3D TLC Nand memory cells and a 4-channel Silicon Motion SM2258 controller are used.

This is a drive with a SATA interface, so the performance is identical to the 2.5-inch version - read speeds reach 560 MB/s and write speeds reach 520 MB/s. A 3-year warranty is provided, but is not limited by the TBW factor. Along with the disc we receive the Acronis True Image HD software package.

Main characteristics:

• Capacity: 256 GB
• Interface: SATA III M.2
• Write speed: 520 MB/s
• Read speed: 560 MB/s
• Memory cells: Micron 3D TLC NAND

M.2 SSD for Laptop

In the case of laptops, this will often be the only drive in the computer, so it is worth taking care of sufficient capacity - you should not invest in an SSD with a capacity below 240/256 GB. We must also pay attention to the type of interface - whether the media supports the SATA or PCIe interface, and what format (longer, 2280, or shorter, 2260 or 2242).

Crucial MX500 M.2 (250 GB)

The latest generation of SATA SSDs from Crucial, the MX500 is another successful blow to the mid-range performance segment. The M.2 version of the drive has fairly good performance, and the stated speeds reach 560 MB/s when reading and 510 MB/s when writing data. Crucial provides a 5-year warranty (limited to 100TB TBW).

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280
• Capacity: 250 GB
• Interface: SATA III
• Write speed: 510 MB/s
• Read speed: 560 MB/s
• Memory cells: Micron 3D TLC NAND

Transcend MTS420 (240 GB)

Transcend MTS420 in 240GB version- This is a very good offer for users who need M.2 media in the small 2242 format. The manufacturer specified maximum speeds of 560 MB/s for reading and 500 MB/s for writing. It is worth noting that many other discs in this format have worse characteristics. The manufacturer gives it a 3-year warranty.

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2242
• Capacity: 240 GB
• Interface: SATA III
• Write speed: 500 MB/s
• Read speed: 560 MB/s
• Memory cells: Micron 3D TLC NAND

ADATA XPG SX8200 (480 GB)

This is a good offer for laptop users who can install SSD media in M.2 2280 PCIe format in their machine. If the laptop boasts an M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 connector, the speeds will be 3200 MB/s when reading and 1700 MB/s when writing. The XPG SX8200 drive is covered by a 5-year manufacturer's warranty.

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280
• Capacity: 480 GB
• Write speed: 1700 MB/s
• Read speed: 3200 MB/s
• Memory cells: Micron 3D TLC NAND

Best M.2 SSDs

Best M.2 drives have amazing performance, and their efficiency approaches the limits of the PCI Express interface (the best drive presented here reaches maximum speed 3.5 GB per second). Obviously this is reflected in the high price. Such discs can be recommended to professionals, for example, working with complex video projects in 4K resolution.

GOODRAM IRDM Ultimate (480 GB)

IRDM Ultimate 480 GB is a good offer for more demanding users. What’s important is that the kit includes an adapter for the PCI Express slot. The manufacturer also installed a heat sink that protects the disk from overheating. On board is an 8-channel Phison PS5007-E7 controller and durable Toshiba A19 MLC NAND memory cells. Maximum speeds reach 2900/2200 MB/s. The IRDM Ultimate series is covered by a 5-year manufacturer's warranty with no data recording limitation.

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280 / AiC HHHL
• Capacity: 480 GB
• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4/NVMe 1.2
• Write speed: 2200 MB/s
• Read speed: 2900 MB/s
• Memory cells:Toshiba A19 MLC NAND

Intel SSD 760p (512 GB)

Intel SSD 760p is an efficient SSD for desktops and modern laptops using the M.2 connector and PCIe 3.0 x4 interface. On board is a Silicon Motion SM2262 controller and IMFT 3D TLC NAND memory cells. Maximum speeds are 3230 MB/s for reading and 1625 MB/s for writing. The manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty for the drives, but limited to TBW (288 TB of recording).

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2
• Capacity: 512 GB
• Interface: PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (NVMe)
• Write speed: 1625 MB/s
• Read speed: 3230 MB/s
• Memory cells: IMFT 3D TLC NAND

Samsung SSD 970 EVO (500 GB)

SSD 970 EVO is the third generation of high-speed M.2 media with PCIe interface from Samsung. The 970 EVO models are designed for users who are looking for very fast, but not top-end solutions - we will find this combination in the 970 PRO models. The stated read speed reaches 3400 MB/s, and write speed – 2300 MB/s. The 970 EVO series hard drives come with a 5-year manufacturer's warranty - remember that the previous 960 EVO models only had a 3-year warranty.

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280
• Capacity: 500 GB
• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4/NVMe 1.3
• Write speed: 2300 MB/s
• Read speed: 3400 MB/s
• Memory cells: Samsung TLC V-NAND

Samsung SSD 970 PRO (1 TB)

Samsung 970 PRO 512 GB is an absolutely top M.2 PCIe SSD carrier designed for professionals. The manufacturer used ultra-reliable MLC V-NAND memory here, so users do not have to worry about their data. It is difficult to squeeze even more out of the PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, so the media reaches speeds of 3500 MB/s for reading and 2300 MB/s for writing. The 970 PRO series hard drives come with a 5-year manufacturer's warranty.

Main characteristics:

• Disc format: M.2 2280
• Capacity: 1000 GB
• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x4/NVMe 1.3
• Write speed: 2700 MB/s
• Read speed: 3500 MB/s
• Memory cells: Samsung MLC V-NAND

Kingston SSDs are the ideal productivity solution for both consumers and organizations. Available in a wide range of models and capacities, Kingston SSDs extend the life of your PC and provide significant improvements in speed, performance and reliability over conventional hard drives.

Kingston SSDs come with a two-, three-, or five-year warranty, free technical support, and legendary Kingston reliability; they provide data security and reserve resources for future performance improvements.

If you have questions about Kingston SSDs, you'll find the answers here. If your question is not answered here, please visit the product pages below or contact your Kingston representative.

FAQ

SSD 101

What is an SSD?

SSD is short for solid-state drive. SSDs use NAND Flash or DRAM memory chips to replace the magnetic platters and other mechanical components found in standard hard disk drives (HDDs).

How much faster are SSDs?

It's difficult to say, because... no two systems are alike. Performance can be affected by the OS, loaded drivers, applications used, processor speed/configuration, and many other factors. There are various websites and magazines that have done test comparisons between SSD and HDD and SSD is found to be much faster. For example, when comparing random read speed, SSDs are more than 20,000% faster than high-speed HDDs.

It is worth noting that SSD drives do not have the physical limitations of hard drives. HDD platters are circular (like CDs) and data closer to the center is accessed more slowly than data near the edge of the platter. It takes the same amount of time to access all data on the SSD. HDD efficiency also decreases with increasing data fragmentation, while SSD performance is not significantly affected even if the data is not arranged in a contiguous sequence.

What is IOPS?

Input Output per Second (IOPS, number of input/output operations per second) is a value indicating the number of transactions (read or write operations) per second that a storage device (HDD or SSD) can support. IOPS should not be confused with read/write speed; The IOPS value is largely related to the load on the server.

What does "wear leveling" mean? How important is it?

SSD drives use NAND flash memory to store data. One of the disadvantages of NAND memory is that flash memory cells wear out over time. To extend memory life, the SSD memory controller uses various algorithms to help distribute data across all memory cells. This prevents any given cell or group of cells from being used too often. The use of wear leveling technology is widespread and very effective.

Why is my SSD capacity smaller than some others?

To increase performance and service life, some SSD manufacturers reserve part of the drive's capacity from the user area and transfer it to the controller. This technique is called allocating (increasing) the reserve area of ​​the drive, and it increases the performance and service life of the SSD. All of Kingston's current SSDs feature expandable spare capacity and are available in capacities of 120GB, 240GB, 480GB, 960GB, 1.92TB and 3.84TB. .

Does the SSD wear out or lose speed with long-term use?

NAND flash memory used in USB drives, SD memory cards and SSD drives has service life limitations; this means that you cannot write data to it forever. Flash memory products wear out over time, but with features such as wear leveling and increased spare space, SSDs typically last longer than the systems in which they are installed. We measure the service life of a drive in terms of the amount of data written in terabytes (TBW, Terabytes Written); Depending on the storage capacity, you can record hundreds of terabytes to petabytes of data. SSD speed does not change throughout the life of the drive. .

What are SMART attributes?

S.M.A.R.T. stands for “Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology” (self-diagnosis, analysis and reporting technology) and is part of the ATA standard. SMART attributes are used to assess the “health” of a drive and are intended to notify the user (administrator, program, etc.) about the threat of drive failure.

Can an SSD be used in an external enclosure via USB or e-SATA?

Yes. Yes, Kingston SSDs can be used in USB, e-SATA, Thunderbolt and Firewire external enclosures. Please note that if the user chooses to enable the password via the ATA security command, the drive will not be accessible through the external enclosure.

Comparison of SSD and HDD

What is the difference?

HDD hard drives use “rotating magnetic platter” technology, which has been used since the mid-50s of the last century. Data is written to and read from these disks using moving magnetic heads. HDDs are mechanical devices with many moving parts, so they are more susceptible to mechanical breakdowns and failures due to the negative influence of external conditions, such as high or low temperature, mechanical shock and vibration.

Why are SSDs more expensive than HDDs?

Although the SSD market is growing and gaining popularity, it is still relatively new. As with other technologies, you need to wait until sales increase to a point where production costs decrease. Over the past few years, the price gap between SSD and HDD has become significantly smaller.

Are there any disadvantages to switching from HDDs to SSDs?

The only factor in favor of hard drives is the price per gigabyte. Currently, HDDs are sold in capacities of 500GB or more, and SSDs are sold in capacities of 120GB or more. Kingston currently offers SSDs in capacities ranging from 120GB to 3.84GB.

You should buy a traditional HDD if you need to store large amounts of data, and choose an SSD if speed is more important to you. Typically, an SSD is used as a boot drive containing the OS and applications, and a HDD is used to store data files.

Can I migrate data or OS from my existing HDD to a new SSD?

Yes. Kingston offers SSD upgrade kits that contain everything you need to upgrade your laptop or desktop HDD to a Kingston SSD, including software to easily transfer your OS and important data. Please note that SSD-only manufacturing units (SKUs) do not include software. If you need to clone your hard drive to a new SSD, you will need a computer software package.

Does SSD require defragmentation like HDD?

No. SSDs never need to be defragmented. Defragmentation can shorten the life of an SSD. If your system is set to defragment automatically, it is best to disable defragmentation when using an SSD. Some operating systems defragment automatically, so you may need to disable this feature for Kingston SSDs.

M.2 M.2 SSDs Explained

What is M.2? Same as NGFF?

M.2 was developed by the PCI-SIG and SATA-IO standards organizations and is described in the PCI-SIG M.2 and SATA Rev. specifications. 3.2. It was previously called Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF, new generation form factor), and in 2013 it was formally renamed M.2. Many people still refer to M.2 as the NGFF standard.

The compact M.2 form factor applies to many types of expansion cards, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, Near Field Communication (NFC), digital radio, Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig). communications), Wireless WAN (WWAN), and solid state drives (SSD).

M.2 has a subset of special form factors specifically for SSDs.

Why should I install it?

All M.2 SSDs have a recessed mount in the M.2 connectors of motherboards. The M.2 form factor enables increased performance with reduced resource consumption, as well as future SSD technology enhancements. Additionally, no power or data cables are required to connect the cards. Like mSATA SSDs, M.2 SSD drives simply plug into a slot.

What do "one-sided" and "two-sided" mean?

For some space-constrained embedded systems, M.2 specifications provide different M.2 SSD thicknesses - 3 single-sided versions (S1, S2, and S3) and 5 double-sided versions (D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5). Some platforms may have special requirements due to limited space under the M.2 connector.

Kingston's SSDM.2 meets the specifications of dual-sided M.2 and can be installed in most motherboards compatible with dual-sided M.2 SSDs; Contact your sales representative if you require single-sided SSDs for embedded systems.

What systems does it work on?

There are many laptops and motherboards that support M.2 SSD. Before purchasing an M.2 SSD, review the system specifications and user manual to ensure compatibility.

What are the different sizes of M.2 SSD?

For M.2 SSD modules, the most commonly used sizes are 22mm (width) x 30mm (length), 22mm x 42mm, 22mm x 60mm, 22mm x 80mm, and 22mm x 110mm. The boards are named according to their dimensions given above: the first 2 digits determine the width (all 22mm), and the remaining digits determine the length from 30mm to 110mm. So, M.2 SSDs are listed as 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110.

The picture below shows a 2.5-inch SSD and M.2 SSD 2242, 2260 and 2280:

Why are there different lengths?

There are the following 2 reasons for using different length values.

1. Different lengths allow for different SSD storage capacities; The longer the drive, the more NAND chips can be installed in it along with a controller and sometimes a DRAM memory chip. The 2230 and 2242 lengths support 1-3 NAND chips, while the 2280 and 22110 support up to 8 NAND chips, allowing for up to 1TB SSDs in the largest M.2 form factors.
2. The size of M.2 may be limited by the size of the motherboard socket: some laptops can support M.2 for caching, but have little free space that can only accommodate an M.2 2242 SSD (the M.2 2230 SSD is smaller, but in most cases not required where an M.2 2242 SSD can be installed).

Is M.2 SSD the same as mSATA SSD?

No, they are different. M.2 supports SATA and PCIe drive interface options, while mSATA supports only SATA. Physically, they differ in appearance and may not connect to the same system connectors.

M.2 2280 (higher) versus mSATA. Note the keys (or slots) that prevent the card from being placed in incompatible slots.

What was it created for?

The M.2 form factor is designed to provide a variety of card options in compact form factors, including SSDs. Previously, SSDs used mSATA due to its smallest form factor, but mSATA cannot scale to 1TB capacities at a reasonable price. Therefore, the new M.2 specification was chosen to provide different sizes and capacities of M.2 SSD cards. The M.2 specification allows system manufacturers to standardize on a common, compact form factor that can be used with larger storage capacities when needed.

Do I need a special driver for an M.2 SSD to work?

No, M.2 SATA and PCIe SSDs use standard AHCI drivers built into the OS. However, M.2 SSD may need to be enabled in the system BIOS to use it.

Why do I need to enable M.2 SSD in BIOS?

In some cases, the M.2 SSD connector may share PCIe lanes or SATA ports with other devices on the motherboard. Check your motherboard documentation because using both shared ports at the same time may cause one of the devices to become disabled.

What do the different modular keys mean?

The M.2 specification provides 12 types of keys or slots on the M.2 card or connector interface; many of them are reserved for future use:

Already assigned M.2 keys (M.2 SSDs only include B and M)
Source: All About M.2 SSDs, SNIA, June 2014.

Especially for M.2 SSD drives, 3 types of keys are usually used:

1. Key B can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on the device, but is limited to PCIe x2 speed (1000MB/s) on the PCIe bus.
2. The M key end pin can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on the device, and supports PCIe x4 speeds (2000MB/s) on the PCIe bus if the host system also supports x4 mode.
3. The B+M key's end pin can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on the device, but is limited to x2 speed on the PCIe bus.

The different types of keys are marked on or near the end contacts (gold plated) of the M.2 SSD, as well as on the M.2 connector.

Please note that M.2 SSDs with B key have a different number of end pins (6) compared to M.2 SSDs with M key (5); This asymmetrical design avoids the mistakes of placing an M.2 SSD with a B key in slot M, and vice versa.

What is the advantage of having a B+M key?

B+M keys on M.2 SSDs provide cross-compatibility with various motherboards, as well as support for the corresponding SSD protocol (SATA or PCIe). The host connectors on some motherboards may be designed to accept only M-keyed SSDs or only B-keyed SSDs. B+M-keyed SSDs are designed to address this issue; however, plugging an M.2 SSD into the slot does not guarantee it will work, it depends on the overall protocol between the M.2 SSD and the motherboard.

How do I know what length of M.2 SSD my motherboard supports?

You should always read the motherboard/system manufacturer's information to confirm which lengths are supported, however many motherboards will support 2260, 2280, and 22110. Many motherboards have multiple offset screw screw options to allow the user to secure the SSD 2242, 2260, 2280 or even 22100 M.2. The amount of space on the motherboard limits the size of M.2 SSDs that can be installed in the slot and used.

What does "socket 1, 2 or 3" mean?

Different connector types are part of the specification and are used to support special types of devices in a connector.

Socket 1 Designed for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, NFC and WI Gig

Socket 2 designed for WWAN, SSD (cache memory) and GNSS

Socket 3 designed for SSD (SATA and PCIe, speed up to x4)

Is it possible to hot-plug an M.2 SSD?

No, M.2 SSDs are not hot-pluggable. Installation and removal of M.2 SSDs is only allowed when the system is powered off.

Comparison of M.2 SATA SSD and M.2 PCIe SSD

Is an M.2 SATA SSD faster than a regular 2.5-inch SATA or mSATA SSD?

Performance will be comparable; it also depends on the controller type of the host system in which the SSDs are used, as well as the internal circuitry and controller of each SSD. The SATA 3.0 specification supports up to 600MB/s in 2.5-inch SSD, mSATA or M.2 form factors.

What happens when you connect a PCIe M.2 SSD to a SATA M.2 port, and vice versa?

If the host system does not support the PCIe protocol, the PCIe M.2 SSD will likely not be recognized by the BIOS and therefore will not be compatible with the system. Likewise, if you install a SATA M.2 SSD in a slot that only supports PCIe M.2 SSDs, the SATA M.2 SSD will not be usable.

What happens if you connect a PCIe x4 M.2 SSD to a port that only supports PCIe x2 speeds?

Good day!

Today, working on a laptop (PC) without an SSD drive is, I tell you, quite painful and painful. And in order to realize this, you need to work at least once with the system where it is installed: fast loading of the OS, instantly opening applications and documents, no freezing or loading the disk at 100% after turning on the device.

So, okay, to the point... In this article I will go through the step-by-step process of installing the “newfangled” M2 SSD in a standard laptop. Actually, there is nothing complicated about this, but there are quite a lot of questions regarding this disk format (and I decided to collect some of them here, summarize my past materials, and answer at once...).

Addition!

An SSD drive can be installed not only in the M2 slot. There are several more options for how you can connect 2-3 drives to a laptop (I recommend you check them out):

1) Drive selection

I think this is the first thing to note. The fact is that there are several types of M2 SSDs: SATA, PCIe (and these, in turn, are divided into several subtypes). It’s easy to get confused in all this diversity...

Therefore, before choosing and purchasing an SSD M2 drive, I recommend that you read this article:

For those who doubt whether to switch to an SSD drive, I recommend that you read this material:

By the way, I also want to note here (since I’ve been asked more than once): the difference between switching from HDD to SSD (SATA) is noticeable to the naked eye, even a weak laptop begins to “fly”. But the difference between SSD (SATA) and SSD (PCIe (32 Gb/s)) is invisible unless you look at the test results (at least if you don’t work very actively with the disk).

Personally, I think that for most people it doesn’t make much sense to chase a “super” SSD (PCIe), but adding some kind of solid-state drive to a classic HDD is definitely worth it!

2) What do we need

3) Installation process (consider a couple of options)

There are dozens of laptop models on the market now. Conventionally, in relation to our topic, I would divide laptops into 2 parts:

• those devices that have a small lid for quick access to slots for installing RAM, disks, etc.;
• and devices that must be completely disassembled before the drive can be connected.

I'll consider both options.

Option No. 1: the laptop has a special one. protective cover for quick access to components

1) First turn off the laptop. We disconnect all devices from it: mice, headphones, power cable, etc.

2) Turn it over. If you can remove the battery, remove it.

Paying attention!

That before replacing or adding memory, disk, etc., some laptops (which have covers for quick access to memory, disk, but the battery is hidden inside the device), you need to switch to battery saving mode. For example, the HP Pro Book G4 (in the example below) needs to be turned off, connected to the power adapter, and press Win+Backspace+Power at the same time, then disconnect the power adapter. After the operation has been completed, the laptop will not start until the power adapter is connected, and you can safely upgrade the components.

3) Then unscrew the fastening screws that hold the cover. As a rule, there are 1-4 of them. (see example below).

In my example, by the way, I used an HP Pro Book G4 laptop - this line of HP laptops has very convenient maintenance: access to the disks, memory, and cooler can be obtained by unscrewing 1 screw and removing the protective cover.

Unscrew the screw securing the protective cover // HP Pro Book G4

4) Actually, under the cover we find the M2 slot - insert the drive into it (please note: the drive should fit into the slot without much effort, look carefully at the keys!).

5) Let me add that M2 SSD drives are secured at the end with a screw. It prevents the drive from accidentally flying out of the slot (the screw usually comes with the SSD. Don’t neglect fixing it!).

6) Well, all that remains is to put the protective cover back and secure it. Next, turn the laptop over and turn it on...

Paying attention!

After loading Windows, you may not see this disk in “My Computer” and in Explorer! The fact is that many new SSDs come unformatted.

To see the disk, go to disk management and format it ( approx. : to open disk management, press the Win+R button combination, and enter the command diskmgmt.msc in the Run window).

Option No. 2: there is no special device on the laptop. caps (complete disassembly...)

As a rule, there are no special covers on compact laptops (as well as on those devices with a metal body).

By the way, I’ll give you one piece of advice: before you start disassembling your laptop, I highly recommend watching a video of a disassembly of the exact same device model online. I especially recommend this to everyone who doesn’t do this very often...

I hasten to remind you that disassembling and opening the device casing may result in denial of warranty service.

1) The first step is similar: turn off the laptop, disconnect all the wires (power, mouse, etc.), turn it over.

2) If you can remove the battery, remove it (usually secured with two latches). In my case, the battery was located inside the case.

3) Next, unscrew all the mounting screws along the contour. Please note that some of the screws may be hidden under stickers and rubber feet (which are often present on the device to reduce vibration).

For example, on the laptop that I disassembled as a test subject (ASUS ZenBook UX310) - two screws were under the rubber feet!

Remove the cover - fastening screws || ASUS ZenBook UX310

4) Next, before touching anything or connecting/disconnecting, be sure to disconnect the battery (if you have it inside the case, like me. Simply, in the absence of a protective cover for quick access to the memory slots - usually the battery is located inside the laptop).

Typically, the battery is secured with several screws. After unscrewing them, carefully examine the cables: sometimes they go on top of the battery and if you remove them carelessly, you can easily damage them!

5) Now you can connect the M2 SSD by inserting it into the appropriate slot. Don't forget to secure it with the mounting screw!

6) Then you can reassemble the device in the reverse order: reinstall the battery, protective cover and secure it with screws.

By the way, as I said above, many programs in Windows (including Explorer) may not see your SSD. Therefore, you need to use either or the tool that is available in Windows - disk management .

To open disk management: press the Win+R button combination, enter the command diskmgmt.msc and press Enter. See two screenshots below.

4) Process of transferring old Windows | or installing a new OS

After the disk is installed in the laptop and you check that the device recognizes it and sees it, there will be 2 possible scenarios:

1. You can install a new Windows OS on the SSD drive. For information on how to do this, see here:
2. or you can transfer your “old” system from the HDD to the SSD. I also described how this is done in one of my articles: (note: see STEP 2)

Perhaps the only point worth noting: by default, your “old” Windows OS will boot from your hard drive (HDD) first. To change this, you need to go to the BIOS/UEFI section BOOT (boot) and change the priority (an example is shown in the photo below).

After a reboot, by default, the new system should boot from the SSD drive.

By the way, you can also select the default OS in Windows settings: to do this, open the control panel at - Control Panel\System and Security\System. Next, open the “Advanced system settings” link (in the menu on the left).

The "System Properties" window should open, we need the "Advanced" tab: it has a subsection "Boot and Recovery" - open its parameters.

In this subsection, you can choose which OS of all installed ones is considered the default and loaded when you turn on the laptop/PC.

Well, or, if you don’t get tired of it, you can manually specify the boot system every time you turn on the computer (see example below, a similar window should pop up automatically after installing the 2nd, 3rd, etc. OS) ...

In general, that's all...

I am glad to meet you again, my dear readers. The subject of our conversation is the new M2 connector, which recently appeared on motherboards and, accordingly, about the devices installed in it.

And if earlier this topic was of interest to a narrow circle of advanced users, now every self-respecting buyer of a new computer or hardware is obliged to have this information and take into account modern computer trends.

Now the connector is not the weakest link

The emergence of a new connector for motherboard manufacturers is a serious and risky decision. After all, it must be supported by companies that manufacture components. In addition, there must be a real need for such a technical solution. Therefore, the story about the M2 should begin with a description of the reasons that prompted its development.

And here, friends, everything is banal and simple. Many of you know that SSD drives can significantly speed up your PC, providing almost instantaneous information exchange.

However, in practice, their capabilities are limited by the SATA connector, whose bandwidth is 600 MB/sec. Previously, this was plenty, but modern solid-state drives have already reached 2 GB/sec in read speed. Therefore, there was an urgent need to eliminate this bottleneck.

M2 – universal high-speed connection for different modules

Such a solution was found in the form of a new connector, originally called Next Generation Form Factor. In 2013 the name was changed to the simpler designation M.2. This connector first appeared on motherboards from Intel with H97 and Z97 chipsets designed for Haswell Refresh processors. In fact, the world saw physically and logically a completely new connector that has all the necessary qualities:

• Rapidity. M.2 has a data transfer speed of 3.9 Gb/s. And this is not a bad margin, considering the parameters of the best modern drives;
• Versatility. In addition to the SSD, you can connect Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS navigation, digital radio, and high-speed radio communication devices (NFC, WiGig) through it. Also, through M2, individual PCs are combined into a global wireless WAN network.
• Compactness. The connector length is only 22 mm. Accordingly, the modules connected to it are small in size.

In addition, the use of the M2 connector eliminates the need for additional connection to the power supply. In general, the development turned out to be universal, promising and quite convenient to use.

Be careful, M2 connectors are different

Now let's look at it in detail.

First, let's look at the form factor. M2 is 67 contacts spaced half a millimeter apart. Quite a piece of jewelry work, but everything is compact and functional. Each of the contacts can withstand a current of 0.5 A and a load of 50 V.

In order to avoid messing up anything when connecting, the connector is provided with a key - a plug that cuts off part of the contacts. There are two possible combinations in M2:

• V-key. 6 contacts separated.
• M-key. The same, but with five.

The connected devices have a blade contact with a notch in the appropriate place. However, there are three options here: B, M and B+M, where the group of contacts has two separators: 6 contacts are separated on one edge, and 5 on the other. Accordingly, when choosing an SSD or other device for connection, you should take into account the type of key.

The M2 connector has one more secret regarding the supported protocols. Naturally, existing data transmission technologies were used in its design. Therefore, it supports USB 3.0, Display Port, I2C, Serial ATA 3.0, PCI Express 3.0 and others.

Yes, they can all be implemented in M2. But what exactly the motherboard supports is something that always needs to be clarified. Here you have a computer with M2, you bought an SSD with such a connector, but it is not detected. This can happen if the drive is designed for a slot, and the motherboard supports drives via PCI Express 4x.

The surprises may not end there. In addition to the nuances described above, the boards inserted into the M.2 connector have different sizes. As a rule, such modules are designated 2242, 2260, 2280, where 22 is their width (corresponding to the connector) and the remaining numbers are the length in mm. Therefore, neglecting this value may result in your drive not fitting into a compact case or interfering with other PC components.

Results

To summarize, we can safely say that in the form of the M2 connector, the developers have created a powerful tool for implementing all kinds of technical solutions based on high-speed information exchange.

Users will get more compact and faster computers. I do not exclude that over time this connector will be modified and improved (after all, there are limiting nuances in its operation), but, be that as it may, today it is its presence on the motherboard that determines the potential of your PC.

But what if you have a disk on the M2 and buying a new motherboard doesn’t fit into your budget plans? There is a way out in this situation, and this is a simple and cheap adapter to USB 3.0.

Here's a good option for example: https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/NI5LUSB-3-0-to-M-2-SSD

Or here: https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/m2-hdd-box

This concludes our conversation about the M2 connector.

I am sure that its “hero” has interested you and you will be able to enjoy the benefits of using it.

I wish you all good luck, progress and prosperity.