Popular science on computer purchasing during the back-to-school season: What is the difference between SATA SSD and NVME SSD? Which computer should I choose with a solid-state drive?

As the school year begins, buying a high-performance computer to greet the new semester with a new look has become an important thing for many students. In addition to paying attention to the computer's processor, students will pay special attention to the computer's storage configuration. However, there are many types of solid-state drives commonly equipped with laptops or mini computers, and various professional terms are emerging in an endless stream: M.2, SATA, NVME...Many students will be confused about this: What are the differences in performance between these solid-state drives? Which computer should I choose with a solid-state drive? In this issue, BMAX will popularize this knowledge for everyone.

First, let's take a look at the concepts of M.2, SATA, and NVME.

M.2:

M.2, the full name of Next Generation Form Factor, is an internal storage device interface standard for connecting solid-state drives (SSDs), wireless modules, and other expansion devices. The M.2 interface is small and flexible. It can provide higher bandwidth and lower latency for us and is widely used in thin and light laptops and desktops.

SATA:

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is a serial data transmission protocol used to connect motherboards to storage devices such as hard drives. The SATA interface is simple, stable, and universal, and its speed is divided into three levels: SATA1, SATA2, and SATA3, which are 1.5Gbps, 3Gbps, and 6Gbps respectively.

NVME:

NVME (Non-Volatile Memory Express) is a protocol for connecting storage devices and host systems, which is designed for non-volatile memory (NVM) devices. NVMe uses PCI Express (PCIe) high-speed channels for data transmission, providing higher data access speeds and input/output performance.

At present, the M.2 interface can support a variety of data transmission protocols, including SATA and NVMe. M.2 SATA SSD and M.2 NVME SSD have different distinctive features due to the different protocols they support.

M.2 SATA SSD

The SATA data transmission protocol was born earlier. After years of development, it has become a mature interface protocol. Therefore, the M.2 SATA SSD that supports this protocol has high compatibility and stability. It is affordable and has a wide audience in the digital world.

SATA SSD can be seamlessly connected to almost all motherboards and systems that support the SATA interface, providing stable read and write and file transfer speeds to meet daily office, study, light entertainment and other usage scenarios. And the price is low. For users with limited budgets or who only need basic storage performance, SATA SSD is an economical choice.

M.2 NVMe SSD

NVMe, as a protocol designed for high-performance devices, can bring more obvious speed advantages. M.2 NVMe SSDs that support this protocol have higher data transfer rates, lower latency, and support more queues and commands. They can process multiple data streams at the same time, and their parallel processing capabilities are better than SATA SSDs.

When processing large files, running high-end games, or performing complex data analysis or editing high-definition videos, NVMe SSDs can provide a smoother experience and significantly shorten waiting time.

Moreover, the NVMe protocol reduces the intermediate links of data transmission by directly connecting to the PCIe channel of the CPU, thereby reducing access latency. This is especially important for application scenarios that require frequent read and write operations, such as database operations, real-time data processing, etc.

It can be seen that choosing a computer equipped with a solid-state drive depends on your personal needs.

If you only use it for daily online learning, web browsing, document editing, etc., a computer equipped with an M.2 SATA SSD is enough and the price is more affordable. For example, BMAX mini computers B1 Pro, B1 Mini, B2 Pro, B3, B4 Plus and laptops S14 Pro, Y13 Pro, etc. are all good choices.

For students who want to play large-scale games, design pictures, edit videos, and analyze complex data, computers equipped with M.2 NVMe SSDs, such as BMAX mini computers B5A Pro, B6 series, and B8 Plus, are undoubtedly better choices. They can provide faster game loading speeds, smoother operating experience, and more efficient data processing capabilities.

In short, only by making rational judgments based on your actual personal needs can you get a computer that is both affordable and satisfactory, giving you more motivation to study in the new semester.