Solid State Drives (SSDs) have become a hugely popular storage upgrade over traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). Their combination of fast speeds, low power draw, compact form factors, durability and affordability make them an easy choice for both consumer and business use.
But navigating the world of SSDs can be confusing to the uninitiated. Terms like SATA, M.2 and NVMe are enough to make anyone‘s head spin.
This guide breaks down the common types of SSDs on the market, explains the differences, and provides tips on choosing the right SSD for your needs and budget.
A Quick Intro to SSDs
First, let‘s level-set what an SSD actually is. SSD stands for Solid State Drive, a type of digital storage device that uses flash memory chips rather than spinning platters. This solid state design allows SSDs to store and access data much faster than traditional HDDs.
Additional benefits include:
- Faster load/boot times: Applications and operating systems boot up significantly quicker.
- Better responsiveness: Programs launch faster and files transfer quicker.
- Low power consumption: SSDs use less energy than HDDs.
- Compact and durable: No moving parts makes SSDs more resistant to shock and vibration.
- Quieter: Silent operation with no mechanical spinning parts.
Now let‘s dive into the most common SSD types, connections and form factors.
SATA SSD
SATA SSDs are the veterans of the storage world, serving faithfully since consumer SSDs became widely available. They connect to a computer‘s motherboard via the ubiquitous SATA III interface that‘s also used for HDDs.
The majority use the compact 2.5-inch form factor common amongst laptop drives. But M.2 SATA SSDs have also gained prominence for their small footprint and direct motherboard connection.
Key Specs:
- Interface: SATA III
- Form Factor: 2.5", M.2
- Sequential Speeds: Up to 560MB/s read, 530MB/s write
SATA SSDs offer a nice bump up in speed over HDDs, but performance is ultimately limited by the SATA interface itself. Still, the affordability and ubiquity of SATA make this form of SSD popular for typical consumer use and HDD replacement.
Use cases:
- General home/office use
- Gaming
- HDD replacement
Top pick: Samsung 870 EVO SATA SSD
M.2 SSD
The M.2 form factor was designed specifically for solid state drives, eschewing legacy connections designed for spinning platters. These tiny drives slot directly into the motherboard via a dedicated M.2 socket. Their compact design also enables easy integration into slim devices.
While M.2 SSDs first utilized the SATA protocol, newer PCIe and NVMe-based M.2 drives unlock significantly faster speeds. Note that not all M.2 SSDs support the faster PCIe/NVMe specification.
Key Specs:
- Interface: PCIe, SATA
- Form Factor: M.2
- Sequential speeds: Up to 7,000MB/s (PCIe NVMe), 6,000MB/s (PCIe), 560MB/s (SATA)
Thanks to blazing PCIe transfer rates, high-end NVMe M.2 SSDs currently offer the fastest speeds on the consumer market. The compact form factor also makes them perfect for space-constrained builds.
Just ensure your motherboard has an M.2 slot before purchasing.
Use cases:
- High performance PCs/workstations
- Compact form factor systems
- NVMe for max speed
Top pick: Samsung 980 Pro NVMe M.2 SSD
NVMe SSD
NVMe stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express. It‘s not a form factor, but rather a host controller interface and storage protocol developed specifically for SSDs by a consortium of vendors including Intel, Samsung and others.
NVMe SSDs connect directly to the CPU via PCI Express (PCIe) lanes to provide blisteringly fast transfer speeds and reduced latency. In fact, NVMe boasts up to 6x the bandwidth of the SATA III interface.
You‘ll typically find these SSDs in the M.2 or PCIe Add-in Card form factors to maximize performance potential:
Key Specs:
- Interface: PCIe
- Form Factor: M.2, PCIe AIC
- Sequential Speeds: Up to 7,000 MB/s
With incredibly fast sequential read/write speeds topping out over 7 GB/s on high-end models, NVMe SSDs are the performance champions when money is no object. Just make sure your system supports PCIe NVMe before purchasing.
Use Cases:
- Cutting Edge Performance
- Extreme Gaming/Graphics
- Productivity Workloads
- Datacenters
Top pick: Samsung 980 Pro M.2 NVMe SSD
SSD Comparison Tables
| Spec | SATA SSD | NVMe M.2 SSD |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | SATA | PCIe NVMe |
| Form Factors | 2.5", M.2 | M.2 |
| Seq. Read Speed | 560MB/s | Up to 7,000MB/s |
| Seq. Write Speed | 530MB/s | Up to 5,000MB/s |
| Price | $$ | $$$ |
| Spec | SATA M.2 SSD | PCIe M.2 SSD | NVMe M.2 SSD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | SATA | PCIe | PCIe NVMe |
| Form Factor | M.2 | M.2 | M.2 |
| Seq. Read Speed | 560MB/s | 4,000MB/s | 7,000MB/s |
| Seq. Write Speed | 530MB/s | 2,000MB/s | 5,000MB/s |
| Price | $$ | $$ | $$$ |
Choosing the Right SSD
With so many options on the market, choosing the right SSD boils down to your budget and usage needs:
SATA SSD: Offering a balance of affordability and performance, SATA SSDs are great for typical consumer use like faster system boot times, quicker application loading, improved game level loads, and HDD replacement.
M.2 NVMe SSD: Serious gamers, content creators and performance users will benefit most from pricey but blazing fast PCIe NVMe M.2 SSDs. Just confirm compatibility before purchasing.
M.2 vs NVMe: It‘s easy to conflate these terms. Remember, M.2 is just a form factor that can utilize either SATA or NVMe interfaces. Only M.2 SSDs specifically labeled as "NVMe" will provide those screaming PCIe transfer speeds.
Tips for Installation
Installing an SSD into desktop PC or laptop is usually straightforward. We‘ll cover some quick tips for getting up and running smoothly:
Desktop:
- SATA SSD: Connect power cable and install 2.5" drive into open bay with SATA data cable.
- M.2 SSD: Insert directly into open M.2 slot and secure.
Laptop:
Replace old HDD with new SSD, then perform a clean OS install for best results. Some manufacturers provide disk cloning software.
The Future is Bright and Fast
SSD technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. PCI Express 4.0 and newer NAND flash memory types promise even faster speeds down the road. And as manufacturing costs decrease, SSD capacity continues to scale while prices decline.
For the best combination of price, performance and capacity for your needs today, this breakdown of SATA, M.2 and NVMe SSD specs should help you choose the right drive to meet your demands both now and into the future.
