Everyone knows the reason what an SSD(solid-state drive) is used for, but one thing that not most people have a clue about is that there are different types of SSD cards available in the market. Be it your laptop or desktop; an SSD card must be installed in both of them.
Some folks think that all types of SSD cards are the same. However, this is quite far from being true. Because each type is designed keeping a different purpose in mind.
Obviously, the main objective is to provide devices with storage, but there is some difference among all types. And you’re lucky to be here as I’m going to mention 4 types of SSD cards in detail along with the differences that they all have. So, are you excited to learn profoundly about the SSD types? I know you are:
Make sure to be with me till the end of this article so that I can clear your doubts—enough talking, heading over to the topic now.
What are the different types of SSD cards?
There are four types of SSDs cards, SATA, M.2, mSata, and PCIe. Do these all SSD types work differently? To get the answer, let’s have a look at each type keenly in detail so that we can figure out which one would be worth going after.
MSATA SSD cad
SATA (SSD) is one of the most standard types and also the first SSD card that came into the market. One thing that makes SATA stand out among other types of SSD is that it can be used in any desktop or laptop you’re using.
Even if you own an old-school device, this SSD card will likely work in that too. That’s impressive, isn’t it? Its size is 2.5inches just like the conventional HD. As this is an old SSD type, it works best for the old computers that don’t support the new SSD cards.
SATA has other versions of SSD cards too, which are SATA 1.0: 5 Gb/s, 150 MB/s, SATA 2.0: 3 Gb/s, 300 MB/s, SATA 3.0: 6 Gb/s, 600 MB/s.
Pro tip: If you want your computer to run faster and smoother, try replacing the hard drive with a SATA SSD. I bet it will enhance your computer’s capability of performing tasks 5 times faster than it does.
MSata SSD card
It would not be wrong if mSata SSD called the little brother of the SATA SSD because it’s a miniature version of SATA. If we talk about the performance, both SSD types perform the same. Both of them deliver a maximum of 6gbps storage.
However, they’ve got different sizes and the associated areas of applications, which is the only difference you can find in both of them. SATA SSD is smaller than SATA 2.5 inches, making them suitable for flat devices like notebooks, tablets, iPad, e.t.c.
Also, you can use the SSD on your personal computer if needed. Overall, this SSD type has everything to engrave you, there is a flaw in it that you should know about. And that is that it’s not used so much due to having modern SSD card options in the market.
People prefer other modern SSD cads over mSata because this has become a thing of the past now.
M.2 SSD card
The second type of SSD card we have is M.2, which used to have an NGFF nickname back in the past. This type of SSD was launched just after the SATA SSD. M.2 SSDs cards have a compact and flat shape, making them an ideal option for mobile devices.
They’re also used in motherboards though. The soundest thing about this is that some of the motherboards have even two M.2 SSD installed in them, allowing you to run your PC in a Raid. Its size is usually around 60mm to 80mm, which is smaller than mSata. M.2 can easily be distinguished from four to 5 digits in the name.
PCIe SSD cards
PCle SSD is a hard drive, also known as a solid-state drive that you can connect to your PC by the PCle interface. It’s a great way to hike up the speed of your solid-state drive and storage devices.
These SSD cards are great to be used in large devices, like computers, laptops, and servers, due to having more storage. PCle SSDs is one of the best performing types of SSD out there.
Thus, it’s also used in the graphics card and even with sound. If you’re a gamer and want to have the most promising card that can meet your requirements, this PCle SSds card is your way to go.
But the price is very high, so if you’re not on a budget, you may want to consider buying it.
Point to note
Some people buy the most powerful SSD cards believing that it will be more beneficial for them than the cheaper types of SSD cards. However, it’s not true at all. If having a high-end SSD card is not your need, then it’s needless to spend more money buying it.
Any card can do wonders for your normal work. But, if you’re a gamer or a graphic designer then you need to have the finest SSD card to manage all of your heavy-sized games. So, it’s better to know your purpose before making any decision for yourself.
It’s your turn: What SSD card have you had a bad experience with? Write your experience in the comment section.