M 2 key e connector. Can I add an M.2 card to my PC if it doesn't have a slot? Physical compatibility of interfaces

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 kind of 2242, 2260, 2280 it is 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 M2, as I said above, was conceived as a universal interface that will replace the outdated mSATA and mini PCIe.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 (designated 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"):

1. what interface your motherboard supports (PCI-E 2.0 x4, PCI-E 3.0 x2, PCI-E 3.0 x4, SATA III);
2. dimensions of SSD M2 drive, which can be installed (2280, 2260, 2242);
3. the key that your motherboard supports (usually SATA drives come with the "M&B" key, and PCIe x4 drives with the "M" key);
4. 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 ...

Don't know which interface to buy an SSD drive with? Then this article will help you with your choice! Today we will look at what interfaces the SSD has.

SSD-drives are already registered in almost all modern gaming PCs and laptops. No wonder - the volume of drives is increasing, the price is falling, the choice is huge. Yes, not all of them are as good as we would like, but today we will not talk about that. But besides the choice of the manufacturer and model, another question arises - with what interface do we need a drive?

Now manufacturers continue to develop in two directions - the transition from SATA to PCI-Express and the use of a different physical interface. In the second case, several new types of connectors have appeared in front of us. All this can take the user by surprise in the event of an upgrade of their system.

SATA
We are already accustomed to the fact that SATA SSDs are 2.5 ″ devices with a capacity of up to 1 TB. The SATA III (6Gb / s) interface provides real data transfer rates up to 550MB / s. Such drives are most often found in PCs, all-in-ones and laptops, while having maximum compatibility with platforms. But ultrabooks (for example - ASUS Zenbook) physically cannot accommodate such drives.

PCI-Express
Due to the nature of the physical interface, PCI-Express SSDs are used exclusively in PCs and servers. Depending on the drive, the PCI-Express x2, x4 or x8 interface is used. The advantage of PCI-Express drives is the speed, because it is noticeably higher than those available for SATA III (550 MB / s) - here we will get more than 780 MB / s (this speed is taken from ROG RAIDR Express). And in more expensive solutions - more than a gigabyte per second.

mSATA
The mSATA (mini-SATA) interface can be found on some desktop motherboards (for example, the ASUS Maximus V line) and in quite a few laptops. Drives with this interface comply with the SATA III (6Gb / s) specification and can achieve data transfer rates of 550MB / s. The mSATA interface and devices are outwardly indistinguishable from the mini-PCI-Express interface and devices, but they are absolutely incompatible, and installing an mSATA device in a mini-PCI-Express slot may damage these components. MSATA is currently leaving the market as it has been replaced by a newer interface, M.2.

SATA Express
SATA Express is designed specifically for PCs and has a theoretical bandwidth of 10 Gb / s (40% faster than SATA III). The new interface assumes the use of a completely different connector on the board and on the drive, as well as the use of a new cable for transferring information. For example, the new interface is already available on the ASUS Z87 Deluxe / SATA Express motherboard, and will also be available on new motherboards based on the Intel Z97 chipset. True, the drives themselves will appear only by the summer. One connector accepts one SATA Express drive or two SATA III drives.

M.2 Connector (NGFF)
Formerly known as NGFF (Next Generation Form Factor - after mSATA), M.2 drives have taken their place in laptops and ultrabooks. But some desktop motherboards will have this connector as well. In the M.2 interface, both PCI-Express lines and SATA lines can be implemented. But in most cases, it is the PCI-Express lines that are used. So when choosing an M.2 drive, you should first find out from the specification of your device what type of M.2 interface you have on the board.

Hello everyone!

M2, SATA, PCI Express - Which is Better?

Before answering this question, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the terminology.
Let's start with the simplest and most familiar - What is an SSD?

Solid-State Drive is a way of storing data. That is, if we are talking about a hard drive, then we mean that data is stored on round magnetic platters, and if we are talking about an SSD, then it is assumed that they are contained on memory chips.

Form factor

They are the same size as 2.5-inch hard drives, but since they are SSDs, there are memory chips inside the case that store data.

The whole thing is connected to the motherboard using a SATA connector.
There are also more exotic options like M2 drives.
These are thin, long and essentially bare boards on which the very chips are visible.

This is the same SSD drive, only using a connection type / connector called M2. There are also PCI Express drives, although often they are the same M2 drives that are simply inserted into a PCI Express adapter and are sold in one set.

Protocol and interface

Everything became clear with the sizes and types of connection. It remains to study such a thing as the protocol. In simple terms, this is the technology of communication between the drive and the rest of the computer components, and in particular the processor.
Most common 2.5-inch SATA SSDs use the AHCI protocol, which was developed quite a long time ago for using hard drives and as a result has limitations. The SATA connection itself is also limited to 550-600 MB / s bandwidth.

Just to get around these speed limits, PCI Express and M2 were invented, although they still use or emulate AHSI, but because of the new interface, they have a much higher bandwidth than their predecessors.

Also relatively recently, the NVMe protocol was developed, which can transmit up to 65,000 queues, while AHSI only 32 queues.

It's time to move from words to deeds and look at the interface comparison:

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

1. Small size. Even rather small, compared to HDDs, SSDs require a separate space in the case of a personal computer, while the M2 goes almost tightly to the motherboard, due to which it is suitable even for laptops that do not have space for standard SSDs.
2. Versatility. SSDs with M2 form factor can be connected both via SATA and PCI-E, and into their own M2 connector. You can't do that with a regular hard drive or solid state drive.
3. High performance and low resource consumption. As most tests show, the M2 interface really surpasses the usual SATA, and also requires less power.
4. Lack of additional power supply. Standard drives require an additional 15Pin power supply cable, M2 does not.

Flaws:

1. Complexity of compatibility with computers.
   Before purchasing an M.2 SSD, you must make sure your motherboard supports this connector. To do this, you need to know whether the connector itself is present on the board, and then the compatibility of a particular disk and board. You also need to know the length of the SSD and check if it suits you.
2. Overheat.
   Long-term recording to disk heats the chip to a very high temperature, which triggers the controller, which slows down the write speed to cool down. This problem does not occur so often, but manufacturers have already begun to produce drives with external cooling in the form of heatsinks.
3. Price
   Previously, SSD M.2 cost an order of magnitude higher than their counterparts on the SATA interface, but in 2018 the situation leveled out quite quickly and in the middle price segment (8-14 tr) drives on M.2 cost only 2000-3000 thousand more expensive than their predecessors.
4. Guarantee
   If you are considering opting for an expensive drive with future headroom, be sure to make sure your device has a long warranty. Recently, almost all eminent manufacturers - for example: Samsung, Intel, Plextor, Western Digital give several years of warranty

Conclusion

Summing up, I would like to say that the M2 interface, and in particular the NVMe technology, is a new standard that all manufacturers will switch to.

While desktop hard drives have existed in 3.5-inch form factor for years, SSDs have been shipped in 2.5-inch format from the beginning. It was great for small SSD components. However, laptops were getting thinner and 2.5-inch SSDs were no longer meeting the small size criterion. Therefore, many manufacturers have paid attention to other form factors with smaller dimensions.

In particular, the mSATA standard was developed, but it appeared too late. The corresponding interface is quite rare today, in no small part due to the fact that mSATA (short for mini-SATA) still operates at the comparatively low speed of SATA. MSATA drives are physically identical to Mini PCI Express modules, but mSATA and mini PCIe are not electrically compatible. If the socket is for installing mSATA drives, you will only be able to use them. Conversely, if the socket is for mini PCI Express modules, mSATA SSDs can be inserted, but they will not work.

The mSATA standard can be considered obsolete today. It gave way to the M.2 standard, which was originally called Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF). The M.2 standard provides manufacturers with greater flexibility in SSD size as the drives are much more compact, with eight lengths available, ranging from 16mm to 110mm. M.2 also supports various interface options. The PCI Express interface is increasingly used today and will dominate in the future as it is significantly faster. But the first M.2 drives relied on the SATA interface, theoretically USB 3.0 is also possible. However, not all M.2 slots support all of the mentioned interfaces. Therefore, before purchasing a drive, check which standards your M.2 slot supports.

The M.2 standard is spreading to desktop PCs today, and modern motherboards offer at least one corresponding slot. Another positive point - the cable is no longer required, the drive is inserted directly into the motherboard slot. However, a cable connection is also possible. But for this, the motherboard must have a corresponding port, namely U.2. This standard was previously known as SFF 8639. Of course, it is theoretically possible to equip 2.5-inch drives with a U.2 port, but there are very few such models on the market, as well as drives with SATA Express.

SATA Express is the successor to SATA 6Gb / s and is therefore backward compatible. In fact, the host interface even supports two SATA 6Gb / s ports or one SATA Express. This support has been added more for compatibility because SATA Express drives are electrically connected to the PCI Express bus. That is, SATA Express drives on "clean" SATA 6Gb / s ports do not work. But SATA Express only relies on two PCIe lanes, meaning the bandwidth will be half the bandwidth of M.2.

Compact and super fast: M.2 SSD PCI Express, photo with adapter card

Of course, most desktops have regular PCI Express slots, so you can install an SSD directly into a slot such as a graphics card. You can purchase an adapter card for M.2 SSD (PCIe) and then connect drives in the "traditional" way in the form of a PCI Express expansion card.

M.2 PCI Express SSDs deliver over two gigabytes per second - but only with the right connection. Modern M.2 SSDs are typically designed for four Gen 3 PCI Express lanes, and this is the only way to unlock their performance potential. With the older PCIe 2.0 standard and / or fewer lanes, SSDs will work, but you will lose quite a bit of performance. If in doubt, we recommend taking a look at the motherboard user manual for the M.2 line configuration.

If the motherboard does not have an M.2 slot, you can install such a drive through an expansion card, for example, in the slot for a second video card. However, in this case, more often than not 16, but 8 PCI Express lines will be supplied to the video card. However, this will not affect the performance of the video card so seriously. The following table summarizes the modern interfaces:

The M.2 connector was introduced to the world a few years ago as a standard that allows you to take full advantage of SSDs, allowing them to be installed in small computers.

Cool drive on any computer

A few years ago, on every desktop one could find a hard disk drive HDD, cables, cords and jumpers - items known to everyone who has independently modified or repaired a computer.

Hard drives of the time used an ATA connector and interface, which offered 133 MB / sec throughput. A few years later, the SATA interface debuted and changed the world of storage media forever.

SATA has survived three generations, the last of which is still in use today. The first, that is, SATA 1, provides bandwidth at the level of MB / s, SATA 2 allows you to reach 300 MB / s, and SATA 3 - 600 MB / s.

New storage solutions

The beginning of the XXI century is the time of the greatest popularity of HDDs - their prices were low, so that everyone could afford several tens of gigabytes of memory, and a few years later - several terabytes.

At the same time, solid-state drives began to be released, which were used in mobile devices, memory cards, portable USB drives, and also in computers as SSDs (solid-state drives).

The advantage of SSD is incomparably faster data writing and reading speed, as well as the absence of mechanical elements, which increases resistance to shock and falls.

SSD drives may be small in size, but due to the popularity of the SATA interface, they began to be produced in the format of 2.5-inch disks, similar to HDD.

Backward compatibility has its drawbacks

The SATA interface was created much earlier than SSDs, so even the latest version is not able to use all the features... First of all, this is due to the limitation of 600 MB / s, that is, the maximum bandwidth of the SATA 3 interface. This is a big problem, because SSD performance could be much more.

They tried to fix the problem of large media sizes by introducing the mSATA standard, which is a connector directly on the computer's motherboard. The solution allowed SSDs to be installed in netbooks and ultrabooks, saving space and reducing their weight.

Unfortunately, the mSATA standard was based on the SATA 3 interface, which means it is also limited to a bandwidth of 600 MB / s.

M.2 slot - the future of solid-state media

M.2 standard debuted as Next Generation Form Factor, that is, as a "new generation connector". In 2013, it was officially renamed M.2.

The development is primarily due to Intel, which first used it in motherboards with H97 and Z97 chipsets for the latest generation of intel Core processors (Haswell Refresh).

M.2 is a connector for an expansion card that installs directly on the motherboard. Designed with SSDs, Wi-Fi cards, Bluetooth, NFC and GPS in mind.

Depending on the function, there are several variants of M.2 cards on the market: 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110. The first two digits are the width (in any case - 22 mm), and the rest of the digits are the length (30 mm, 42 mm, 80 mm or 110 mm). In the case of modern SSDs, the 2280 option is most often used.

M.2 standard uses the PCIe interface for communication with the motherboard (currently PCIe 3.0 is under development), which overcomes the limitations of the SATA 3 interface. Depending on the number of supported PCI Express lanes, the throughput of M.2 drives for PCIe 3.0 x1 can be up to 1 Gb / s, and for PCIe 3.0 x16 up to 15 Gbps.

The M.2 slot can support PCI Express, PCIe and SATA protocol. If an M.2 PCIe drive is connected to a motherboard that only supports the SATA standard, it will not be visible in the system and will not be usable. The same situation will take place when we connect the M.2 SATA drive to a computer that only supports PCIe.

The M.2 media connector can be positioned differently. There are B, M, B + M key cards available on the market. Buying an SSD drive, you should first make sure which connectors your motherboard supports in the computer.

The discs with the B key will not fit the socket, with the M key and vice versa. The solution to this problem is the B + M key. A motherboard with this socket provides compatibility with both types of drives. However, it should be borne in mind that this is not the only factor that indicates compliance.

NVMe technology - the new standard

Old hard drives HDD and SSD use the AHCI protocol to communicate with the operating system. Just like the SATA interface, it dates back to the days of hard disk drives (HDDs) and is not able to take full advantage of modern SSDs.

This is why the NVMe protocol was created. It's a technology built from the ground up, designed with the fast semiconductor media of the future in mind. It features low latency and allows you to perform more operations per second with less CPU usage.

In order to use NVMe-enabled media, the motherboard must support the UEFI standard.

Which M.2 drive to choose

When you buy an M.2 drive you should pay attention to:

• M.2 slot size that the motherboard has (2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110)
• The type of dongle that has an M.2 connector on the motherboard (M, B, or B + M)
• Interface support (PCIe or SATA)
• PCIe generation and number of lanes (e.g. PCIe 3.0 × 4)
• AHCI or NVMe protocol support

Currently, the best choice is M.2 SSD, which uses PCIe 3.0 × 4 interface and NVMe technology. This solution will provide comfortable work in games and programs that require very fast read / write and advanced graphics processing.

Some solid-state media are also equipped with a heat sink, which lowers temperatures, thereby increasing performance and stability.