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M.2 2280 SSDs are a specific size of the M.2 controller format. When you are considering an M.2 SSD, the number will tell you the size of the SSD. The first two numbers refer to the width and the second two numbers refer to the length, so an M.2 2280 SSD is 22 millimeters wide and 80 millimeters long. The SSD card length that is supported by your system will depend on your motherboard design, and it is important to check before investing in an M.2 2280 or any other size SSD, as not all SSD lengths are compatible with all devices. These answers to common questions about M.2 2280 SSDs will help you understand more.

What exactly is M.2—is it another name for NGFF?

M.2 was designed by the SATA-IO and PCI-SIG to provide an alternative to mSATA designs, which sometimes constrain native transfer speeds because they were initially designed to work with slower HDDs. M.2 works with both SATA and PCI-e to provide the maximum speed and capacity for SSDs that have size constraints. The NGFF name comes from Next Generation Form Factor. The original version of M.2 was called NGFF, and some people still use that name. However, the name changed to M.2 in 2013.

When should I use an M.2 2280 SSD?

The dimensions of the M.2 SSD you should use will depend on what your system can support and your capacity needs. Longer M.2 SSDs can hold more NAND flash chips, simply because the SSD is larger. The more chips there are, the more storage you will have. A 2280-sized M.2 can provide about 1TB of storage on 8 NAND flash chips. If your system supports this size of SSD and you have the need for high storage capacities, than an M.2 2280 SSD could be the best option for your application.

How are M.2 SSDs different than mSATA?

The main difference between these two types of SSDs is that M.2 can work with both SATA and PCIe interfaces, while mSATA only works with SATA. However, your motherboard must also support both SATA and PCIe, and a particular M.2 SSD will only be able to use one or the other. M.2 is also available in more sizes than mSATA, which only comes in one format.

M.2 2280 SSDs offer great storage capacities and flexibility for today’s small devices. The team at Delkin can help you select the right size and format for your device for optimal performance. Please contact us for more information.