NVMe vs. SATA vs. M.2: How do these SSDs differ?

NVMe vs. SATA vs. M.2:

SSDs are faster than older HDDs. So, I recommend people get a laptop with SSD storage. But not all SSDs are the same. So, you need to find out what SSD storage the laptop is using. SSDs come in different sizes and different speeds. If you look at the specifications of different laptops, you may see SATA SSD, NVMe SSD, or M.2 SSD. If these terms usually confuse you, you are at the right place. In this detailed guide, I will explain different SSD storages and key differences.

Also read: SSD Vs HDD

NVMe vs SATA

NVMe and SATA are interfaces. SSD can either use an NVMe interface or a SATA interface for connecting to a PC. NVMe is called Non-Volatile Memory Express and SATA refers to Serial ATA.

SATA interface was introduced back in 2003 for HDDs but later it was also used with SSDs. This is the reason we see terms like SATA HDDs and SATA SSDs. SATA HDDs could only achieve 50-120 MB/s in write performance, but SATA SSDs can offer up to 550 MB/s write performance. So, there’s a huge performance improvement over HDDs.

SATA SSDs

SATA also had three generations. SATA I could offer up to 150MB/s. It was improved in SATA II which could offer 300MB/s bandwidth. The last SATA III was able to offer up to up to 600MB/s. The cables used in SATA I, II, and III were similar and can be used interchangeably.

In modern PCs, SATA III is found. When we are talking about SATA SSD, it is using SATA III. And generally, these are 2.5-inch SATA SSDs.

NVMe was created for SSDs. It was introduced back in 2011 to address bottlenecks of the SATA interface. This interface uses PCIe bandwidth for the connection. The current PCIe 4.0 offers up to 32 lanes and can transfer data at up to 64,000MB/s. So, NVMe has created a massive potential for storage devices.

NVMe SSD

If I talk about NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSDs could offer up to 3,500MB per second but NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSDs can offer up to 7,500MB per second. That means, NVMe SSDs are much faster than SATA SSDs.

Although NVMe SSDs are faster, they also come with an expensive price tag. When you look at the price difference and performance difference, I am sure you will be ready to pay the higher price for NVMe SSDs.

What is M.2 SSD

M.2 is not the SSD type but a form factor. NVMe SSDs come in M.2 form factor. SATA SSDs are available in both standard 2.5-inch and M.2 form factors. That means some M.2 ports use SATA interface and some use PCIe.

There are also different types of M.2 ports.

  • M.2 2230 ( 22 mm width and 30 mm length)
  • M.2 2242 ( 22 mm width and 42 mm length)
  • M.2 2260 ( 22 mm width and 60 mm length)
  • M.2 2280 ( 22 mm width and 80 mm length)
  • M.2 22110 (22 mm width and 110mm length)

M.2 generally targets laptop motherboards where we need a compact form factor. M.2 SATA SSDs are also available, but you will mostly find M.2 NVMe SSDs.

Wrap Up

Now you know that M.2 is just a form factor and can be used with both SATA and NVMe. SATA and NVMe are interfaces where NVMe is better. Before you buy any of the SSDs, you need first look at your PC and motherboard. See what fits into your PC or laptop’s motherboard. What interface does it support. So, look at the motherboard first. If it can support NVMe SSD, get it.

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