What Is An M.2 SSD? - TechTarget

• Home
• Flash memory and storage

Tech Accelerator Flash memory guide to architecture, types and products Prev Next Download this guide1 X Free Download Flash memory guide to architecture, types and products

This flash memory guide covers uses for flash memory, the technology's history and its advantages and drawbacks. The guide also provides an overview of the different flavors of flash, from single-level cell chips to 3D NAND. We'll also look at the current tradeoffs and the foreseeable future of this far-reaching electronic component technology.

• Share this item with your network:

By

• Alexander S. Gillis, Technical Writer and Editor
• Rich Castagna
• Dave Raffo

Published: Jun 28, 2023

What is an M.2 SSD?

An M.2 SSD is a small form factor solid-state drive (SSD) that internally mounted storage expansion cards use. M.2 SSDs conform to a computer industry specification and are designed to enable high-performance storage in thin, power-constrained devices, such as ultrabook laptops and tablet computers. They are generally smaller than other comparable SSDs, such as the mini Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (mSATA).

SSDs are a form of storage media that saves persistent data on solid-state flash memory. Unlike a hard disk drive (HDD), an SSD has no moving parts to break or spin up or down. The M.2 SSD interface specification was originally known as the Next-Generation Form Factor, but the name was changed to M.2 (pronounced M-dot-2). M.2 SSDs are useful for someone who is building or upgrading a personal computer (PC) or laptop for use cases such as gaming, 3D animation, video editing or large file transfers.

M.2 supports multiple protocols and applications such as Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) and SATA. M.2-compatible products are not limited to solid-state drives either. The specification also supports protocols such as Universal Serial Buses (USBs) and Wi-Fi and can be used in graphics cards and artificial intelligence accelerator cards that use the M.2 specification.

The M.2 form-factor specification was defined by the SATA International Organization, as well as the PCI Special Interest Group -- a consortium of technology industry vendors.

This article is part of

Flash memory guide to architecture, types and products

• Which also includes:
• Flash memory vs. RAM: What's the difference?
• 5 NAND flash manufacturers balance performance, reliability
• QLC vs. TLC SSDs: Which is best for your storage needs?

How does an M.2 SSD work?

M.2 modules can integrate with device classes such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near-field communication and wireless wide area networks. But M.2 form factors are most commonly associated with SSDs for data storage.

M.2 drives do not need a cable to connect to a motherboard. Instead, they are plugged directly into the motherboard with a dedicated M.2 connector slot.

An M.2 SSD can be used with both SATA and PCIe protocols. SATA is a standard for connecting and transferring data from HDDs to computer systems. PCIe, which is a serial expansion bus standard, is used to connect a computer to one or more peripheral devices.

M.2 SSDs also support PCIe-based non-volatile memory express (NVMe) drives. NVMe can accelerate the transfer speed of data between client systems and SSDs over a PCIe bus. NVMe support was developed to reduce bottlenecks and improve performance. It also enables increased parallel processing for read and write requests. Because of its design, NVMe support can add up to five times more bandwidth than SATA M.2 models and may enable a computer to provide better performance for tasks like file transfers.

M.2 SSDs can also be either single- or double-sided. Single-sided M.2 boards are used where space is limited, such as with ultra-thin laptops. Double-sided chips, however, take up more physical space but have greater storage capacities.

The M.2 device has notches in one end, which act as connectors, called module keys. M.2 modules are rectangular. An edge connector is located on one side with a mounting hole at the opposite edge. The edge connector has 75 positions with up to 67 pins. Each pin is rated up to 50 volts and 0.5 amps.

M.2 SSD form factor

Generally, M.2 SSDs are 22 millimeters wide and 60 mm or 80 mm long; although, card lengths can vary. The card size is identified by a four- or five-digit number. The first two digits are the width and the remaining numbers are the length. For example, a 2260 card is 22 mm wide and 60 mm long. Longer M.2 drives usually hold more NAND chips for extra capacity. Other sizes include the following:

• 2280 -- 22 mm x 80 mm
• 2230 -- 22 mm x 30 mm
• 2242 -- 22 mm x 42 mm
• 2260 -- 22 mm x 60 mm
• 22110 -- 22 mm x 110 mm

The 22 mm width is the standard for desktops and laptops. An 80 mm or 110 mm length card can hold eight NAND chips for 2 terabytes (TB) of capacity.

M.2 module keys

Keys -- the notches in the edge connectors of M.2 modules -- can distinguish the type of M.2 product.

M.2 SSD modules plug into circuit boards through connectors on either side. Unlike mSATA, M.2 SSD cards have two types of connectors, also known as sockets: B key sockets and M key sockets. A single card can also have both key types. The type of key determines the number of PCIe lanes the socket supports. A B key holds one or two PCI express lanes, while an M key holds up to four PCIe lanes. The B key edge connector is six pins wide, and the M key edge connector is five pins wide.

For Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapters, M.2 cards are keyed for A and E slots in a motherboard. Most M.2 wireless cards support both A and E key slots.

M.2 SSD pros and cons

Benefits of using an M.2 SSD include the following:

• Size and capacity. In a laptop, an M.2 SSD takes up far less space and uses much less power than a standard SATA or Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) interface solid-state drive. However, if massive storage capacity is required in a mobile device, other form factors will likely be a better fit.
• Performance. An M.2 SSD based on the NVMe specifications, for example, can read and write at much faster rates than SATA or SAS SSDs.
• Flexible interface. An M.2 SSD supports PCIe, SATA, USB 3.0, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. If a user purchases a laptop with an M.2 interface, they will have many configuration options for peripheral gear.

However, drawbacks that come with M.2 SSDs include the following:

• Price. An M.2 SSD costs more than a SATA SSD. Prices for 2.5-inch SATA SSDs have plummeted, as they are produced in greater numbers.
• Limited capacity. While 1 TB or 2 TB is probably adequate for most mobile applications, enterprise storage systems require higher capacities.

What are the buying options for M.2 SSD?

M.2 cards are typically used in newer mobile computing devices. Because the form factor is different from mSATA cards, M.2 SSDs are not compatible with older systems and may not fit large enterprise storage devices. However, enterprise storage vendors are beginning to incorporate M.2 SSDs in their hybrid and all-flash storage arrays. Even with limited capacities, the size and density of M.2 SSDs still enable storage vendors to pack a lot of high-performance capacity into a small area.

Some examples of different M.2 SSDs to choose from include the Adata XPG SX8200 Pro or Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Storage performance specifications for the Adata M.2 SSD include 256 gigabyte (GB) to 2 TB storage capacity, with read and sequential write speeds up to 3,500 MB and 3,000 MB per second, respectively. Its mean time between failures is rated at 2 million hours. Random access speeds fall short compared to other choices, however -- meaning the storage speed may be slower, comparatively.

M.2 vendors

The price for a 2 TB M.2 SSD typically ranges from $150 to $200; lower capacities are considerably less expensive, with 256 GB M.2 SSDs available for around $50. As noted above, Adata and Samsung, for example, sell a variety of M.2 SSDs in different capacities. Other M.2 SSD vendors include the following:

• Crucial, which is owned by Micron Technology.
• Kingston Technology.
• Plextor.
• Team Group.
• Toshiba.

In addition, Intel is a large vendor of M.2 wireless adapters.

How do you choose an M.2 SSD?

M.2 SATA drives and M.2 NVMe drives are becoming the standard recommendation for new PC builds and upgrades, as they are becoming less expensive and more popular.

The first consideration when planning to purchase an M.2 device for a computer is whether it has one or two M.2 plugs. If a laptop is compatible with M.2 specifications, it will have the physical interface, and the device's operating system should already include the required Advanced Host Controller Interface drivers need to enable installation of the M.2 storage card. It may also be necessary to make an adjustment in the device's basic input/output system so that it can recognize the M.2 storage.

If the computer will be used mainly for daily tasks or gaming, then an M.2 SATA drive should suffice. However, if the user needs the best computing speed or requires fast sequential read and write speeds for use cases such as editing 4K video or large file transfers, then an M.2 NVMe drive should be selected.

If the motherboard does not have an M.2 slot, then the user can get a M.2 drive on a card, which vendors like Asus or MSI provide. These put the M.2 drive on a PCIe expansion card, enabling the use of an M.2 through the PCIe slots.

What are the differences between M.2, mSATA and NVMe SSDs?

M.2 is commonly referred to as an mSATA replacement, but mSATA SSDs still exist and may continue to for some time -- especially in laptop platforms that support that form factor. Because M.2 and mSATA cards are different and have different connectors, they cannot be plugged into the same devices -- meaning they both still have their use cases.

M.2 is a form factor that can take the form of a SATA SSD or a PCIe NVMe SSD.

M.2 SSDs are faster and store more data than most mSATA cards. M.2 SSDs support a variety of interface standards such as PCIe 3.0, SATA 3.0 and USB 3.0 interfaces, compared to mSATA, which only supports SATA interface standards. M.2 SATA SSDs have a similar level of performance to mSATA cards, but M.2 PCIe cards are notably faster. In addition, SATA SSDs have a maximum speed of 600 MB per second, while M.2 PCIe cards can hit 4 GB per second.

PCIe support also allows M.2 cards to take advantage of the NVMe protocol. An NVMe drive provides a large performance advantage over drives based on other types of interfaces due to reduced latency, increased input/output operations per second and lower power consumption.

The main benefit of an NVMe-based PCIe SSD over SATA and mSATA is speed. While SATA drives clock in at 750 MB per second, NVMe clocks in at 1 GB per second on the low end.

Given the speed benefits of the NVMe drives, M.2 NVMe SSDs are a good choice for hard drive-intensive workloads or workloads that require many hard drive reads and writes.

Continue Reading About M.2 SSD

• 4 causes of SSD failure and how to deal with them

• HDD vs. SSD storage in the age of flash

• Monitoring the health of NVMe SSDs

• 4 NVMe storage problems you can prevent before they happen

Related Terms

What is a conductor? A conductor, or electrical conductor, is a substance or material that allows electricity to flow through it. See complete definition What is an inductor? An inductor is a passive electronic component that temporarily stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows ... See complete definition What is an mSATA SSD (mSATA solid-state drive)? An mSATA SSD is a solid-state drive that conforms to the mSATA interface specification developed by the Serial ATA (SATA) ... See complete definition

Dig Deeper on Flash memory and storage

• What is an mSATA SSD (mSATA solid-state drive)?

  By: Rahul Awati

• What is U.2 SSD (formerly SFF-8639)?

  By: Rahul Awati

• SAS SSD (Serial-Attached SCSI solid-state drive)

  By: Paul Kirvan

• HDD form factor (hard disk drive form factor)

  By: Rahul Awati

Vendor Resources

• NVMe flash storage 101 –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com
• Focus: PCIe SSD, NVMe and flash –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com
• Flash hits the cloud while NVMe flash goes mainstream –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com
• Eyes on India: New age of flash storage boosts performance & efficiency –TechTarget ComputerWeekly.com

Latest TechTarget resources

• Disaster Recovery
• Data Backup
• Data Center
• Sustainability and ESG

Search Disaster Recovery

• Building a power outage business continuity plan: Step by step

  Loss of electric power presents a major risk to business continuity, and no organization is immune. Take these steps to create a ...

• Business continuity in the cloud: Benefits, issues and tips

  Using the cloud for business continuity helps reduce downtime, increase redundancy and simplify disaster recovery plans. Learn ...

• Risk assessment matrix: Free template and usage guide

  A risk assessment matrix identifies issues with the greatest potential for business disruption or damage. Use our free template ...

Search Data Backup

• 9 backup as a service (BaaS) providers in 2026

  BaaS is available in public, private and hybrid varieties and from numerous vendors. Here's how to evaluate the options to find a...

• Key takeaways from Commvault Shift 2025

  The vendor is positioning itself to face rising data protection challenges, such as identity resilience and fragmented ...

• Wasabi Technologies releases Covert Copy to protect backups

  The resilience-focused feature aims to protect critical backup data from both external and internal threats.

Search Data Center

• Enhance operations with decentralized data centers

  Decentralized data centers enhance scalability, reduce latency and improve data compliance, offering a strategic shift for ...

• Composable architecture: Future-proofing AI expansion

  Data center admins should adopt a composable architecture to improve resource utilization, reduce costs and enhance AI workload ...

• ISO 14644 standards: Cleanroom guidelines for data centers

  There are regulated requirements to maintain data center equipment and functionality. ISO 14644 cleanroom standards lay out ...

Sustainability and ESG

• How to launch a corporate recycling initiative

  Corporate recycling initiatives have gone beyond basics, and IT leaders play a crucial role in that. From physical to digital ...

• 9 ESG benefits for businesses

  ESG programs help businesses attract investors, build customer loyalty, improve financial performance, make operations ...

• 10 top ESG reporting frameworks explained and compared

  Here's an overview of 10 ESG reporting frameworks and standards that companies can use to file reports on their practices and ...

Close