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Users are now required to select SSDs when building computers. If at a later stage they feel capacity is too low, they can simply add a hard drive. However, various interfaces of SSDs are confusing for users. Knowledge of hard drive interface.

Interface SATA3 SSD

SATA3.0 is currently most commonly used interface for solid state hard drives. This interface is typically used for mechanical hard drives and solid state hard drives. Compared to SATA2.0, speed is much higher. Due to slow development of hard disk read and write speed, there is no difference in real use. However, when installing a solid state hard disk, interface speed difference is obvious, SATA2.0 peak value is 300MB/s, and SATA3.0 peak value is 600M /With.

mSATA SSD interface

mSATA is a mini-SATA interface controller specification developed by SATA Association. The new controller allows SATA technology to be integrated into small devices. At same time, mSATA will provide same speed and reliability as SATA interface. and it will be widely used on laptop.

mSATA is a mini version of SATA interface. Although it looks same as mini PCI-E, mSATA is still SATA and speed is still 6 Gbps, but it is not compatible with PCI-E, so he has no future.

PCI-E SSD

The PCIe slot is familiar to everyone. Due to advantages of working principle, maximum PCI-E speed can reach 32 Gbps, which can fully unlock potential of SSD.

Despite high performance of PCIe SSDs, price is extremely high. As a rule, this interface is used only in enterprise or flagship products.

M.2 SSD

Currently, most popular interface is M.2 SSD. Motherboards released in 2016 are mostly equipped with M.2 interface as standard. The M.2 interface was originally called NGFF interface, and size is extremely small. The three common specifications are 2242, 2260, 2280. The front side is width and back side is length (for example, 2242 is 22mm wide and 42mm long).

The M.2 interface is also classified into two types, Socket2 and Socket3. Socket 2 supports SATA and PCI-E x2 interfaces. Socket 3 is designed for high performance storage and supports PCI-E x4. The theoretical speed is up to 32Gbps. M.2 SATA is said to be around 500M/s, and M.2 PCI-E can reach 1000M/s.

NVMe SSD Options

I'm looking to buy an M.2 PCI-E SSD, but I'm having a hard time finding one because low-cost products don't list what type of M.2 interface they are. Here is a way to identify them, i.e. view product. Does it have an NVMe option on the back? If it has an NVMe option, it is an M.2 PCI-E interface. If not, it is basically an M.2 SATA interface.

Please confirm which interface your motherboard supports before purchasing an M.2 SSD. Some motherboards only support M.2 SATA SSDs, and some motherboards are compatible with two types of M.2 interfaces. .

Although storage capacity of SSDs is relatively small, their read and write speeds are much faster than mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs). For ordinary users, SATA 3.0 SSDs are enough, and speed is guaranteed and price is relatively low.

Small hosts and users looking for maximum performance should choose M.2 SSDs. M.2 SATA speed has not changed, but size is smaller; M.2 PCI-E has more speed, but price is also higher.