Side-by-Side Comparison
SSD
mSATA vs. U.2
Comparing 2 standards across 8 specifications. 8 key differences identified.
Comparing:
mSATA
U.2
mSATA (Mini-SATA) packed a SATA interface into the same physical card size as Mini PCIe, standardized in 2011 -- but despite sharing its connector and outline with Mini PCIe, it's electrically incompatible, carrying SATA signal lines instead of PCIe lines. M.2 has now largely superseded it.
U.2 uses the SFF-8639 connector to bring PCIe x4 NVMe speeds to a 2.5-inch, hot-swappable drive body -- the enterprise and datacenter counterpart to consumer M.2, trading M.2's compact size for better cooling, higher power delivery, and the ability to swap drives without powering down.
Specification Comparison Table
8 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standard Base Dimensions
|
~30 x 51mm (Mini PCIe card size) | — |
|
Bus Interface / Protocol
|
SATA | — |
|
Standardized
|
July 2011 (SATA revision 3.1) | — |
|
Status
|
Largely superseded by M.2 | — |
|
Connector
|
— | SFF-8639 |
|
Max PCIe Lanes
|
— | x4 (same NVMe electrical spec as M.2 M-key) |
|
Power Rails
|
— | 3.3V, 5V, 12V (vs. M.2's 3.3V only) |
|
Hot-Swap
|
— | Yes |