![]() Your motherboard might not have the appropriate M.2 slots for both types (SATA and NVMe M.2 drives are often keyed slightly differently), and even if it does, you don’t want to waste money on a pricier NVMe drive if the motherboard you’ve chosen can only access data using the SATA protocol (not every motherboard allows for PCIe data transfers). If you’re planning on going with an M.2 drive while building or upgrading your gaming PC, it’s important to note whether you’re getting a SATA-based drive or an NVMe-based drive. Also, given their faster speeds, NVMe drives typically cost more than their standard 2.5” SSD equivalents, similar to how SSDs usually cost more than mechanical HDDs for the same amount of storage space. There are some NVMe drives that are designed to fit into a standard PCIe motherboard slot much like a graphics card, but most NVMe drives use the M.2 form factor. Depending on your NVMe drive’s manufacturer, you can see speeds as much as five or six times faster than a SATA-based equivalent. The main way in which it differs from the existing SATA standard is that it draws on your motherboard’s PCIe interface to obtain noticeably faster data transfer speeds than what SATA is capable of. NVMe stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express, and it refers to the way in which data is moved, rather than the shape of the drive itself. If you want faster speeds, you’ll have to make sure your M.2 drive is utilizing the NVMe interface protocol. It’s important to note that M.2 SSDs which utilize the SATA interface aren’t really faster than standard 2.5” drives, they just take up less space and look cleaner. Since they fold down and lie flush with the motherboard once they’re connected rather than jutting out like a graphics card or RAM chip (or a traditional HDD or SSD), M.2 drives allow for a cleaner, less cluttered PC interior with fewer cables to manage.Ĭertain desktop PC peripherals like wi-fi cards can come in the M.2 form factor, but the most common use for M.2 is SSD data storage, basically functioning as an alternative to the existing 2.5” storage drives that are mounted in a separate bay and then connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable. Unlike standard HDDs and SSDs, M.2 drives aren’t connected to a motherboard via a cable, they’re instead plugged directly into the motherboard using a dedicated M.2 connector slot.ĭepending on its type and functionality, an M.2 drive can make use of either the standard SATA interface or the faster PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) interface, but in both cases it plugs directly into the motherboard. The M.2 form factor (formerly known as the Next Generation Form Factor, or NGFF) is a more modern type of internally mounted expansion card that replaces the previous mSATA (Mini-SATA) standard. ![]() In this explainer, we’ll break down exactly what M.2 and NVMe are, where they differ, and how they can ultimately benefit your next PC build. Now, to be clear, M.2 and NVMe aren’t interchangeable terms, but they are closely linked. And though these remain the most common form factors and connection options, M.2 and NVMe drives are becoming more popular in modern PC builds. If you know about HDDs and SSDs, you likely also know about the SATA (or Serial AT Attachment) computer bus interface that’s typically used to connect drives to the computer’s motherboard. Computer enthusiasts of all stripes and skill levels are likely familiar with common hard drive form factors like the big and bulky 3.5” mechanical hard disk drive (or HDD) and the slimmer and smaller 2.5” solid state drive (SSD). ![]()
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