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There is no doubt about it: SSDs (solid-state drives) are the speed demons and rock-solid champions of reliability, leaving HDDs (hard disk drives) in the dust. However, not all SSDs are cut from the same cloth.
Traditional SSDs and HDDs rely on the tried-and-true SATA (Serial AT Attachment) port when connecting to a PC. But hold on tight because modern motherboards are bringing massive upgrades with a lightning-fast M.2 port on the motherboard itself. This turbocharged connection sets the stage for a mind-blowing performance that will leave tech enthusiasts weak at the knees. Say goodbye to sluggish loading times and hello to a whole new level of speed and efficiency.
Buckle up, because the future is here, and it’s fast, furious, and absolutely electrifying.
Also: The best network-attached storage devices you can buy
What’s the best M.2 SSD right now?
When you visit your favorite online retailer, you’ll find numerous brands offering a wide variety of M.2 storage drives. So, which one should you choose? Don’t worry: I’ve simplified the process by selecting the best M.2 SSDs for you. My top recommendation is still the Crucial P2 1TB 3D M.2 SSD, a drive that makes it to the top of the list because of its affordable price, excellent performance, and high reliability.
Crucial P2 1TB 3D M.2 SSD
Best M.2 SSD overall
This is my default drive that I turn to. It’s solid, reliable, and reasonably priced. I’ve bought and used dozens of these in PCs and external storage enclosures and I’ve not had one fail on me.
You can definitely find cheaper M.2 drives out there, but I wouldn’t want to trust them with my data, and you can find faster M.2 drives, but they are going to cost you a lot more.
For a middle of the road drive, you can’t beat this one, and all the online reviews support this conclusion.
Crucial P2 1TB 3D M.2 SSD features: Interface: NVMe PCIe | Sequential read speeds: Up to 2400MB/s | Sequential write speeds: Up to 1900MB/s
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Crucial T705 Series SSD
Best fast M.2 SSD
Put simply, the Crucial T705 Series SSD is one of the fastest drives that you can currently buy.
This is the drive that I turn to when I want the fastest gaming performance or to put in systems that work with large photo/video/3D files. Yes, it’s expensive, but if you want the speed, it’s going to cost you.
Review: Crucial T705
Just as I’d expect, this drive has very positive reviews, with 80% giving it five stars. There are some concerns about heat, but I’m convinced this is normal, and the heat sinks are doing their job of shifting the heat away from the chips.
Crucial T705 Series SSD features: Interface: NVMe PCIe Gen5 | Sequential read speeds: Up to 14,500MB/s | Sequential write speeds: Up to 12,700MB/s
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WD_BLACK 4TB SN850X Gaming M.2 SSD
Best gaming M.2 SSD
I’ve been putting WD_BLACK storage into high-end gaming PCs for years now, and they never disappoint. This M.2 drive is no exception. It’s fast, reliable, and built from quality components to offer the best lifespan possible. I’ve used quite a few of these and never had one fail.
There are two versions, one with a heat sink and one without. I recommend the one with the heat sink because it will dissipate heat better, which in turn makes it more reliable and gives you a longer product lifespan.
These drives have consistently drawn favorable reviews, with owners commenting on performance and reliability.
WD_BLACK 4TB SN850X Gaming M.2 SSD features: Interface: PCIe Gen4x4 | Sequential read speeds: Up to 7,300MB/s | Sequential write speeds: Up to 6,350MB/s
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PNY CS3150 1TB SSD with Dual Fan Black Heatsink
Best for fantastic cooling
One of the biggest killers of storage drives is heat. The faster the drive, the more waste heat it generates. And the CS3150 is a fast drive. Clocking sequential read and write speeds of 11,500MB/s and 8,500MB/s, respectively.
To keep the temperatures at a manageable level, the CS3150 not only features a massive heat sink, but also dual cooling fans.
Review: PNY CS3150
I stress-tested the drive using CrystalDiskMark and monitored the temperatures using CrystalDiskInfo, and — despite my relentless thrashing of the CS3150 — I could not get the temperatures to exceed the 70°C/158°F maximum operating temperatures.
Note that the fans do require a free set of 4-pin fan header pins on the motherboard. This drive is quite new, so there aren’t many reviews for it yet, but those I’ve seen suggest this drive lives up to expectations.
PNY CS3150 features: Interface: PCIe Gen5x4 | Sequential read speeds: Up to 11,500MB/s | Sequential write speeds: Up to 8,500MB/s
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Samsung 990 Pro w/Heatsink SSD
Most powerful M.2 SSD, perfect for the PS5
Samsung is a big name in storage, and the PRO series has consistently offered the best performance, reliability, fantastic power efficiency, and life possible — but at a price.
When I need something that is going to be bombproof, then the 990 PRo is the drive that I turn to. This drive is fast and is about as reliable as it gets. Yes, I’m definitely paying extra for a bit more peace of mind, but there are times when it’s worth it!
This drive gets close to five stars on Amazon — which is quite something for a storage drive — with review after review commenting on its incredible performance and high levels of reliability.
Samsung 990 Pro features: Interface: PCIe Gen4x4 | Sequential read speeds: Up to 7,450MB/s | Sequential write speeds: Up to 6,900MB/s
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Satechi USB-C Aluminum Tool-Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIE NVME and SATA SSD
Best DIY M.2 SSD
This Satechi enclosure is the best way to build your own M.2 external storage drive.
You buy the drive, pick the M.2 drive you need (if you’re like me, you probably have some lying about), slip the drive into the enclosure, and away you go. Yes, it’s that easy!
Review: Assemble your own portable storage with this Satechi SSD enclosure
I think this is a great alternative to buying a ready-made external drive. With this setup, if you ever need to replace or upgrade the drive, you can do it quickly and easily.
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ZDNET’s pick for the best M.2 SSD is the Crucial P2 500GB 3D M.2 SSD, which offers a great balance of affordability, performance, and reliability. It’s not the fastest drive on the market, but it’s a solid choice for those looking for a cost-effective M.2 SSD, with capacities ranging from 250GB to 2TB.
Thankfully, there are numerous options that can offer a range of price points and performance.
|
Best M.2 SSD |
Price |
Features |
|
Crucial P2 3D M.2 1TB SSD |
Around $110 |
|
|
Crucial T705 Series 1TB SSD |
Around $195 |
|
|
WD_BLACK SN850X Gaming M.2 2TB SSD |
Around $160 |
|
|
PNY CS3150 M.2 1TB SSD |
Around $150 |
|
|
Samsung 990 PRO w/ Heatsink 2TB SSD |
Around $180 |
|
|
Satechi USB-C Aluminum Tool-Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIE NVME and SATA SSD |
Around $50 |
|
*MSRP at the time of writing. Please note that actual prices may vary depending on available sales, deals, discounts, and coupons.
Two things are going to add to the price of your M.2 purchase — speed and capacity. The more of either one of these you need, the more it’s going to cost.
|
Choose this M.2 SSD… |
If you want… |
|
Crucial P2 3D |
A budget drive that’s perfect for a basic PC. This is my default choice for a general M.2 upgrade. |
|
Crucial T705 Series |
One of the highest performance drives you can buy. If you want performance, this is the drive for you, but you better have the hardware to back it up to get the most out of it. |
|
WD_BLACK 4TB SN850X |
To give a gaming PC a performance boost. A good choice for those wanting high performance without breaking the bank. |
|
PNY CS3150 |
To give a slowing PC an upgrade. Between the blazing fast storage chips and extreme cooling, this is a perfect performance upgrade. |
|
Samsung 990 PRO w/ Heatsink SSD |
A high performance drive with decent capacity and, and long life. If you want extreme reliability, this is the drive for you. It’s also perfect for upgrading your PS5. |
|
Satechi USB-C Aluminum Tool-Free Enclosure for M.2 PCIE NVME and SATA SSD |
To build your own M.2 portable storage drive. A great way to make yourself a fast external storage drive. |
I only recommend products that I’ve tested or used personally, and while there are many M.2 SSDs on the market, not every one is built the same. Here are some other factors I considered when testing and curating my top selections.
- Real-world use: When I test M.2 SSDs, I use them in a variety of systems, from basic PCs to high-end workstations, gaming systems, and drones, to CCTV systems under both easy and harsh conditions, to get a feel for how they actually work in the real world.
- Benchmarks: I’m also quite a nerd, and have carried out both real world and synthetic benchmarks on these M.2 SSDs. The tests included stress tests and performance tests (carried out using CrystalDisk and AJA System Test).
- User reviews: I’m one person, so there’s a limit to how much testing I can do, which is why I like to keep an eye out on what users are saying on social media, Reddit, Amazon, and other online retailers.
M.2 is a type of solid-state drive (SSD) that is small and used for data storage. It connects directly to the motherboard of a computer, rather than using a traditional SATA III connection. This allows for faster data transfer speeds and improved performance compared to traditional SATA-based SSDs.
In terms of pronunciation, “M.2” is typically pronounced “M-dot-two.”
Yes.
You’ll see sizes like 2242, 2260, and 2280.
The first two numbers are the width in millimeters — 22mm is the width of commercially available M.2 drives — and the next two (or sometimes three) numbers are the length, again in millimeters.
Check the manual for your computer’s motherboard or enclosure to know the size restrictions for the M.2 drive you can use.
M.2 slots come in two “keyings” that prevent the drive being inserted the wrong way. Older systems used a B key, and newer systems use an M key.
Modern drives come in two flavors — M key or B+M, which will fit into both the newer and older slots.
Fitting an M.2 drive is easy!
Find the M.2 connector on your motherboard (consult your manual if you are unsure). The contacts on the drive slots into the connector at an angle of 30 degrees from the motherboard. Not vertically. Not horizontal. At a shallow angle.
Insert the connector all the way into the slot, and then gently push it down flat to the motherboard, and finally affix it to the board using the retaining screw.
Done!
Here are a few alternatives to the M.2 drives listed above, one perfect for the budget-conscious buyer.
Lexar Professional 2TB NM800 PRO
This Lexar M.2 SSD offers up to 7,500MB/s read and 6,500MB/s write in an 2280 form factor package, and it is compatible with the PlayStation 5, making it the perfect upgrade.
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TeamGroup MP44L 1TB
This affordable NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 SSD offering sequential read/write speed can reach up to 5,000MB/s and 4,500MB/s, respectively.
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