Does your motherboard support only M.2 SATA SSD Drives? If yes, then an M.2 NVMe will either not work. Now, this could be confusing to many, since both are M.2, looks similar, however, the interface and bus speed is different. Before you pick any of these, ensure that you have the correct type.
Most of us are well aware of SSDs that deliver much faster storage access compared to conventional HDDs. An M.2 SSD offers the same or even better storage performance as any traditional SSD, but it is more compact in form factor. This specialized form factor is referred as Next Generation Form Factor / NGFF or M.2 (pronounced as M dot 2).
M.2 SSDs are utilized for high-performance storage in thin, power constrained devices. These drives are used in an ultrabook, notebooks and tablet computers. They are comparatively smaller and lightweight compared o SATA SSDs. Thus, they are used as an alternative for size compact devices.
M.2 SATA SSD Drives
If you own a notebook/ultrabook and looking forward to upgrading your storage, then this post will make your search a little bit easy. We have a list of some of the best M.2 SATA SSDs available out there in the market with their full specs. Here we go:
1. Crucial MX300:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Expansion Slots |
8 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
Miscellaneous
| Encryption Algorithm |
256-bit AES |
| MTBF |
1500000 sec |
| Color Category |
blue |
| Hardware Encryption |
Yes |
| Encryption Details |
TCG Opal Encryption 2.0 |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
Active Garbage Collection, Adaptive Thermal Protection, dynamic write acceleration, hardware encryption, power loss prevention (PLP), Crucial Custom Firmware, Data Path Protection, Device Sleep support, Error Correction Code (ECC), Extreme Energy Efficiency technology, Multistep Data Integrity Algorithm, Redundant Array of Independent NAND, TRIM support |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
530 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
510 MBps |
| 4KB Random Read |
92000 |
| 4KB Random Write |
83000 |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps (read) / 525 MBps (write) |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
| Service & Support |
Limited warranty – 3 years |
SOFTWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
| Software Included |
Acronis True Image HD |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Storage Temperature |
-67 °F |
| Max Storage Temperature |
185 °F |
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
STORAGE HARD DRIVE
| Compliant Standards |
S.M.A.R.T. |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
RELIABILITY
2. WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD WDS250G2B0B:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
3D NAND Technology, DEVSLP SATA low power mode |
| SSD Endurance |
blue |
| Hard Drive Type |
100 TB |
| Form Factor (Short) |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
525 MBps |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
530 MBps (read) / 510 MBps (write) |
| 4KB Random Write |
83000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
| 4KB Random Read |
92000 IOPS |
MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
| Service & Support |
Limited warranty – 3 years |
SOFTWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
| Software Included |
Acronis True Image HD |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
STORAGE HARD DRIVE
| Compliant Standards |
S.M.A.R.T. |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
0.1 in |
| Height |
3.1 in |
| Weight |
0.25 oz |
POWER CONSUMPTION
| Mode |
active, read, sleep, write |
| Value |
2200 mW, 2250 mW, 52 mW, 56 mW |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
3. Samsung 850 EVO (500GB, M.2):
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
MISCELLANEOUS
| MTBF |
1500000 sec |
| Hardware Encryption |
Yes |
| Encryption Details |
Self-Encrypting Drive (SED), TCG Opal Encryption 2.0 |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
3D V-NAND Technology, Auto Garbage Collection Algorithm, Worldwide Name (WWN), DevSleep mode, Dynamic Thermal Guard protection, Hardware Full Disk Encryption (FDE), Microsoft eDrive compatible, RAPID mode support, Samsung MGX Controller, TRIM support, TurboWrite Technology |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
triple-level cell (TLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
500 MBps |
| Maximum 4KB Random Write |
89000 |
| Buffer Size |
512 MB |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps (read) / 500 MBps (write) |
| Maximum 4KB Random Write |
89000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
SOFTWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
| Software Included |
Samsung Magician Software, Samsung Data Migration |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
STORAGE HARD DRIVE
| Compliant Standards |
256-bit AES, IEEE 1667, S.M.A.R.T. |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.2 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
POWER CONSUMPTION
| Mode |
active, average, maximum, sleep |
| Value |
2 mW, 3.5 Watt, 4.7 Watt, 50 mW |
SOFTWARE
| Type |
Samsung Data Migration, Samsung Magician Software |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
RELIABILITY
4. ADATA Ultimate SU800 M.2 2280:
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MISCELLANEOUS
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
DRAM cache, DevSleep mode, Intelligent SLC Caching, LDPC error correction, SMI controller |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
3D triple-level cell (TLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
520 MBps |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps (read) / 520 MBps (write) |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Storage Temperature |
-40 °F |
| Max Storage Temperature |
185 °F |
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.28 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
SHOCK & VIBRATION TOLERANCE
| Shock Acceleration (Operating) |
1500 g |
| Shock Duration (Operating) |
0.5 ms |
RELIABILITY
5. Transcend MTS800:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
DevSleep mode, Intel ISR support, Native Command Queuing (NCQ), TRIM support |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
multi-level cell (MLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
310 MBps |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps (read) / 310 MBps (write) |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
| Service & Support |
Limited warranty – 3 years |
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
| OS Required |
Linux Kernel 2.6.31 or later, Microsoft Windows Vista / XP / 7 / 8 |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
3.1 in |
| Depth |
0.9 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.39 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
6. ADATA Premier Pro SP900 M.2 2280:
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MISCELLANEOUS
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
DevSleep mode, Native Command Queuing (NCQ), Smart Response Technology, TRIM support, synchronous flash memory |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
multi-level cell (MLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
530 MBps |
| 4KB Random Write |
86000 |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps (read) / 530 MBps (write) |
| 4KB Random Write |
86000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
STORAGE HARD DRIVE
| Compliant Standards |
S.M.A.R.T. |
BAY REQUIRED
| Type |
internal |
| Form Factor |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 |
| Total Qty |
1 |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.28 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
RELIABILITY
7. Kingston SSDNow – 240 GB:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
MISCELLANEOUS
| MTBF |
1000000 sec |
| Color Category |
black |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
Advanced Garbage Collection, DevSleep mode, TRIM support, Wear Leveling Support |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| SSD Endurance |
300 TB |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2280 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
multi-level cell (MLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
330 MBps |
| 4KB Random Write |
79000 |
| Maximum 4KB Random Write |
10000 |
| Maximum 4KB Random Read |
80000 IOPS |
| Drive Writes Per Day (DWPD) |
0.7 |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
550 MBps (read) / 330 MBps (write) |
| Maximum 4KB Random Write |
10000 IOPS |
| 4KB Random Write |
79000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
| 4KB Random Read |
79000 IOPS |
MANUFACTURER WARRANTY
| Service & Support |
Limited warranty – 5 years |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
BAY REQUIRED
| Type |
internal |
| Form Factor |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 |
| Total Qty |
1 |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.21 oz |
POWER CONSUMPTION
| Mode |
idle, read, write |
| Value |
0.06 Watt, 1.56 Watt, 3.01 Watt |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
RELIABILITY
8. Transcend MTS600 – 256 GB:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2260 |
| Features |
Intel ISRTsupport |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2260 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
multi-level cell (MLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
310 MBps |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
| Internal Data Rate |
560 MBps (read) / 310 MBps (write) |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
600 MBps (external) |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
2.4 in |
| Depth |
0.9 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.25 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
9. SanDisk X400 – 128 GB:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
MISCELLANEOUS
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
DEVSLP SATA low power mode, DataGuard Technology, Device Initiated Power Management (DIPM), LDPC error correction, nCache 2.0 technology |
| SSD Endurance |
72 TB |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2260 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
triple-level cell (TLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
340 MBps |
| 4KB Random Read |
93500 |
| 4KB Random Write |
60000 |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps (read) / 340 MBps (write) |
| 4KB Random Write |
60000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
| 4KB Random Read |
93500 IOPS |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.25 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
POWER CONSUMPTION
| Mode |
average, read, write |
| Value |
2050 mW, 3350 mW, 70 mW |
RELIABILITY
10. WD Green PC SSD WDS240G1G0B:
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INTERFACE PROVIDED
| Qty |
1 |
| Connector Type |
M.2 Card |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
MISCELLANEOUS
HARD DRIVE
| Form Factor |
M.2 2280 |
| Features |
DEVSLP SATA low power mode |
| SSD Endurance |
80 TB |
| Hard Drive Type |
internal hard drive |
| Form Factor (Short) |
M.2 |
| Form Factor (metric) |
M.2 2260 |
| Form Factor (Short) (metric) |
M.2 |
| Storage Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| Interface |
Serial ATA-600 |
| NAND Flash Memory Type |
triple-level cell (TLC) |
| Data Transfer Rate |
600 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps |
| Internal Data Rate (Write) |
465 MBps |
| 4KB Random Read |
37000 |
| 4KB Random Write |
68000 |
EXPANSION & CONNECTIVITY
| Interfaces |
1 x SATA 6 Gb/s – M.2 Card |
PERFORMANCE
| Internal Data Rate |
540 MBps (read) / 465 MBps (write) |
| 4KB Random Write |
68000 IOPS |
| Drive Transfer Rate |
600 MBps (external) |
| 4KB Random Read |
37000 IOPS |
SOFTWARE & SYSTEM REQUIREMENT
| Software Included |
WD SSD Dashboard |
ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS
| Min Storage Temperature |
-67 °F |
| Max Storage Temperature |
185 °F |
| Min Operating Temperature |
32 °F |
| Max Operating Temperature |
158 °F |
STORAGE HARD DRIVE
| Compliant Standards |
S.M.A.R.T. |
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
| Width |
0.9 in |
| Depth |
3.1 in |
| Height |
0.1 in |
| Weight |
0.23 oz |
SERVICE & SUPPORT
RELIABILITY
Conclusion:
We hope our list of top M.2 SATA SSD Drives helps you to choose the right product for yourself. Remember, these drives are only best for upgrading size and power compact devices such as notebooks, laptops, and tablets. If you have any query or advice, please feel free to use the comment section below. See you until next post!
Disclosure: We are a professional review website that sometimes receive compensation or free units from the companies whose products we review. We test each product thoroughly and give high marks to only the very best. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.
