PC World - USA (2021-01)

92 PCWorld JANUARY 2022

F E ATU R E NVME VS. M.2 VS. SATA SSD

when you’re loading or copying files,

especially big ones.

Form factor

In typical laptop and prebuilt desktop PCs,

NVMe SSDs are usually found in the M.2

form factor. (Other forms exist but they’re far

less common.) SATA SSDs can take the form

of either 2.5-inch drives or M.2 drives. If

your laptop has a spare M.2 slot, first check if

supports NVMe, SATA, or both before

buying a drive.

NVME, M.2, AND SATA SSD COMPARISON CHART

NVMe SSD M.2 SSD S ATA S S D

Price Range

250GB: $50 to $90

500GB: $70 to $160

1TB: $120 to $200

250GB: $40 to $90

500GB:$50 to $160

1TB: $90 to $200

250GB: $40 to $70

500GB: $50 to $90

1TB: $90 to $140

Speed

PCIe Gen 3: up to

3,500MB per second;

PCIe Gen 4: up to

7,500MB per second

S ATA : up to 550MB per second;

NVMe: PCIe Gen 3: up to

3,500MB per second; PCIe Gen 4:

up to 7,500MB per second

Up to 550MB per second

Form Factors M.2, U.2 (less common), PCIe card (less common)

N/A (this is a form factor)

Note: M.2 drives can take one of several

layouts for the connector, as well as

come in different widths and lengths, so

double-check specs when purchasing

for a DIY installation

2.5-inch drive, M.2

Interface Types N/A (this is an interface type) SATA, NVMe N/A (this is an interface type)

Advantages

Blazing speeds, especially

when pairing top-end drives

with an equally high-end

motherboard

Takes up very little space in a desktop

PC build

Good balance between affordability

and speed

Disadvantages Higher cost

SATA M.2 drives can sometimes be

more expensive than their 2.5-inch

counterparts

Slower speeds; can add more complexity

to small form factor or aesthetically

oriented builds (due to taking more space

and requiring use of cables)

Most Commonly

Found in

Higher-end (and some

midrange) laptops or prebuilt

PCs

Midrange and higher-end laptops

or prebuilt desktop PCs

Budget laptops or prebuilt

desktop PCs

Price

As you’d guess, the faster the drive, the more

you pay. Current prices for a 1TB SATA SSD is

around $90 to $100, while a 1TB NVMe PCIe

3.0 drive hovers around $115 to $120 for

recommended models. Expect to pay $120

to $200 for a 1TB PCIe 4.0 drive, with less

expensive models capping out around

5,000MB per second. Form factor matters

less these days, however. While 2.5-inch

SATA SSDs can be cheaper than M.2 models,

more often they’re the same price.