Should I get an NVMe or a SATA SSD?
NVMe is faster if your system has a compatible M.2 slot. SATA is the safe choice for older machines and 2.5-inch bays.
Start here
If your system has an M.2 slot that supports NVMe, an NVMe drive is usually the better pick. If it only has a 2.5-inch bay or an M.2 slot limited to SATA, a SATA SSD is the right choice. Either one is a big step up from a hard drive.
Know the shapes
- 2.5-inch SATA. Same size as a laptop hard drive. Uses a SATA data and power cable, or a laptop drive bay.
- M.2 SATA. A small stick, but it uses the slower SATA interface.
- M.2 NVMe. Same stick shape, much faster, and needs a slot that supports it.
Check before you buy
- Read the manual to see which interfaces each M.2 slot supports.
- Check the key notch and the supported lengths, usually written as a four-digit size code.
- Some boards disable a SATA port when an M.2 slot is in use.
Does speed matter?
For everyday use, the jump from hard drive to any SSD is the one you will feel most. NVMe shines with large file transfers and heavy workloads.
Installing one? Follow our SSD install guide.