That in the past, that this year, articles about SSD can be safely started with the same passage: "The market for solid-state drives is on the verge of major changes." For several months in a row, we have been looking forward to the moment when manufacturers will finally start releasing fundamentally new models of mass SSD for personal computers, which, instead of the usual SATA 6 Gb / s interface, will use the faster PCI Express bus. But the bright moment, when the market is flooded with fresh and noticeably higher performance solutions, everything is postponed and postponed, mainly due to delays in finishing the necessary controllers. The same single models of consumer SSDs with a PCI Express bus, which are still becoming available, are still clearly experimental in nature and cannot amaze us with their performance.
Being in such an agonizing expectation of change, it is easy to lose sight of other events, which may not have a fundamental impact on the entire industry, but nevertheless are also important and interesting. Something like this happened to us: unnoticed in the consumer SSD market, new trends have spread, which we have hardly paid attention to until now. SSDs of a new format, M.2, began to appear on sale in large quantities. A couple of years ago, this form factor was referred to only as a promising standard, but over the past year and a half, it has managed to gain a huge number of supporters both among platform developers and among SSD manufacturers. As a result, M.2 drives are not a rarity today, but an everyday reality. They are produced by many manufacturers, they are freely sold in stores and are commonly installed in computers. Moreover, the M.2 format has managed to win its place not only in the mobile systems for which it was originally intended. Many desktop motherboards today are also equipped with an M.2 slot, as a result of which such SSDs are actively penetrating into classic desktops as well.
With all this in mind, we've come to the conclusion that we need to pay close attention to M.2 SSDs. Despite the fact that many models of such flash drives are analogs of the usual 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, which are tested by our laboratory on a regular basis, among them there are also original products that do not have twins of the classic form factor. Therefore, we decided to make up for lost time and conduct a single consolidated test of the most popular capacities of 128 and 256 GB available in domestic stores M.2 SSD. The Moscow company “ Regard”Offering an extremely wide range of SSDs, including those in the M.2 form factor.
⇡ Unity and Diversity of the World M.2
M.2 slots and cards (formerly called Next Generation Form Factor - NGFF) were originally developed as a faster and more compact replacement for mSATA, a popular standard used by solid-state drives in various mobile platforms. But unlike its predecessor, the M.2 offers fundamentally greater flexibility in both the logical and the mechanical part. The new standard describes several options for the length and width of cards, and also allows you to use both SATA and the faster PCI Express interface for connecting solid-state drives.
There is no doubt that PCI Express will replace the interfaces we are used to. Direct use of this bus without additional add-ons allows to reduce latency when accessing data, and due to its scalability, it significantly increases throughput. Even two PCI Express 2.0 lanes are capable of providing noticeably higher data transfer rates compared to the usual SATA 6 Gb / s interface, and the M.2 standard allows you to connect to an SSD using up to four PCI Express 3.0 lanes. The foundation for increased throughput, thus laid, will lead to a new generation of high-speed solid-state drives capable of faster loading of the operating system and applications, as well as lower latency when moving large amounts of data.
| SSD interface | Maximum theoretical bandwidth | Maximum real throughput (estimate) |
| SATA III | 6 Gbps (750 MB / s) | 600 MB / s |
| PCIe 2.0 x2 | 8 Gbps (1 Gbps) | 800 MB / s |
| PCIe 2.0 x4 | 16 Gbps (2 Gbps) | 1.6 GB / s |
| PCIe 3.0 x4 | 32 Gbps (4 Gbps) | 3.2 GB / s |
Formally, the M.2 standard is a mobile version of the SATA Express protocol described in the SATA 3.2 specification. However, it turned out that over the past couple of years, M.2 has spread much more widely than SATA Express: M.2 connectors can now be found on current motherboards and laptops, and SSDs in the M.2 form factor are widely available on the market. SATA Express, on the other hand, cannot boast of such support from the industry. This is partly due to the greater flexibility of M.2: depending on the implementation, this interface can be compatible with devices operating on the SATA, PCI Express and even USB 3.0 protocols. Moreover, in its maximum version, M.2 supports up to four PCI Express lanes, while SATA Express connectors are capable of providing data transfer over only two such lines. In other words, today it is M.2 slots that seem to be not only convenient, but also a more promising foundation for future SSDs. Not only are they suitable for both mobile and desktop applications, they are also capable of providing the highest bandwidth available for consumer SSD connectivity.
However, given the fact that the key feature of the M.2 standard is the variety of its types, it should be borne in mind that not all M.2 drives are the same, and their compatibility with different variants of the corresponding slots is a separate story. To begin with, the boards of the solid state drives available on the market in the M.2 form factor are 22 mm wide, but have five lengths: 30, 42, 60, 80 or 110 mm. This dimension is reflected in the marking, for example, the form factor M.2 2280 means that the drive card is 22 mm wide and 80 mm long. For M.2 slots, a complete list of drive card dimensions is usually indicated, with which they can be physically compatible.
The second feature that differentiates the different M.2 variants is the "keys" in the slotted slot and, accordingly, in the knife slot of the cards, which prevent the installation of storage cards into slots that are logically incompatible with them. At the moment, for M.2 SSD, two options for the location of keys are used from the eleven different positions described in the specification. Two more options have found application on WLANs and Bluetooth cards in the M.2 form factor (yes, it happens, for example, the Intel 7260NGW wireless adapter), and seven key positions are reserved for the future.
M.2 slots can have only one baffle key, but M.2 cards can have multiple notch keys at once, which will make them compatible with several types of slots at the same time. Type B key, located instead of pins with numbers 12-19, means that no more than two PCI Express lanes are connected to the slot. An M key occupying pins 59-66 means that the slot has four PCI Express lanes and therefore can provide better performance. In other words, the M.2 card must not only fit, but also have a slot-compatible key arrangement. At the same time, the keys not only limit the mechanical compatibility between various connectors and M.2 form factor boards, but also perform another function: their location prevents incorrect installation of drives in the slot.
The information given in the table should help to correctly identify the type of slot available in the system. But it should be borne in mind that the ability to mechanically dock the slot and the connector is only a necessary, but not a sufficient condition for their full logical compatibility. The fact is that slots with keys B and M can contain not only PCI Express, but also SATA, but the location of the keys does not give any information about its absence or presence. The same goes for the M.2 card slots.
| Blade connector with key type B | Blade connector with key type M | Blade connector with keys type B and M | |
| Scheme |
|
|
|
| Location of the slots | Contacts 12-19 | Contacts 59-66 | Contacts 12-19 and 59-66 |
| SSD interface | PCIe x2 | PCIe x4 | PCIe x2, PCIe x4, or SATA |
| Mechanical compatibility | M.2 slot with type B key | M.2 slot with M key | M.2 slots with Type B or Type M keys |
| Common SSD models | Not | Samsung XP941 (PCIe x4) | Most M.2 SATA SSD Plextor M6e (PCIe x2) |
There is one more problem. It lies in the fact that many motherboard designers ignore the requirements of the specifications and install the "coolest" slots with a type M key on their products, but only two of the four required PCIe lanes are installed on them. In addition, the M.2 slots on motherboards may not be compatible with SATA drives at all. In particular, ASUS is guilty of its love for installing M.2 slots with reduced SATA functionality. SSD manufacturers also adequately respond to these challenges, many of which prefer to make both cut-outs on their cards at once, which makes it possible to physically install drives into M.2 slots of any type.
As a result, it turns out that it is impossible to determine the real capabilities, compatibility and the presence of the SATA interface in the slots and M.2 connectors by only external signs. Therefore, complete information about the implementation features of certain slots and drives can be obtained only from the passport characteristics of a particular device.
Fortunately, the assortment of M.2 drives is not so great at the moment, so the situation did not have time to get completely confused. In fact, there is only one M.2 PCIe x2 model on the market - Plextor M6e - and one PCIe x4 model - Samsung XP941. All other commercially available flash drives in the M.2 form factor use the familiar SATA 6 GB / s protocol. At the same time, all M.2 SSDs found in domestic stores have two cutout keys - in positions B and M. The only exception is Samsung XP941, which has only one key - in position M, but it is not sold in Russia.
However, if your computer or motherboard has an M.2 slot and you plan to fill it with an SSD, there are a few things you need to check first:
- Does your system support M.2 SATA SSD, M.2 PCIe SSD, or both?
- If the system supports M.2 PCIe drives, how many PCI Express lanes are there on the M.2 slot?
- What arrangement of keys on the SSD card allows for the M.2 slot in the system?
- What is the maximum length of an M.2 card that can fit into your motherboard?
And only after you can definitely answer all these questions, you can proceed to choosing a suitable SSD model.
Samsung Electronics Announces Launch of Samsung's First M.2 Series 950 PRO Solid State Drive with scalable NVM Express controller(Non - Volatile Memory Express). Let's figure out why Samsung is moving to a new form factor and controller, as well as why it is good for the user.
Today, it is the M.2 slots that seem to be the most promising for SSDs: they are able to provide the highest bandwidth among all existing options for connecting solid-state drives.
What is NVMe?
The biggest problem for SSDs today is the bandwidth limitation of older Serial ATA and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) buses. The latest SATA-III has 600 MB / s throughput and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS 12G) transfer rates of 1.2 GB / s. Modern SSDs are capable of more.NVMe accelerates I / O operations by eliminating the SAS command stack (SCSI). NVMe SSDs plug directly into the PCIe bus. Applications get dramatic performance gains from shifting I / O activity from SAS / SATA SSDs and HDDs to NVMe SSDs. Memories of a new type of storage are non-volatile and the latency when accessing them is significantly lower - at the level of delays in the random access memory (volatile).
The NVMe controller demonstrates all the advantages of an SSD: very low access latencies and huge queue depths for read and write operations. The extremely low latency of storage devices significantly reduces the likelihood of data table locks on updates. This is critical for multi-user databases with complex and interconnected tables.
M.2 connector on the motherboard.
Today NVM Express (NVMe) supports all ASUS motherboards based on Intel Z97 Express and X99 Express system logic kits - for this you need to update the UEFI BIOS and use the ASUS Hyper Kit expansion card as an option.
The expansion card allows owners of motherboards based on the X99 chipset to connect 2.5 "drives with an NVMe interface - for example, Intel SSD 750, using the SFF-8639 (mini-SAS HD) connector. The drive itself will also have an SFF-8639 connector, it looks like this:
If the motherboard does not have an M.2 connector or it is not possible to use it, there are adapter cards for PCIe:
Supermicro introduced solutions optimized for NVMe:
The NVMe Virtual SAN Provisioned SuperServer delivers industry-leading performance and density in a 1U Ultra 10x NVMe solution (SYS-1028U-VSNF series) that easily scales to meet the needs of enterprise, data center and cloud applications.
The 2U Ultra 24x NVMe SuperServer (SYS-2028U-TN24RT +) increases the density of hot-swappable NVMe and is available in even higher-density configurations up to 24x2.5 ″ 1U hot-swap NVMe.
Two new 2U Virtual SAN Ready Node solutions exclusively based on SSD-based flash drives in Ultra (SYS-2028U-VSNF series) and TwinPro (SYS-2028TP-VSNF series) architectures support up to 480 virtual machines in 4 nodes.
In general, Supermicro has a whole line of servers for NVMe media, they are still rare on sale like the media themselves.
However, back to the Samsung 950 Pro.
Samsung 950 Pro Datasheet
| Samsung 950 Pro | ||
| Manufacturer | Samsung | |
| Series |
950 Pro |
|
| Model number |
MZVKV256 |
MZVKV512 |
| Form factor |
M.2 2280 |
|
| Interface |
PCI Express 3.0 x4 - NVMe |
|
| Capacity |
256 GB |
512 GB |
| Configuration |
||
| Memory chips: type, interface, process technology, manufacturer |
Samsung 128Gbps 32-layer MLC V-NAND |
|
| Memory chips: number / number of NAND devices in a chip |
2/8 |
2/16 |
| Controller |
Samsung UBX |
|
| DRAM buffer: type, size |
LPDDR3-1600, 512 MB |
|
| Performance |
||
| Max. sustained sequential read speed |
2200 MB / s |
2500 MB / s |
| Max. sustained sequential write speed |
900 MB / s |
1500 MB / s |
| Max. random read speed (4 KB blocks) |
270,000 IOPS |
300,000 IOPS |
| Max. random write speed (4 KB blocks) |
85000 IOPS |
110,000 IOPS |
| physical characteristics |
||
| Power consumption: idle / read-write |
1.7 / 6.4 W |
1.7 / 7.0 W |
| MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) |
1.5 million hours |
|
| Recording resource |
200 TB |
400 TB |
| Overall dimensions: L × H × D |
80.15 x 22.15 x 2.38 mm |
|
| Weight |
10 g |
|
| Guarantee period |
5 years |
|
| recommended price |
$200 |
$350 |
Unlike the Samsung SM951-NVMe OEM drive, the 950 Pro is based on a progressive 3D MLC V-NAND. The SM951 uses conventional 16nm planar flash memory.
Very important: the motherboard UEFI BIOS must contain the NVMe driver to boot the OS from the 950 Pro.
The 950 Pro can get quite hot in some cases - at maximum load, this SSD is capable of delivering up to 6-7 watts. At the same time, notes anandtech.com, this is not a serious problem. The official position of the manufacturer on this matter is as follows: “ The temperature of the 950 Pro only rises to the upper limit under continuous, prolonged, and complex loads that are not typical of client SSDs. The performance degradation in sequential write-once to the drive of about 100 GB of data is unlikely to have any effect on ordinary users. That is, in the case of using the drive as part of a regular PC, the problem of overheating is unlikely.».
In most tests, anandtech.com 950 Pro performed very well:
Despite the fact that solid-state drives, that is, SSDs, have appeared for a long time, many users are just beginning to learn about them and use them on their computers. Perhaps this is due to the high price and small capacity, although they are faster than standard drives and are significantly faster.
Before delving into the types of hard drives, their manufacturing technologies, types of memory and controllers, it is necessary to focus on the form factor (size). Each of the devices is different in size, has its own connection connectors and is used in completely different ways. If a 2.5-inch SSD does not raise any questions, since it is similar in size and location of connectors to conventional hard drives, then other varieties raise a lot of questions.
Today we will talk about devices such as M.2 SSD drives, what they are, what are their features and advantages. This is a relatively new standard, which, according to many experts, is a revolutionary solution. Let's take a closer look at this topic and find out as much information as possible.
Development of the SATA interface
The SATA interface has become a good replacement for PATA, replacing the wide ribbon cable with a more compact, thin and convenient option. The main tendency of its development was the desire for compactness, and this is quite normal. Even the new interface required a variation that allows it to be used on mobile devices and where there are special requirements for the size of the components.
Thus, mSATA was created - the same interface, only with more compact dimensions. But it did not live long and was quickly replaced by a completely new one - the M.2 connector, which had even greater capabilities. Not by mistake, the abbreviation does not contain the word SATA, since the new version does not apply to this standard. We will talk about this in more detail later.
The only thing that needs to be said is that the M.2 SSD is connected without power cables and cables, thanks to which its use becomes as comfortable as possible and allows the computer to be even more compact. This is one of its key benefits.
M.2 interface overview
M.2 is a connector on an expansion card installed in a PCI-Express slot, or on the motherboard itself. You can install in it not only SSD format M.2, but other modules, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The scope of this connector is wide enough, which makes it incredibly convenient and useful.
When upgrading your computer, be sure to pay attention to it and install a motherboard with this connector, even if you do not plan to install a solid-state drive with such an interface yet.
However, if you have a rather old motherboard, and you do not want to change it, for example "GA-P75-D3" with missing M2 slot, but at the same time it has PCI-E 3.0 with a video card installed and a PCIe x4 slot. In this case, the SSD can be installed on PCIe x4 through a special adapter, but its speed will be slightly lower.
Absolutely all M.2 SSD drives have a flush mount in the M.2 slots. This form factor provides maximum performance with minimum resource consumption and is designed for the technological advancement of hard drives in the future.
Moreover, as mentioned above, cables and loops are not needed for connection, which usually only take up extra space. In order to start working with the device, you just need to insert it into the connector.
M-key and B-key
Today's hard drives, including solid state drives, are connected to the SATA bus. The maximum bandwidth of which is 6 Gb / s, that is, approximately 550-600 Mb / s. Such a speed is simply unattainable for a conventional drive, but SSD drives can reach much higher speeds without any problems. Only their installation is absolutely pointless if the interface cannot "pump" data at a higher speed than the one for which it is designed.
In view of this, it became possible to use the PCI-Express bus with a higher bandwidth:
- PCI-Express 2.0. It has two lanes (PCI-E 2.0 x2), is characterized by a bandwidth of up to 8Gb / s, or about 800Mb / s.
- PCI-Express 3.0. It has four lanes (PCI-E 3.0 x4), with a bandwidth of 32Gb / s, or approximately 3.2Gb / s.
Which interface is used to connect a particular device determines the position of the jumper.
Currently, SSD M.2 drives have the following key options:
- B key "Socket2" (includes support for PCI-E × 2, SATA, Audio, USB and other modules).
- M key "Socket3" (includes PCI-E × 4 and SATA support).
For example, let's take a motherboard with an M.2 connector with an M-key. That is, a PCIe × 4 bus is used. Can I install a SATA SSD in it? This is an interesting question that we will try to find an answer to.
You need to open the motherboard information and find out if it supports M.2 SATA or not. Let's say the manufacturer says yes. In this case, a storage disk is bought, which was originally created for PCIe × 4, and absolutely no problems should arise when connecting.
When choosing a motherboard, be sure to pay attention to whether the SATA bus is supported in M.2 so that you can use any hard drive.
Let's recap and summarize all of the above:
- M.2 is just a different form factor (connector and size) for solid state drives. All motherboards equipped with this slot use the PCI-E x4 bus.
- The type of bus used by the drive depends on the keys. Usually a PCI-Express bus (M key) or SATA (M + B key) is used. The ability to connect a SSD with a SATA interface must be indicated in the characteristics of the motherboard.
Size specification: 2260, 2280 and others
Often looking through the specification of the motherboard of a computer or laptop, you can find the following line "1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2260/2280" - it means that 1 slot M.2 with a key of type M and size 2260/2280 is used. The first two digits "22" are the width in "mm", the second two digits "60" are the length. Therefore, if you choose, say, Transcend TS128GMTS600, with a length of "60mm" and a width of "22mm", then there will be no problems with its installation.
But even if you take the Kingston SHPM2280P2 / 480G with the "2280" type and since the motherboard specifications support this type of drives, it will not be difficult to install it.
The motherboard can support many sizes of installed modules, and in this case, it contains fixing screws that are designed for each length of the strip.
NVMe technology
The old generation of conventional magnetic and SSD disks use the AHCI protocol, which was created relatively long ago and is still supported by many operating systems. But with the advent of more modern and faster SSDs, it cannot cope with its task and cannot use all their capabilities to the maximum.
As a solution to this problem, the NVMe protocol was created. It is characterized by the fastest speed, lower latency and uses the least processor resources when performing operations.
In order for the media to work with this technology, it must support it, so when choosing, pay attention to this separately, just like the motherboard (it must be UEFI-compatible).
Let's summarize
After reviewing the M.2 SSD, we can say that it is the most compact form factor of solid state devices. And if it is supported by the motherboard, it is recommended to use it.
Let's take a look at a few to help you make the right choice. So, first of all, when buying, you should pay attention to the following points:
- Does the motherboard have the required M.2 slot and what size of modules it can use (2260, 2280, etc.).
- The type of key the slot uses (M, B, or B + M).
- Whether the motherboard supports SATA or PCI-E and which version is used (for example, PCIe 3.0 4x).
- Whether the operating system, the SSD itself, and the motherboard support AHCI or NVMe.
After all, answering the question which is better, an SSD with a standard slot or M.2, it is clear that you should choose the second option with NVMe support and install it on PCIe 3.0 × 4.
This will not only free up more space by reducing the number of wires, but will also increase transmission speed, system responsiveness and performance. The main thing is that it will make working at the computer more comfortable, enjoyable and efficient.
Detailed video review
Good day.
For several years now, the debate about the benefits of using SSD drives has sunk into oblivion - now it is recommended to be installed by everyone: not only professional gamers or programmers, but also ordinary users. The advantage in disk performance is colossal: 5-10 times!
However, now there are a lot of SSD drives that differ in size (note: form factor): if there are not so many questions with a 2.5-inch SSD (classic size, looks like a hard drive), then with "newfangled "SSD M2 is a real confusion!
Actually, in this article I wanted to make out the most basic things about SSD M2 drives: which drive is right for me, which interface is used, what is it for 2242, 2260, 2280 and the keys "M", "B", "B&M" on the label of the drive. ..
Choosing an SSD M2: Dealing With the Confusion
In many new laptops and computers, the new M2 connector has begun to appear on the motherboard more often (which is not surprising!). After all, it replaced the interfaces: mSATA, mini PCI Express.
And here I want to immediately note the advantage of the M2 interface: it allows you to do without power cables, separate cables, etc. (in fact, it allows you to connect devices simply by inserting a card into the slot!). In addition, it is smaller than the same mSATA. All this in a coupe allows the M2 to be used in more mobile and compact devices, making it more convenient and popular.
I will add that you can use the M2 to install a Wi-Fi adapter, 3G / 4G modems, a Bluetooth module, and other devices. (Note: many simply believe that the M2 is used exclusively for SSDs)
By the way!
The M2 interface was at one time referred to as NGFF (Next Generation Form Factor). In some stores and some drive manufacturers, there are SSD M2s with this marking.
What is the confusion
1) SATA and PCIe
The M2 format, of course, is undoubtedly promising, but it’s very difficult with it. I must say right away that it is subdivided into two large types: SATA and PCIe (and each of these types is subdivided into several subtypes).
Why was this done? M2, as I said above, was conceived as a universal interface that will replace the outdated mSATA and mini PCIe. But, the fact is that the SATA III bandwidth is 6 Gb / s, and the SSD M2 PCIe drive is capable of providing speeds up to 32 Gb / s (you must admit, the difference is significant!).
I will add that M.2 PCIe differs in speed depending on the number of lanes. So, for example, PCI Express 2.0 with two lanes (referred to as PCI-E 2.0 x2) - provides speeds up to 8 Gb / s, PCI Express 3.0 with four lanes (PCI-E 3.0 x4) - provides the coveted 32 Gb / s.
The catch is that most devices (say, laptops) only support one type of disk, for example, SSD M2 SATA III. Those. when choosing, you need to be very careful about what the device supports (but more on that below).
2) Dimensions of the drive 2242, 2260 and 2280
Another important point: M2 drives (both SATA and PCIe) can be of different sizes. There are three of them: 2242, 2260 and 2280.
The first two digits (22) are the width of the drive, the second (42, 62 or 80) are its length (see the screenshot below for an example).
The bottom line is that different motherboards support different drive sizes. And if a disc of a shorter length can still be inserted into the slot, then if it is larger, this is a disaster ...
However, I note that now there are universal discs on sale, 80 mm long, which you can cut yourself to the desired length (note: all the necessary microcircuits are located at a length of 42 mm).
3) Keys
Keys mean contacts and their location on the drive. There are three kinds of keys: "M", "B", and the generic "B&M" (illustrative example below). Before buying a disc, you need to know which dongle is supported by your device.
Drives with different keys, an illustrative example
Keys on SSD M2 drives: interface, mechanical compatibility, circuit
All the "salt" with these keys is that, for example, mat. the PCIe x2 card uses the "B" key, but there are M2 SATA SSDs that also use the "B" key! Of course, if you connect such a drive to a motherboard with a PCIe x2 socket, it will not work!
4) NVMe technology
Old disks use the AHCI protocol, but with the advent of faster disks, it has ceased to cope with its task (it does not allow using the maximum speed characteristics of the drives). To solve this problem, a new protocol has been released - NVMe.
It provides higher speed, requires less resources from the processor during read / write operations, and much less latency. In order for your SSD to work on this protocol, pay attention to whether your mat. fee for this technology.
Results (what to know before buying an SSD M2, so as not to be "fools"):
- what interface your motherboard supports (PCI-E 2.0 x4, PCI-E 3.0 x2, PCI-E 3.0 x4, SATA III);
- dimensions of SSD M2 drive, which can be installed (2280, 2260, 2242);
- the key that your motherboard supports (usually SATA drives come with the "M&B" key, and PCIe x4 drives with the "M" key);
- whether mat is supported. board with NVMe technology (if so, then naturally, and the drive is worth buying with NVMe support).
Only after answering these few questions, you can choose the SSD M2 that will work for you.
Update from 01/27/2019... Now laptops (and motherboards) with universal ports, to which you can connect both PCI-E and SATA SSD M2, have begun to appear on sale.
Is the game worth the candle? Should I migrate to an SSD ...
Many people often ask whether it is worth switching to SSD at all, is it really a significant difference ...
As an example, I will show a comparative test of several disks installed on my laptops / PCs. The first test is an M2 SSD (NVMe), the second is an M2 SSD (SATA III), and the third is a classic HDD.
SSD (NVMe, SATA), HDD speed test | Clickable (Crystal DiskMark - test utility)
Note! On the screenshots you see synthetic tests. In real work (when loading the OS, launching games, working with software): many of ordinary users note a huge difference between HDD and SSD (SATA), but hardly notice between SSD (NVMe) and SSD (SATA).
Pay attention to the first line. Read speed 2591 MB / s versus 73 MB / s - a difference of 30 ÷ 35 times! Those. If earlier, before installing the SSD (NVMe), Windows was booted within 1 minute - now less than 10 seconds!
I'm not talking about other programs: Word, browsers, players, etc. - they start instantly, immediately after double-clicking on the shortcut!
Addition!
How to check disk speed: HDD, SSD. Test, determining the difference in speed between SSD and HDD, is it worth switching to a solid state drive -
How do I know which SSD M2 my mat supports. fee what to choose
A very popular question. To begin with, I want to say do not trust any utilities for viewing the characteristics of a PC. The fact is that they can show the presence of an M2 slot, but in fact it may not be on the board. (i.e. there is a place for it on the board, but physically there is no slot)!
And so, more to the point ...
1) Option number 1 - look at the mat itself. board.
If your mat. the board has an M2 connector - then in most cases there is a marking next to it, by which you can find out the necessary information (example below). In addition, immediately make sure that this connector is physically present (which is important to do before buying a drive).
2) Option number 2 - look at the manufacturer's website
Knowing the model of the motherboard (or laptop), you can go to the manufacturer's website and see the characteristics. By the way, some motherboards are now being made universal, which can support several types of SSD M2 drives (laptop users are less fortunate in this case, since they most often support one specific type).
Characteristics of the mat. boards on the manufacturer's website
3) Option number 3 - see an overview of a particular laptop (mat. Motherboard).
Many stores and users (who have already purchased this hardware) often make reviews from which they can glean the necessary data. However, I recommend that you also reinforce them with the first two options (since say, be convinced with your own eyes).
Add-ons are welcome ...
M.2 connector (formerly known as Next Generation Form Factor and NGFF) Is a specification included in the SATA 3.2 standard for computer devices and their connectors, approved by the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) for tablets and thin computers. Designed to replace the outdated SATA, mSATA and Mini PCI-E formats. The key innovation of M.2 (NGFF) is support for data transfer over the PCI Express 3.0 line with an aggregate theoretical bandwidth of up to 32 Gb / s. Which is almost 6 times more than the SATA 3.0 standard allowed.
M.2 expansion cards can provide various functions, for example: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, NFC radio, digital radio, Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), Wireless WAN (WWAN), and others. M.2 modules are often made in the form of fast and compact solid-state flash drives (SSD).
The use of the new device format allowed the use of the DevSleep minimum power mode, the Transitional Energy Reporting power management mechanism, the Hybrid Information mechanism (which improves the efficiency of data caching in hybrid drives) and Rebuild Assist (a function that speeds up the process of data recovery in RAID arrays).
Form factor and keys.
Simply put, M.2 is the mobile version of the SATA Express protocol described in the SATA 3.2 specification for tablets and thin computers. This interface can be compatible with SATA, PCI Express, USB 3.0, I2C and others. M.2 supports up to four PCI Express 3.0 lanes, while SATA Express connectors transfer data over only two PCI Express 2.0 lanes. The boards are available in 4 widths (12, 16, 22 and 30 millimeters) and 8 lengths (16, 26, 30, 38, 42, 60, 80 and 110 millimeters).
In addition to the length and width of devices connected to M.2, the standards for the thickness of the components on the board are described. Also, single-sided and double-sided mounting options (Single Sided and Double Sided), divided into 8 more types. For a more convenient understanding, I will give a table below:
Thickness of components on the board of the device connected to M.2 (dimensions are in millimeters).
| A type | Above | From below |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | 1.20 | Not allowed |
| S2 | 1.35 | Not allowed |
| S3 | 1.50 | Not allowed |
| D1 | 1.20 | 1.35 |
| D2 | 1.35 | 1.35 |
| D3 | 1.50 | 1.35 |
| D4 | 1.50 | 0.70 |
| D5 | 1.50 | 1.50 |
To indicate the type M.2 - devices are marked with a code according to the WWLL-HH-K-K or WWLL-HH-K scheme, where WW and LL are the dimensions of the module in width and length in millimeters. HH encodes whether the module is single-sided or double-sided, as well as the maximum permissible height (thickness) of the components placed on it, for example "D2". The K-K part denotes key cuts if the module uses only one key, one letter K is used. If K-K is used, then the module has 2 keys.
Diagram with a detailed explanation of all marking values with indication of the values.
As of 2018, the most popular sizes are determined: width 22 mm, length 80 or 60 mm (M.2-2280 and M.2-2260), less often 42 mm. Many early M.2 drives and motherboards used the SATA interface, for which dongles are the most popular B(SATA and PCIe x2). Modern motherboards are implemented in the M.2 PCI Express 3.0 x4 slot and the corresponding key M(SATA and PCIe x4). Devices designed for use with M key connectors are not electrically compatible with B connector, and vice versa, unless explicitly indicated. Although not uncommon, as practice shows, they are physically compatible (if turned over). To connect expansion cards, for example WiFi, modules of size 1630 and 2230 and keys are used A or E.
M.2 - the board must not only fit in size, but also have a key arrangement compatible with the slot. The dongles limit the mechanical compatibility between the various connectors and M.2 form factor boards and prevent the drives from being inserted incorrectly into the slot.
Actually, before buying an expansion board, you must check with the manufacturer the type of connector and compatible dimensions (length, width, thickness, single-sided and double-sided version).
What is Socket 1, Socket 2, Socket 3 as applied to M.2 (NGFF) devices?
Indeed, the concept of a socket is also encountered for M.2 devices. I think the creation of groups of M.2 connectors on Socket 1,2,3 for simplified separation of incompatible devices. Formally dividing all types of devices into 3 easy-to-understand types.
The division principle is illustrated in the following table:
| For installation in an M.2 slot | ||||
| Connector key | Module size | Module thickness | Connector key on the module | |
Socket 1Usually, communication modules (WIFi adapters, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.) |
||||
| A, E | 1630 | S1, D1, S3, D3, D4 | A, E, A + E | |
| A, E | 2230 | S1, D1, S3, D3, D4 | A, E, A + E | |
| A, E | 3030 | S1, D1, S3, D3, D4 | A, E, A + E | |
Socket 2For compact 3G / 4G modems M.2, but other equipment may appear |
B | 3042 | S1, D1, S3, D3, D4 | B |
Socket 2For M.2 SSD and other hardware with universal key B + M |
B | 2230 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | B + M |
| B | 2242 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | B + M | |
| B | 2260 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | B + M | |
| B | 2280 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | B + M | |
| B | 22110 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | B + M | |
Socket 3For M.2 SSD and other hardware with M key and B + M universal key |
M | 2242 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | M, B + M |
| M | 2260 | S2, D2, S3, D3, D5 | M, B + M | |
| M | 2280 | S2 ... D2, S3, D3, D5 | M, B + M | |
| M | 22110 | S2 ... D2, S3, D3, D5 | M, B + M | |
Let's analyze an example based on real online stores:
SSD SAMSUNG M.2 860 EVO 250 GB M.2 2280 SATA III (MZ-N6E250BW)
From the description you can see - we have a Samsung SSD with a capacity of 250Gb, designed for use in the M.2 slot. Next is the marking "2280" indicating the physical size - 22 mm wide, 80 mm long. About the thickness and one-sided or two-sided execution - not a word. In this case, you will have to check from other sources, or from the manufacturer of the drive. After indicating the size marking it is written - SATA III. What does this mean? This means that the drive is using a logical SATA III interface. That is, we have before us the same classic SATA drive, but made for the size and M.2 connector. The speed advantages of PCI Express are not used here.
That's all, the description of the seller on this is exhausted. What are we still missing? We do not have enough of an explicit indication of the type of the connector key, let it remain on the conscience of the seller. But we visually see 2 slots, which means that this drive can be used as part of motherboards with a connector like B and type M... This is a visual assessment, I repeat again - it is necessary to check with the manufacturer.
Let's try again:
SSD Samsung 960 EVO M.2 250 GB M.2 PCI-E TLC MZ-V6E250BW
Here we see the Samsung SSD 960 EVO also on the M.2 slot. In general, without specifying the marking of the physical dimensions and type, presumably also "2280" (it is always necessary to check from other sources). The following are PCI-E and TLC, what does this mean? This means that the device uses a PCI Express logical interface (which one is 2.0 or 3.0 is not clear, and how many 2x-4x lanes are also not known). TLC is a type of memory chip device. On this, the online store found the description sufficient. I think the guarantee will tell him otherwise ...
But visually, we see in this image one slot in the M.2 connector (presumably corresponding to the key M). And here you need to be careful, the device can physically fit into the connector B... And most likely, it will burn the board and the device. Therefore, it is necessary to know exactly what type of connector is installed on the board and which one is purchased.
Logical interface and instruction set implementations.
For M.2 expansion cards, there are three options for implementing a logical interface and a set of commands, by analogy with the SATA Express standard:
"Legacy SATA" Used for SSD with SATA interface, AHCI driver and speeds up to 6.0 Gb / s (SATA 3.0) "SATA Express" using AHCI Used for SSD with PCI Express interface and AHCI driver (for compatibility with a large number of operating systems) ... Due to the use of AHCI, performance may be slightly less than optimal (obtained with NVMe), since AHCI was designed to interact with slower drives with slow sequential access (for example, HDD), and not for SSDs with fast random access. "SATA Express" using NVMe Used for PCI Express SSDs with a high performance NVMe driver designed to work with fast flash drives. NVMe was designed with the low latency and parallelism of PCI Express SSDs in mind. NVMe makes better use of parallelism in the host computer and software, requires fewer data transfer stages, provides a deeper instruction queue, and more efficient interrupt handling.
What is NVMe?
NVM Express ( NVMe, NVMHCI - from the English. Non-Volatile Memory Host Controller Interface Specification). The NVM Express logical interface was designed from the ground up with the main goals of achieving low latency and efficient use of the high parallelism of SSDs through the use of a new instruction set and a queue processing engine optimized for work with modern multi-core processors.
NVMe accelerates I / O operations by eliminating the SAS command stack (SCSI). NVMe SSDs plug directly into the PCIe bus. Applications get dramatic performance gains from shifting I / O activity from SAS / SATA SSDs and HDDs to NVMe SSDs. Memories of a new type of storage are non-volatile and the latency when accessing them is significantly lower - at the level of delays in the random access memory (volatile).
The NVMe controller demonstrates all the advantages of an SSD: very low access latencies and huge queue depths for read and write operations. The extremely low latency of storage devices significantly reduces the likelihood of data table locks on updates. This is critical for multi-user databases with complex and interconnected tables.
Very important: the motherboard UEFI BIOS must contain an NVMe driver to boot the OS from the corresponding drive.
Conclusion.
In conclusion, the advantages adopted by the SATA 3.2 standard become obvious. The emergence of new specifications and connectors will expand the choice of compatible expansion cards, both for laptops and desktops. It will also increase the overall performance of computing systems from laptop to server.
The interface itself is fraught with a lot of pitfalls for both the simple user and the professional. Perhaps this is due to its novelty, and maybe some "dampness".
In any case, I tried to collect as much important information as possible. If you have any questions, you can ask in the comments to the article. If the article helped you, you can thank me by sending donations to Yandex wallet, the form for sending money is located at the very bottom of the site (basement). Thank you for your attention to my article.
