SATA and M.2 Solid-State Drive FAQs

HDDs are based on magnetic spinning platters, a technology that has been in use since the mid- 1950s. The data is written to and read from these spinning platters or disks via moving heads. HDDs are mechanical devices with many moving parts and are more prone to mechanical failures and failures due to environmental conditions such as heat, cold, shock and vibration.

Although the SSD market is growing and gaining more popularity, it is still relatively new. As with any new technology, it is only a matter of time before sales increase to a level that will allow manufacturing costs to reduce. In the last few years, the price gap between SSD and HDDs has gotten much smaller.

The only factor in favor of HDDs is the price per Gigabyte. HDDs are currently sold in capacities of 500GB and above, while SSDs are sold in capacities of 120GB and above. 

Traditional HDDs are best if mass storage is in the Terabytes is your primary need, while SSDs are excellent if performance is more important. It’s common to use an SSD as a boot drive to hold OS and applications and an HDD to hold data files.

Yes. Kingston offers SSD drives in upgrade kits that include all the necessary items required to replace a notebook or desktop HDD with a Kingston SSD, including software to easily transfer the OS and important data. Please note: Some Kingston SSD drives do not include cloning software. Nonetheless, there's a number of free cloning software applications available for download via Google search.    

No. SSDs never need to be defragmented. Defragmenting an SSD can reduce the life of an SSD. If your system is set up to defragment automatically, you should disable or turn off defragmentation when using an SSD. Some operating systems will defragment automatically, so this feature should be disabled for Kingston SSDs.

Apa itu M.2? Apa itu NVMe? Apa hubungan berbagai istilah ini dengan SATA dan AHCI, kemudian berapa perbedaan kecepatannya? Kami menguraikan setiap akronim pada infografis kami untuk membantu Anda memahami cara dan alasan teknologi SSD terbaru lebih cepat dan lebih baik. Pelajari selengkapnya tentang perbedaan antara NVMe dan SATA.

SSD NVMe di sistem klien, seperti desktop, laptop, dan stasiun kerja, sangat meningkatkan kinerja penyimpanan secara menyeluruh. NVMe saat ini memimpin standar baru SSD dan SSD NVMe Kingston dirancang untuk memberikan berbagai solusi penyimpanan yang menjadi pilihan terbaik untuk PC rakitan baru, dan juga peningkatan penyimpanan untuk desktop dan laptop. Pelajari selengkapnya tentang SSD NVMe untuk Sistem Klien.

NVMe terutama dirancang untuk lingkungan Penyimpanan Perusahaan karena memungkinkan bandwidth enam kali lebih besar, perbaikan latensi tiga kali lebih singkat, dan dukungan multi-core untuk prosesor. NVMe menggantikan protokol SATA, yang pada awalnya dibuat untuk hard disk mekanis. Pelajari selengkapnya tentang pemilihan NVMe untuk pusat data.

SSD hadir dalam beberapa faktor bentuk dan protokol. SSD pertama berukuran 2,5”, menggunakan sambungan SATA dan protokol AHCI yang merupakan standar yang diadaptasi untuk hard disk agar dapat dengan mudah mengakomodasi peningkatan dari HDD ke SSD. Selanjutnya, NVMe dikembangkan sebagai protokol penyimpanan flash yang asli sehingga memungkinkan kecepatan transfer yang lebih tinggi. NVMe digunakan pada beberapa PC dan laptop kelas atas terbaru. Semua SSD NVMe termasuk salah satu dari M.2, U.2, atau AIC PCIe. SSD SATA 2,5” telah ada sejak lama dan masih ditemukan pada banyak PC. Pelajari selengkapnya tentang perbedaan NVMe dan SATA.

For certain embedded applications where space is limited, the M.2 specifications provide for different thicknesses of M.2 SSDs – 3 different Single-Sided versions (S1, S2, and S3) and 5 Dual-Sided versions (D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5). Some platforms may have specific requirements due to limited space below their M.2 connector.

Kingston M.2 SSDs conform to the Dual Sided M.2 specifications and will fit in the majority of system boards that accept Dual Sided M.2 SSDs; please consult with your sales representative if you require Single-Sided for specific embedded applications.

M.2 was developed by the PCI-SIG and SATA-IO standards organizations and is defined in the PCI-SIG M.2 and the SATA Rev. 3.2 specifications. It was originally called the Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), and then formally renamed to M.2 in 2013. Many people still refer to M.2 as NGFF.

The M.2 small form factor applies to many add-in card types, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, Near Field Communication (NFC), digital radio, Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), Wireless WAN (WWAN), and Solid-State Drives (SSDs).

M.2 has a subset of specific form factors strictly for SSDs.

All M.2 SSDs flush-mount into M.2 sockets on system boards. The M.2 form factor introduces a path to higher performance via a smaller footprint and is the future path for SSD technological advancement.In addition, no power or data cables are needed making cable management unnecessary. Like mSATA SSDs, M.2 SSDs just plug into a socket and the physical installation is complete.

There are many notebooks and motherboards that support the M.2 SSD. Please consult system specifications and user manual to check for compatibility before purchasing an M.2 SSD.

For SSD-based M.2 modules, the most commonly occurring sizes are 22mm wide x30mm long, 22mm x 42mm, 22mm x 60mm, 22mm x 80mm and 22mm x 110mm. The cards will be called after their dimensions above: The first 2 digits define Width (all 22mm) and the remaining digits define Length from 30mm up to 110mm long. So, the M.2 SSDs are specified as 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110

The picture below shows a 2.5-inch SSD and a 2242, 2260, and 2280 M.2 SSDs:

There are 2 reasons for the different lengths:

1. The different lengths enable different SSD drive capacities; the longer the drive, the more NAND Flash chips can be mounted on it, in addition to a controller and possibly a DRAM memory chip. The 2230 and 2242 lengths support 1-3 NAND Flash chips while the 2280 and 22110 support up to 8 NAND Flash chips, which can enable a 2TB SSD in the largest M.2 form factor.
2. Socket space in the system board can limit the M.2 size: Some notebooks can support an M.2 for caching purposes, but only have a small space that will accommodate only a 2242 M.2 SSD (2230 M.2 SSDs are smaller still but not needed in most cases where 2242 M.2 SSDs will fit).

No, both SATA and PCIe M.2 SSDs will use the standard AHCI drivers built into the OS. However, you may need to enable the M.2 SSD in the system BIOS before being able to use it.

In certain cases, the M.2 SSD socket could share PCIe lanes or SATA ports with other devices on the motherboard. Please review your motherboard documentation for additional information as using both shared ports at the same time could disable one of the devices.

No, they are different; M.2 supports both SATA and PCIe storage interface options, while mSATA is SATA only. Physically, they look different and cannot be plugged into the same system connectors. The picture below shows an M.2 SSD and an mSATA SSD (you can see the connector is different, as are their card sizes):

M.2 2280 (above) compared to mSATA. Note the Keys (or notches) that will prevent them from being inserted into incompatible sockets.

The M.2 form factor was created to provide multiple options for small form factor cards, including SSDs. SSDs previously relied on the mSATA for the smallest form factor, but mSATA was unable to be scaled up to 1TB capacities at a reasonable cost. The answer was the new M.2 specification that allows for different M.2 SSD card sizes and capacities. The M.2 specification allows system manufacturers to standardize on a common small form factor that can be extended to high capacities where it is needed.

The M.2 specification defines 12 keys or notches in the M.2 card and socket interface; many are reserved for future use:

Currently defined M.2 keys (only B and M apply to M.2 SSDs)
Source: All About M.2 SSDs, SNIA, June 2014.

Specifically, for M.2 SSDs, there are 3 commonly used keys:

1. B-key edge connector can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on your device but can only support up to PCIe x2 performance (1000MB/s) on the PCIe bus.
2. M-key edge connector can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on your device and can support up to PCIe x4 performance (2000MB/s) on the PCIe bus, provided that the host system also supports x4.
3. B+M-key edge connector can support SATA and/or PCIe protocol depending on your device but can only support up to x2 performance on the PCIe bus.

The different key types are often labeled on or near the edge connector (or gold fingers) of the M.2 SSD and also on the M.2 socket.

Note that B keyed M.2 SSDs have a different number of pins at the edge (6) vs. M keyed M.2 SSDs (5); this asymmetrical layout prevents users from reversing the M.2 SSDs and attempting to plug a B keyed M.2 SSD into an M keyed socket, and vice versa.

The B+M keys on an M.2 SSD allow for cross-compatibility on various motherboards if the appropriate SSDs protocol is supported (SATA or PCIe). Some motherboard host connectors may be designed only to accommodate M-key SSDs, while others may only accommodate B-key SSD. The B+M keys SSD was designed to address this issue; however, plugging in a M.2 SSD into a socket will not guarantee it will work, as that will depend on having a shared protocol between the M.2 SSD and the motherboard.

You should always read the motherboard / system manufacturer’s information to confirm which lengths are supported, but many motherboards will support 2260, 2280 and 22110. Many motherboards will provide multiple retaining-screw offset, allowing a user to secure either a 2242, 2260, 2280, or even up to 22100 M.2 SSD. The amount of space on the motherboard will limit the size of M.2 SSDs that can be secured into the socket and used.

Different socket types are part of the M.2 Specification that calls for supporting specific device types within a given socket.

Socket 1 is designed for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, NFC and WI Gig

Socket 2 is designed for WWAN, SSD (caching), and GNSS

Socket 3 is designed for SSDs (both SATA and PCIe, up to x4 performance)

No, M.2 SSDs were not designed to be hot-pluggable. Please install and remove M.2 SSDs when the system is powered off.

Performance would likely be similar; it would also depend on the specific controller inside the host system that the SSDs were using as well as the internal layout and controller of each SSD. The SATA 3.0 specification supports up to 600MB/s whether in a 2.5” or mSATA SSD form factors.

Jika sistem host tidak mendukung protokol PCIe, SSD M.2 PCIe kemungkinan besar tidak akan terdeteksi oleh BIOS sehingga menjadi tidak kompatibel dengan sistem.

The PCIe M.2 SSD would only be able to operate at PCIe x2 (2-lane functionality) speeds within that motherboard. If you purchase a motherboard that supports PCIe x4 speeds, your x4-capable M.2 SSD should work as expected within that environment. In addition, there are PCIe limitations on system boards where the total number of PCIe lanes could be exceeded, limiting the PCIe M.2 x4 SSD to either have 2 lanes or even none.

No. An M.2 SSD will support either SATA or PCIe, but not both at the same time. In addition, system board sockets will be designated by manufacturers to support either SATA, PCIe, or in some cases, both. It is important to check your system’s manual to verify which technologies are supported.

The PCIe interface is faster, as the SATA 3.0 spec is limited to ~600MB/s maximum speed, while PCIe Gen 2 x2 lanes is capable of up to 1000MB/s, Gen 2 x4 lanes is capable of up to 2000MB/s, and Gen 3 x4 lanes of up to 4000MB/s.

Kingston’s solid-state drives are built using NAND Flash Memory.

Kingston SSDs are OS independent and will run on any system supporting a standard SATA interface.

Kingston SSD drives are plug-and-play, and no additional drivers are required.

Hampir semua sistem bisa diupgrade dengan SSD Kingston. Sistem lama yang kembali ke SATA II bisa diupgrade dengan SSD SATA Kingston. Sistem modern mendukung SATA III, PCIe NVMe, atau keduanya. Kedua sistem ini bisa diupgrade dengan SSD SATA Kingston dan SSD PCIe NVMe Kingston performa tinggi. Guna memilih SSD Kingston yang tepat untuk sistem Anda, gunakan konfigurator Kingston atau hubungi Dukungan Teknis Kingston untuk mendapatkan bantuan.

Sangat dianjurkan untuk menggunakan SSD Kingston seri Data Center (DC) untuk konfigurasi RAID. SSD Kingston seri Data Center menawarkan kompatibilitas pengendali RAID yang lebih baik, disesuaikan secara khusus untuk tuntutan beban kerja pusat data/perusahaan, serta menawarkan performa dan ketahanan yang lebih tinggi daripada SSD klien.

It is very common that SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) based systems and controllers also support SATA devices. Kingston recommends that users check with the system or controller documentation to make sure that both SATA and SAS drives are compatible. If they are, Kingston SSDs may be successfully used.

All Kingston SSDs use an intelligent and efficient garbage collection process that improves drive life with little impact on Flash endurance and is invisible to the user. Learn more about SSD garbage collection.

Kingston SSDs integrate advanced wear-levelling techniques that incorporate a block picking algorithm capable of extending flash endurance and optimizing drive life. This unique wear-levelling ensures that the individual Flash memory blocks are consumed at a very balanced rate, not to exceed a 2% difference between the most often written blocks and least written.

Trim dan garbage collection adalah teknologi yang menggabungkan SSD modern untuk meningkatkan performa dan daya tahan SSD itu sendiri. Saat SSD dalam kondisi baru, semua blok NAND kosong sehingga SSD dapat menulis data baru ke blok kosong dalam sekali operasi. Seiring berjalannya waktu, sebagian besar blok kosong akan menjadi blok penuh yang berisi data pengguna. Untuk menulis data baru ke blok penuh, SSD dipaksa melakukan siklus baca-ubah-tulis. Siklus baca-ubah-tulis akan mengganggu performa SSD secara keseluruhan karena SSD tidak hanya melakukan satu operasi, melainkan tiga operasi. Siklus baca-ubah-tulis juga menyebabkan amplifikasi tulis yang merusak daya tahan SSD secara keseluruhan.

Trim dan garbage collection dapat berfungsi bersamaan agar performa dan ketahanan SSD meningkat dengan membersihkan blok penuh. Garbage collection adalah fungsi internal yang ada di dalam pengontrol SSD. Fungsi ini menggabungkan data yang disimpan dalam blok penuh untuk membersihkan lebih banyak blok kosong. Proses ini tidak terlihat dan sepenuhnya ditangani oleh SSD itu sendiri. Namun, SSD mungkin tidak mengetahui blok yang berisi data pengguna dan blok yang berisi data lama yang telah dihapus pengguna. Di sinilah manfaat trim. Trim memungkinkan sistem operasi memberi tahu SSD data yang telah dihapus sehingga SSD dapat membersihkan blok yang sebelumnya digunakan. Sistem operasi dan SSD harus mendukung agar trim dapat bekerja. Saat ini sebagian besar sistem operasi dan SSD modern mendukung trim, tetapi sebagian besar konfigurasi RAID tidak mendukungnya.

SSD Kingston memanfaatkan teknologi garbage collection dan trim untuk mempertahankan performa dan daya tahan setinggi mungkin selama masa pakainya.

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