M.2 Module Interface Connector

Concepts #

def m.2 (now) #

M.2 (pronounced “M dot two”) is a compact card or module form factor supporting multiple protocols and applications. It was developed by PCI-SIG and SATA-IO. The M.2 comes in two main formats:

• Connectorized, which includes a “card” (with pins) and a motherboard “socket (a.k.a. slot)” (with contacts)
• Soldered down

m.2 vs. ngff (old) #

M.2 was originally called the Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF).
It was formally renamed to M.2 in 2013.
Most people refer to M.2-SATA as NGFF, however, some consider NGFF as the old name of M.2 (thus the same thing) which includes 3 common SSD protocols: NVMe vs. SATA vs. AHCI (by Intel).