Disk ssd sata vs m.2 vs ssd pci

SSDs came to the market almost 10 years ago and since then they have not stopped evolving, it is increasingly difficult to see a computer that does not include one of these disks due to the great general speed that it contributes to the operation of the system. Other of its great virtues is a very compact size together with a lower power consumption than mechanical disks and quiet operation. SATA vs M.2 vs PCI-Express disk Which is the best purchase option?

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Do I buy a SATA SSD, M.2 SSD or a PCI-Express?

SSDs are present in a wide variety of formats, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The most classic are the SATA III 6 Gb / s with a de facto 2.5-inch shape, these offer maximum compatibility, although their performance is more limited because this interface was designed with mechanical disks in mind that are much slower.

Second, there are the SSDs in M.2 and PCI-Express formats that are the fastest, although their compatibility is limited to the most modern systems, as they include all the necessary elements to be able to use them. In this article we are going to focus on these last two to see which is the most interesting for users.

Features M.2 SSDs

First of all, we look at M.2 disks, this format was born with notebooks in mind as it offers many advantages. M.2 drives connect directly to the motherboard so there is no need for power and data cables. These disks are connected in parallel to the motherboard so they do not protrude or hinder the other components such as the graphics card, the CPU heatsink or the RAM memory. M.2 ports are capable of supplying power, so with a single port we have enough for data transmission and electric current. Thus, it is quite clear that an M.2 disk takes up much less space than a SATA III and space is a very limited asset on notebooks.

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The M.2 port uses the PCI-Express 3.0 connection interface up to a maximum of x4 lanes, this means that a much higher bandwidth can be achieved than that obtained through the SATA III port, specifically we have a maximum of 32 GB / s compared to the 6 GB / s that SATA III offers us. Cheaper M.2 drives have speeds similar to SATA IIIs and a similar price so an M.2 drive doesn't necessarily have to be noticeably more expensive.

Surely you have read about the NVMe protocol, this takes a lot of importance with M.2 disks and is that the fastest (and expensive) models use this protocol to achieve data reading speeds of up to 3, 000 MB / s, a figure that It is 6-8 times higher than that achieved by SATA III disks and if we compare them with mechanical disks, we almost went off the measurement scale? An example of these discs is the Samsung 960 Pro, one of the most popular models among users looking for the best.

Features PCI-Express SSDs

Once we are clear about what M.2 disks are, we will look at the PCI-Express SSD disks to be able to compare them and see which one we are most interested in buying. Actually, the differences are very few since the two formats use the same PCI-Express 3.0 interface up to x4 lanes, you will be thinking that if they use the same interface the performance may be the same, that's right.

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The difference is that the PCI-Express format SSDs connect directly to this slot on our motherboard, therefore, they are built with a different format, but they work exactly the same. Another difference is that these PCI-Express disks are more expensive than M.2.

So which SSD did I buy?

It is time to make a final assessment on the M.2 vs PCI-Express disks and see which one is best for us to buy. As we have said above, the performance is the same in both cases, so it will be necessary to look at the other factors to decide.

M.2 disks are cheaper and take up less space than PCI-Express alternatives, therefore it seems quite clear that the former are a better option since the latter do not really offer us any advantage. It would not surprise me that for the next few years PCI-Express disks will eventually disappear from the market and leave only M.2 models for high performance and SATA III for maximum compatibility.

That is, the equation would be like this:

• SATA SSD: It is the most profitable today, personally I think it is the best investment you can make. Remember to choose MLC over TLC. M.2 SSD: It is an expensive option and you have to have compatibility with your motherboard. Its great inconvenience is that it costs double euros per GB. PCI Express SSD: It is a good option since it is compatible with any motherboard. But its price is very expensive.

So, our final conclusion is very clear, opt for the M.2 format that will give you the same performance, is cheaper and takes up less space.