Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are flash memory storage devices that have replaced older hard disk drive technology that relies on spinning magnetic platters. SSDs are quiet, use far less power, and as they have no moving parts, they are more reliable than the older storage technology. SSDs are also noticeably faster than traditional hard disk drives, resulting in speedy boot-up times.
Consumer-grade SSD or Enterprise SSD?
If you’re looking to upgrade your computer to an SSD or if you’re just looking to add additional storage, you’ll see terms such as “consumer-grade” and “enterprise.” Enterprise SSDs are engineered for servers and other devices where reliability and speed are critical. Consumer-grade SSDs are primarily used in home or office PCs, as well as some high-end gaming systems. As you can imagine, Enterprise SSDs tend to be more expensive than consumer-grade SSDs.
Portable or SATA or M.2 or U.2?
SSDs come in different host interfaces and forms, and the industry terms can be confusing if you’re new to the technology.
Portable external SSDs are very common and provide an inexpensive and extremely simple way to add storage to your device. They are easy to connect to your computer with a USB-C cable, with no special setup required. This gives you portable, instant access to storage that you can take with you anywhere.
The SATA (Serial AT Attachment) interface has been the most common for years. SSDs that use the SATA interface are generally inexpensive, but they often rely on cables for connecting to your computer’s motherboard and also tend to be slower than newer SSD formats. They are still faster than traditional hard disk drives, though!
The newer M.2 form factor SSD is smaller than a SATA SSD and plugs directly in to the M.2 slot on the motherboard. Somewhat resembling a DIMM or SODIMM, M.2 drives can store up to a whopping 8TB. They are faster than older SATA drives and tend to be more expensive. They are commonly used in laptops and tablets requiring intensive processing, such as video editing or gaming.
Some motherboards have an M.2 socket on them allowing easy connection of a drive. M.2 uses the PCI-Express bus, so in computers where an M.2 socket is unavailable these drives can be easily added using an adapter.
The U.2 is a common interface standard, typically used in the Enterprise market, including high end desktops and servers. They are available in two form factors, including a half-height/half-length (HHHL) card, and a 2.5-inch U.2. They rely on the PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) serial computer expansion bus standard.
OEMPCWORLD is a Leading Supplier of SSDs
OEMPCWORLD offers a great selection of Solid-State Drives at great prices. We are adding more brand-name SSDs every week, so if you don’t see what you’re looking for, contact us! We also specialize in bulk purchases and we will be happy to provide you with customized quotes.
Photo by Samsung Memory on Unsplash
