Over the years, computer storage drives have changed a lot. And this change has been evident not only in terms of storage capacity and types of drives, but also in terms of the physical size of the drives. Until recently, we were used to the fact that hard drives, which looked like slabs, were quite huge. In fact, this trend continues even today. HDDs are still in active use. Solid-state drives SSD or M.2 are on their way to change everything. SSDs offer lower power consumption, higher capacity, and higher performance. This has manifested itself in the form of improved demand and increased market share. However, in this post, we will specifically focus on the differences between M.2 2280 and M.2 2242 SSD. Since even experts have questions about which is better.
M.2 SSD Solid State Drive Parameters
The M.2 form factor is known as NGFF or next generation form factor. They come with two types of interfaces. One is socket 2 and the other is socket 3. Socket 2 supports both SATA and PCI-E X2 interfaces. If you choose the PCI-E X2 interface, you will be able to achieve excellent read and write speeds. The read speed can reach 700 MB/s while the write speed can reach 550 MB/s. “Socket 3” is more specifically designed for the PCI-E X4 channel. It will provide speeds up to 4 Gbps. Basically, “Socket 3” is designed to meet the requirements of high-performance memory. Such drives are also often signed NVME.
M.2 SSDs come in three specific sizes – 2242, 2260 and 2280. These are essentially the physical dimensions of the drives. The first two digits represent the width of the drives, while the last two digits represent the length. The M.2 2242 has a diameter of 22 mm and a length of 42 mm. Similarly, the M.2 2260 and M.2 2280 are 22 mm wide and 60 mm long, and 22 mm wide and 80 mm long. The width is the same for all of them, with the only difference being the length. M.2 Drives with Dimensions 2260 They are practically never encountered and it will be quite difficult to find them in stores.
M.2 2280 VS M.2 2242: What’s the difference? The difference is in the size, specifically in the length of the disk.
The basic concept behind the M.2 architecture
Well, M.2 solid state drives are made up of multi-level NAND cells. This helps to increase the reliability factor of SSD drives. Their design includes built-in error detection and correction functions.
Lower power requirements are what should already make you choose M.2 solid-state drives. This technology is best suited for mobile applications and devices where energy saving is important. Mobile PCs, laptops, mini PCs. Drives of this format will help extend the battery life of your devices.
M.2 2242 is quite popular as a laptop SSD while M.2 2280 is used in desktop motherboards. M.2 2280 is superior to M.2 2242 in both performance and heat dissipation. With a wider body and deeper contours, it is expected to perform better than the other. In addition, with more space and a compact chip, it also provides better heat dissipation. However, M.2242 is a great choice for compact devices such as laptops, notebooks, and tablets.
That’s all the main differences between these two M.2 form factors. Another thing to pay attention to is the arrangement of the keys in the new drive.
What Else to Look for When Buying a New M.2 SSD
Standards are not for everyone. As disks evolve, so do slots and keys to prevent users from accidentally inserting a disk that “doesn’t fit” into their PC. Keys refer to contacts and their location on the drive. There are three types of keys: “M,” “B,” and the universal “B&M” (see below for a visual example). Before buying a disk, you need to know which key is supported by your device.
Most modern drives in 2022 already work with a key type M or combined keys of types M and B. But before buying a new drive, it is still worth paying attention to what socket is on your motherboard and what keys are there.
If you have problems with the choice and do not know how to install a new disk correctly, you can always use the services of computer repair specialists. And choosing the best service center with real craftsmen will help
