M.2-2242 NVMe Drive?

[Gameskiller01]

So I opened up my laptop for the first time since I got it around 3 weeks ago today, and I found out that it has a second M.2 slot that I didn't even know was there. I thought "Great, my current M.2 SSD is only using a SATA connection, I could get an NVMe drive for this one and put Windows on it". Then after looking a bit closer I realised that you could only fit really tiny SSDs (https://imgur.com/a/7oOKa) in it (looks to be M.2-2242). At first I didn't think this would be a problem, as I'd just buy a 240GB - 256GB M.2-2242 NVMe drive. Then, when looking around, I couldn't find any M.2-2242 NVMe drives at all. Do these drives even exist? Or will I have to sell my current 250GB M.2-2280 SATA SSD, buy a 240GB - 256GB M.2-2242 SATA SSD, and then get a 240GB - 256GB M.2-2280 NVMe SSD?

 

[derekullo]

What laptop do you have?

 

[gasaraki]

I have never seen a 42 length M.2 drive.

EDIT: Hey look I found one.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6232KH8028&cm_re=M.2_2242-_-9SIA6232KH8028-_-Product

 

[Gameskiller01]

What laptop do you have?

15.6" Optimus VIII custom build (https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/notebooks/optimusVIII-15/). I got mine with an i7-7700HQ, GTX 1050 Ti, 12GB DDR4-2133 RAM, 250GB WD Blue M.2 SATA SSD and 1TB 5,400 RPM HDD.

 

[Gameskiller01]

I have never seen a 42 length M.2 drive.

EDIT: Hey look I found one.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6232KH8028&cm_re=M.2_2242-_-9SIA6232KH8028-_-Product

That has SATA 6Gb/s in the specs though?

 

[Solandri]

The only 2242 SSDs I've seen are SATA types, intended to be used as a cache. 2242 refers to the size - 22mm x 42mm. The standard M.2 SSD is 2280, or 22mm x 80mm.

In addition to the Plextor, Transcend and MyDigitalSSD make them in larger sizes suitable for a system drive. But they're slower because you can't fit as many NAND dies onto them (not as much parallelism). They're all SATA types. I haven't seen one that's PCIe (NVMe) M.2. Not saying they don't exist, just that I haven't seen one.

The "second" M.2 slot may actually be for a cellular data card, with the two capped wires next to the slot being antennas. Cellular and WiFi cards have moved to the M.2 interface lately (since it's just PCIe). If so, you're going to have to research the laptop's specs pretty carefully. That extra slot may not get as many PCIe lanes as the M.2 slot intended for the SSD, so even if you manage to find a 2242 NMVe SSD, it may not operate at full speed. And a SATA 2242 M.2 drive wouldn't work at all in it since the slot is PCIe, not SATA.

 

[Gameskiller01]

The only 2242 SSDs I've seen are SATA types, intended to be used as a cache. 2242 refers to the size - 22mm x 42mm. The standard M.2 SSD is 2280, or 22mm x 80mm.

In addition to the Plextor, Transcend and MyDigitalSSD make them in larger sizes suitable for a system drive. But they're slower because you can't fit as many NAND dies onto them (not as much parallelism). They're all SATA types. I haven't seen one that's PCIe (NVMe) M.2. Not saying they don't exist, just that I haven't seen one.

The "second" M.2 slot may actually be for a cellular data card, with the two capped wires next to the slot being antennas. Cellular and WiFi cards have moved to the M.2 interface lately (since it's just PCIe). If so, you're going to have to research the laptop's specs pretty carefully. That extra slot may not get as many PCIe lanes as the M.2 slot intended for the SSD, so even if you manage to find a 2242 NMVe SSD, it may not operate at full speed. And a SATA 2242 M.2 drive wouldn't work at all in it since the slot is PCIe, not SATA.

I do already have a WiFi chip in an M.2 slot (that looks to be even smaller than 2242, looks something like 2225) though (you can see it next to the SSD in the first, zoomed out shot). Would they include another slot for WiFi / Cellular?

 

[jayr17]

I have never seen a 42 length M.2 drive.

EDIT: Hey look I found one.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6232KH8028&cm_re=M.2_2242-_-9SIA6232KH8028-_-Product

Actually that one is still SATA. Plus it is really slow on the write. NEWEGG had a few others as well, but they were also all SATA III not PCIE NVME. The ZTC and MyDigitial versions are reasonable price with about twice the write speed of that one, but still slow https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=m.2+42mm&ignorear=0&N=100011693&isNodeId=1
I was hoping to make a boot drive on an older ASUS Rampage II Gene mobo that I have with a 64GB one I am only using for a RAMDRIVE currently, since the prices of these are about what I paid for the 64GB at the time. Just not sure if it is worth fiddling with a slow PCIE 2.0 connection or just use the SATA III 2.5" SSD at the same speed.
So in a long explanation, it would appear there are no PCIE 42mm (2242) SSDs only SATA III types. If you want PCIE you need an 80mm (2280), I don't find any in 60mm (2260) either.

 

[mryang01]

I have never seen a 42 length M.2 drive.

EDIT: Hey look I found one.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6232KH8028&cm_re=M.2_2242-_-9SIA6232KH8028-_-Product

Not NVMe.

 

[fj.aquino]

APACER M.2 PT42-M
http://

 

[arnaldo.melo]

http://www.pcgamer.com/toshiba-aims-for-mainstream-pricing-with-new-rc100-nvme-ssds/

 

[samzhou.ca]

I have never seen a 42 length M.2 drive.

EDIT: Hey look I found one.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6232KH8028&cm_re=M.2_2242-_-9SIA6232KH8028-_-Product

Actually that one is still SATA. Plus it is really slow on the write. NEWEGG had a few others as well, but they were also all SATA III not PCIE NVME. The ZTC and MyDigitial versions are reasonable price with about twice the write speed of that one, but still slow https://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=m.2+42mm&ignorear=0&N=100011693&isNodeId=1
I was hoping to make a boot drive on an older ASUS Rampage II Gene mobo that I have with a 64GB one I am only using for a RAMDRIVE currently, since the prices of these are about what I paid for the 64GB at the time. Just not sure if it is worth fiddling with a slow PCIE 2.0 connection or just use the SATA III 2.5" SSD at the same speed.
So in a long explanation, it would appear there are no PCIE 42mm (2242) SSDs only SATA III types. If you want PCIE you need an 80mm (2280), I don't find any in 60mm (2260) either.

Hi there are M2. 2242 PCIE ssd : http://www.liteonssd.com/en/PRODUCT/client-sata-ssd.html