Most of us hear SATA SSD and think of one of these
babies when actually this could be SATA as well. So what’s the difference and which is right
for you? Sounds like it’s DIYin5 time! Hey everyone! Welcome to DIY in 5.
My name is Trisha Hershberger and today we’re going to delve deep into M.2 SSDs PC storage and
the fact that there are indeed both SATA and PCIe varieties of M.2. Before I get into the alphabet soup of it all, please note if you find the information in today’s video useful,
please feel free to like this video, subscribe to this channel and ding that bell
so you don’t miss out on any future tech tips. When we talk about M.2 SSDs, we are
specifically talking about the form factor. They are long and thin and look a
bit like a stick of chewing gum. (♫ The Doublemint Gum theme
plays softly in the background ♫) This form factor is ideal for computers that
are lightweight and portable like laptops, NUCs and ultrabooks as well as modern video
game consoles. They are also very easy to install.
Simply plug right into the motherboard, insert one screw and you are good to go! Many people think the alternative to M.2 SSDs
are SATA 2 and a half inch SSDs, and while the 2 and a half inch portion is correct, SATA
actually refers to the storage interface. SATA and PCIe, or PCIe NVMe, are both types
of storage interface that an SSD can use. The primary difference between the two is performance
and the protocol, or language, spoken by the SSD. The M.2 spec was designed to accommodate
both a SATA and PCIe interface for SSDs. M.2 SATA SSDs will use the same controller
currently on typical 2.5” SATA SSDs. M.2 PCIe SSDs will use a controller specifically
designed to support the PCIe protocol. An M.2 SSD can only support one protocol, but some systems have
M.2 sockets that can support either SATA or PCIe. An easy way to tell the difference between the two drives based
on appearance alone is the notches in the connection. SATA M.2 drives will have two notches,
while PCIe will only have one. Now that we have that cleared up, what’s the
difference between the two? The PCIe interface is generally faster, as the SATA 3.0 spec
is limited to around 600MB/s maximum speed, while PCIe Gen 2 x2 lanes
are capable of up to 1000MB/s. And if you think that’s a large difference, PCIe Gen 2 x4 lanes are capable of up
to 2000MB/s, and Gen 3 x4 lanes of up to 4000MB/s. Not to say that speed is everything. M.2 SSDs
using the SATA protocol will generally be compatible with a wider variety of systems
and can be better supported in older models, plus they are usually more
affordable when it comes to PCIe. Another thing to consider is that some motherboards don’t have enough PCIe
connections to support multiple PCIe NVMe drives. You might have to decide on using the available connection between
a graphics card or an NVMe SSD. Other times there may be PCIe lanes available but only a certain type
of connection will be able to use NVMe devices at their full speed such as an M.2 connection. If you’d like to see two side by side, a good example is the
Kingston A400, SATA vs Kingston KC3000, PCIe NVMe. The A400 has two key notches, with speed 500 MB/s read and 450 MKB/s write. And the Kingston KC3000 on the other hand, has one key notch here on the side,
and offers 7,000 MB/s read and write speeds. So to sum up - yes, M.2 SSDs can come in both SATA
and PCIe NVMe varieties. PCIe is newer and faster, while SATA is more affordable and
more widely compatible with older systems. What you choose is up to you, but I hope these
basic guidelines helped a bit in your shopping journey. Alright, take care everyone and
I’ll see you next time with more DIY in 5.
