M.2 Slot Devices
In order to use an M.2 SSD in your desktop PC or laptop, you’ll need a motherboard with M.2 slots. Some motherboards have two or more M.2 slots, allows you to run your SSDs in RAID. Buses exposed through the M.2 connector are PCI Express 3.0 & newer, Serial ATA (SATA) 3.0 and USB 3.0, all these standards are backward compatible.As a result, M.2 modules can integrate multiple functions, including the following device classes: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, near field communication (NFC), digital radio, WiGig, wireless WAN (WWAN), and solid-state drives (SSDs). Windows not recognizing new m.2 NVME SSD but shows in BIOS I purchased a crucial nvme m.2 ssd for my MSI GT73 Titan - It shows in the PCIE section of the BIOS but does not show in disk management - Also does not show up in Crucial's Storage Executive Application. Assuming your motherboard does have an M.2 slot, the next thing to concern ourselves with is what connection the slot is using. Most of the newer M.2 drives use PCIe Gen3 x4 slots to fully reach their maximum respective speeds. These drives will work in an older gen x4 or x2 slot but that will definitely hinder the speed a bit.
Summary :
There are different slots that you can choose, such as SATA, but the most popular slot now is the M.2 slot. Then what is an M.2 slot and what can it do? In this post, MiniTool provides you with detailed information about the M.2 slot.
M.2 Slot Devices Definition
What Is an M.2 Slot?
To begin with, what is an M.2 slot? The M.2 format, formerly known as Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), is technically a replacement for the mSATA standard, which was very popular among manufacturers of ultra-compact laptops and other small accessories. The M.2 format is specially designed for manufacturers to replace various specific devices.
What Can M.2 Slot Do?
M.2 may completely replace all aging Serial ATA formats. The M.2 slot can interface with SATA 3.0 (the cable that may be connected to the storage drive of the desktop), PCI Express 3.0 (the default interface for graphics cards and other major expansion devices), and even USB 3.0.
This means that maybe any storage or disk drive, GPU or port extension, or low-power gadget using USB connection can be installed on the card that plugs into the M.2 slot at the same time. But the actual situation is much more complicated.
When you are using the PCI bus instead of the SATA bus, depending on the function of the motherboard and the M.2 card itself, M.2 devices can transfer data 50% to about 650% faster than standard SATA.
If you have the opportunity to use an M.2 SSD on a motherboard that supports PCI third generation, its speed may be much faster than conventional SATA drives.
What Devices Use the M.2 Slot?
Currently, M.2 is mainly used as an interface for ultra-high-speed SSDs on laptops and desktops. Some laptop designs also adopt the M.2 port as a wireless connection. This is not very common for desktop computers, which generally prefer to use a USB dongle or PCIe 1x card (although there is no reason why you cannot do this on a compatible motherboard).
And some companies have begun to expand the use of M.2 slots to categories that are not suitable for storage or expansion. Although no one has yet manufactured an M.2 graphics card, Intel is selling its Optane, a speed-up cache storage device in M.2 format, to consumers.
Does Your Computer Have an M.2 Slot?
If your PC was manufactured or assembled in recent years, it may have an M.2 slot. Unlucky, the flexibility of the format means that using it is not as easy as inserting a card.
The M.2 card has two main compatibility variables: length and key. The first one is obvious - your computer needs to have enough physical space to support the length of the card you want to use. The second is variable - the card’s connector must match the slot you want to insert.
Can You Add an M.2 Card If Your Computer Doesn’t Have an M.2 Slot?
If you are using a laptop, then you can't. The design of modern laptops is so compact that there is no room for unplanned expansion. If you use a desktop computer, then it’s OK for you. Adapters sold in large quantities already use the PCIe x4 slot on your motherboard.
M.2 Slot Devices Compatible
However, if your motherboard cannot boot from PCIe, then you cannot set the M.2 drive as the boot drive, which means you will not benefit from a lot of speed. So you should know that if you want the full advantages of the M.2 hard drive, you may need a motherboard that supports this motherboard.
If you don’t know how to boot from M.2 SSD, this post is what you need. This post demonstrates how to install Windows 10 on M. 2 SSD and how to boot from M.2.
Bottom Line
This post has given you most information about the M.2 slot, such as what it is and what it can do. If your laptops don’t have an M.2 slot, then you cannot add an M.2 card. But you can do that if you are using desktops.
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In this blog post, we’ll take a super quick look at the new M.2 solid state drives (SSDs) and what they mean for you.
What’s M.2?
M.2 solid state drives are a relatively new type of solid state drive. ‘M.2’ is the name of the specification or standard which these new SSDs are made to. It dictates things such as the physical size, interface and connector options that manufacturers can use when making their products.
Think of it like a set of rules which manufactures must follow to ensure their device (e.g. an SSD) is compatible with someone else’s device (e.g. motherboard).
That all may sound a bit complicated, but basically, the easy way to quickly pick an M.2 SSD over a standard SSD is by the look of it.
What’s the point / Why do I want one?
- Speed! We’re talking ~2500MBps for M.2 SSDs vs ~500MBps for SATA SSDs.
- No cables. The cards plug directly into the motherboard which makes the case neater.
- Size. Tiny cards means smaller cases.
M.2 Slot Devices App
Most common SSDs you see are SATA SSDs which connect to the SATA bus on the motherboard via a SATA cable (makes sense right?).
The M.2 specification allows the manufacturer to directly hook into a choice of buses on the motherboard such as SATA, PCIe or USB without any cables.
Many new SATA SSDs are hitting the limits of the SATA bus. The PCIe bus can be MUCH faster than the SATA bus and many new M.2 SSDs are taking advantage of this.
Can I fit one in my PC? Where does it plug in?
Take a deep breath and read on.
M.2 devices are a little different to what most may be used to – they plug into a M.2 slot on the motherboard. I know, it’s confusing. We’ve just been talking about “PCIe” and “SATA” but that was about the BUS or channel the data is going over in the motherboard, not the actual connector you plug into.
M.2 Slot Devices Vs
So yes, M.2 devices have their own connector or slot on the motherboard. There’s actually a few variations of the slot to look out for in terms of physical size and where the little notch or cutout is in the connector.
- The location (or locations) of the notch is identified with a single letter known as the key ID.
- The physical size can vary in width and length and is usually specified as a 4 digit number representing width then length. For example, 2280 means 22mm wide X 80mm long.
If you’re reading this article, the main takeaway you should remember is this: MOST M.2 SSDs which use the PCIe bus (The fast ones) have a single notch on the “M” key and have a 2280 form factor (size). In the near future these may shrink down in size so make sure you check the sizes before purchasing.
The older M.2 SSDs which use the SATA bus (the slower ones) commonly have two notches, on the B and M keys. These are often 2280 or 2242 in size.
Check out the full details of the notches and sizes on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.2#Form_factors_and_keying
Examples / Recommendations
If you’re looking to buy a M.2 SSD, make sure your motherboard can support the SSD first! This means you’ll need a M.2 connector on your motherboard that will match your M.2 SSD, so you can plug it in.
We really like the Asus z170 Pro Gaming motherboard. It supports M.2 SSDs at PCIe 4x and a length of 42mm, 60mm, 80mm or 110mm. You’ll notice the M.2 connector towards the bottom right of the image.
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (both SATA & PCIE mode)*1
As for the SSD, take a look at the Samsung 950 pro 512GB. It’s a “M” notched 2280 form factor SSD meaning it’ll fit perfectly in the above ASUS 170 Pro Gaming motherboard.
If you’ve installed an M.2 SSD in your system we’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!