There have been many developments on data storage technologies over the years. From mechanical magnetic discs of hard disk drives (HDD), the world is gradually transitioning to integrated circuit assemblies with better overall performance and more compact form factors in solid-state drives (SSD).
Difference betwen SATA and PCIe M.2 drives
PCIe and SATA M.2 drives have different controllers. PCIe is faster, while SATA is generally compatible to a wider variety of systems and is better suitable to older models. Both the PCIe and M.2 SATA SSD with identical keying may fit on the slot but will not work. However, there are some systems that are dual-mode, and can accept both SATA and PCIe drives.
All M.2 drives are of the same width but varies in size based on their length. Their size is expressed in the following format:
- 2230: 22 mm wide x 30 mm long
- 2242: 22 mm wide x 42 mm long
- 2260: 22 mm wide x 60 mm long
- 2280: 22 mm wide x 80 mm long
- 2210: 22 mm wide x 110 mm long
Although some motherboards offer mounting holes for the retention screw of some if not all these length intervals, always check for compatibility with your laptop or motherboard when picking one out.
While the M.2 form factor uses the same 22-millimeter wide slot for all cards, it is not necessarily the exact same slot. M.2 has three different types of key slots.
- B key – has a gap in the right side of the card with six pins to the right of the gap.
- M key – has a gap in the left side of the card with five pins to the left of the gap.
- B+M key – has gaps on both sides with five pins to the left of the gap and six pins to the right.
M.2 cards with a B key interface can only fit into a B key host slot, likewise for M key. Cards with B+M key design can fit in either a B key or M key host slot.
Note: The following are the sizes of the screws on the Razer Blade laptops:
- D Cover (back cover) - M2×L3.5
- SSD - M2 x L3 x D5
For instructions on how to upgrade the storage of your Razer Blade, see the answer below.
