Content:
What is the Data Bus?
Data Bus: SATA vs PCIe
What is the Transmission Protocol?
Transmission Protocol: AHCI vs NVMe
M.2 SSD vs SATA SSD
Conclosion
When we purchase an SSD, we are faced with the decision of choosing between the M.2 interface and the SATA interface. The M.2 SSD is superior to the SATA SSD due to its faster data transfer speed. But what makes it faster? To understand this, we need to comprehend the data bus and the transmission protocol.
What is the Data Bus?
The data bus, or channel, is a standardized method for exchanging data between computer components. It provides data transmission and control logic for each component in a common way, enabling data transmission between the motherboard and the hard disk.Data Bus: SATA vs PCIe
There are two data buses suitable for HDD and SSD: SATA and PCIe. In fact, SATA and PCIe can be considered both data buses and interfaces.When SATA and PCIe are used as buses, they act as the "roads" through which data passes. Data is transmitted to the solid-state drive or motherboard through these "roads". The main distinction between them is that SATA is a "narrow" road, while PCIe is a "wide" road.
In general, HDDs and SATA SSDs can use SATA channels, while M.2 SSDs can use either the PCIe channel or the SATA channel.
What is the Transmission Protocol?
The transmission protocol, also known as the hard disk communication protocol, refers to the communication rules and protocols used for data transmission between the hard disk and other devices. In computer systems, the hard disk communication protocol plays a vital role in determining the efficiency and stability of data transmission between the hard disk and the computer.Transmission Protocol: AHCI vs NVMe
There are currently two mainstream transmission protocols for hard drives: AHCI and NVMe.
AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) is a technical standard developed by Intel based on SATA. It allows storage drivers to enable advanced Serial ATA functions.
NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a transmission protocol specially developed for flash memory products. It is considered the best solution for SSD product transfer protocols, as it maximizes SSD performance while reducing latency.
To put it simply, the protocol can be likened to a vehicle for data transmission, with AHCI being like a bicycle and NVMe being like a car.
M.2 SSD vs SATA SSD
- When using an HDD or SATA SSD, data is transferred over the SATA bus and uses the AHCI (or earlier ATA) transfer protocol.- When using an M.2 SSD, data is transferred over the PCIe bus using the NVMe transfer protocol. Additionally, an M.2 SSD can also transmit data through the SATA bus and use the AHCI transmission protocol.
Conclosion
Due to M.2 SSDs utilizing the NVMe protocol and PCIe data bus, they offer faster data transfer speeds compared to SATA SSDs.
If you have a desktop computer and are planning to buy an SSD, it's important to determine which interface your motherboard supports before making a choice. For laptop users, the decision between SATA or M.2 SSD should be based on specific needs, considering the significant differences in speed and price.
When assembling a portable mobile hard drive, in addition to purchasing a hard drive, you will also need a hard drive enclosure. Acasis offers HDD or SSD enclosures with a variety of interfaces and supports multiple data transmission protocols, such as the M.2 NVMe SSD Enclosure compatible with Thunderbolt 4/3 USB4 and SATA SSD/HDD Enclosure. Whether you have 1tb\2tb\4tb or 8tb M.2 SSD or SATA SSD, Acasis' external hard drive enclosure can meet your needs.
For more information, please subscribe to us at the bottom of the page or contact us via email.
