The Best M2 SSDs in 2024

Finding the best M2 SSDs for your needs is important for your computer system. A slow hard drive is the cause of the overall system performance drop. To increase read and write speeds, you need a high-speed SSD. That's why we tested dozens of hard drives this year to find the best M2 SSDs. Let's discover! Check out our picks for The Best SSDs for PS5, Best Mid-tower PC Cases, and Best CPU Air Coolers.

Top Picks

• Best Overall: WD BLACK 500GB SN850

• Best Performance: Seagate FireCuda 530 4TB

• Best Value: PNY CS2130 4TB

• Best Budget: Crucial P3 2TB

• Best for Laptop: SK Hynix Gold P31 500GB

• Best PCIe: SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus SSD 500GB

• Best RGB: Patriot Viper VPR400 1TB

1. WD_BLACK SN850

Specification

• Digital Storage Capacity: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Connectivity Technology: SATA

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

• Compatible Devices: Desktop

The WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD achieves incredible read and writes speeds of 7000 MB/s and 5300 MB/s, with up to 1,000,000 IOPS for smooth, responsive, and powerful gaming. High performance is best met with the WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD, which features an optional heatsink model so your PC won't drain while you're at the top of the game. 

1GB is one billion bytes, and 1TB equals one trillion bytes when referring to storage capacity. Depending on the working conditions, the actual user capacity can be lower. One million bytes per second (MB/s) is the unit of measure for transfer rate. Based on internal tests, performance may vary based on the host device, usage scenarios, disk capacity, and other elements.

Pros

• Exceptional performance

• Enticing heatsink layout

• Dynamically large SLC cache

Cons

• Hardware AES 256-bit encryption is absent.

• Heats up more than other SSDs

2. PNY CS2130

Specification

• Digital Storage Capacity: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: Solid State

• Connectivity Technology: SATA

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

• Compatible Devices: Desktop, Laptop

The PNY CS2130 M.2 NVMe SSD is a fantastic choice for a mainstream NVMe upgrade from a SATA-based solid-state drive (SSD) in a PC or MAC desktop or laptop computer with NVMe compatibility.

The CS2130 drive is designed to replace high-speed SATA SSD drives and boost system performance by enabling quicker program launches and boot times. You can accomplish more with NVMe in less time.

Compared to SATA-based SSDs, applications will load, terminate, and boot up to six times faster. Due to the absence of moving parts, the PNY CS2130 M.2 NVMe SSD is incredibly dependable, less prone to failure, and has a 5-year warranty.

Pros

• Reasonable price

• 5-year warranty

Cons

• Does not support Gen 4

3. Crucial P3

Specification

• Digital Storage Capacity: 500GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Connectivity Technology: SATA

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

• Compatible Devices: Desktop, Laptop

Everything is straightforward with the Crucial P3 SSD. The NVMe speed of the P3 surpasses preceding storage technologies since it is nearly 20 times faster than HDD2 and about 5 times faster than SATA.

With sequential read/write speeds up to 3500/3000MB/s, storage capacities up to 4TB, Micron Advanced 3D NAND, and cutting-edge controller technology, the Crucial P3 gives you the speed you need at the pricing you desire.

You can store all of your content, including apps, games, images, and videos, and benefit from quicker bootups, downloads, and file transfers thanks to Crucial's high standards of quality and dependability.

Pros

• High-capacity alternatives

• Affordable price

• Effective and stylish

• Software support and a five-year guarantee

Cons

• Minimal Endurance

3. SK Hynix Gold P31

Specification

• Digital Storage Capacity: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB

• Hard Disk Interface: NVMe

• Connectivity Technology: PCIe NVMe 3.0

• Hard Disk Description: Solid State Hard Drive

• Hard Disk Form Factor: 2280 inches

With 128-Layer flash, the Gold P31 SSD from SK Hynix promises to be the first retail SSD, providing it a competitive edge. Due to the high bit density of the most recent flash from SK Hynix, the Gold P31 is introduced to the market at a relatively low price. You may want to think again before paying the extra $25 to $50 on the Samsung 970 EVO Plus because the Gold P31 is such a good value. It is priced similarly on the listing.

The Gold P31 from SK Hynix is excellent if you want to update your laptop's storage because it boosts both capacity and battery life. Benchmarking tests may reveal drives that perform better than the Gold P31, but the SK Hynix is significantly more power-efficient, enabling longer off-the-charger periods.

Pros

• High power efficiency

• Exceptional performance

• Competitive tenacity and a warranty of five years

• Form factor with only one side

• Low price

Cons

• A little more slowly than the 1TB variant is the 2TB model

• Just the 2TB capacity black PCB

• OPAL is not compliant with encryption

1. How do M2 SSDs function?

For use cases like gaming, 3D animation, video editing, or big file transfers, M.2 SSDs are helpful when constructing or updating a personal computer (PC) or laptop. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) and SATA are just two of the many protocols and applications that M.2 supports.

2. What M2 slot should I use for my SSD?

You should give using slots that support those NVMe speeds top priority if you're using M.2 NVMe SSDs. It doesn't really matter which slot you select for M.2 SATA drives as long as you're aware that any possible SATA Connectors will be inhibited by their use.

3. Do M2 SSDs require heatsinks?

The M.2 SSD needs cooling because of its tiny size and because its high-performance features consume a lot of power. Because of this, using the M.2 SSD card frequently necessitates the usage of a heatsink

We have reviewed the 13 best M2 SSDs for you in 2024. From the following choices, maybe you'll find the greatest options that suit your requirements.