M.2 SSD pockets

M.2 SSD

— form factor designed specifically for miniature internal components, including solid state drives. Dimensions M.2-peripherals are from 12 to 30 mm wide and from 16 to 110 mm in length, it is connected through the connector of the same name.

External pockets of this form factor are compact in size. In turn, internal models are most often laptop solutions for installing an SSD in an optical drive slot. However, there is also a rather specific option — PC accessories that allow you to connect M.2 drives to a PCIe slot (like a separate sound card or another expansion card). This feature comes in very handy if the native M.2 connectors on the motherboard are occupied, unavailable, or not available at all; however, some of these devices allow you to connect not only SSD modules, but also other miniature internal peripherals — for example, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapters.

When choosing a device from this category, it is worth remembering that two different interfaces can be implemented through the M.2 connector: a relatively slow SATA, used only for drives, and a noticeably faster and more versatile PCIe. For normal operation, the drive and pocket must match in the interface used; at the same time, it should be noted that there are pockets that are compatible with both options at once and even capable of playing the role of an adapter from M.2 SATA to the PCIe connector of the motherboard.