Could someone explain "mSATA?"

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BonzaiDuck

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
16,499
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I've been coming across these little circuit cards -- mostly per SSDs -- for months. Maybe I haven't done enough homework. But the specs at the reseller don't tell me much.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820147318


What do you need to connect the gold-fingered connections on these bad boys? Am I right or wrong that these connections look very much like they'd fit your standard SATA wire-plug and SATA power-plug?

Sorry for being so naïve about this.
 
Z

Zxian

Senior member
May 26, 2011
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The mSATA port is a special port designed for small form factor systems such as laptops or the Intel NUC. It is not compatible with your standard SATA power and data connectors.

You can see an mSATA SSD installed on the NUC motherboard in this picture (right side of the board).

If you're looking for an SSD for a standard desktop, you probably don't want mSATA - just regular SATA.
 
BonzaiDuck

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
16,499
1,961
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Zxian said:
The mSATA port is a special port designed for small form factor systems such as laptops or the Intel NUC. It is not compatible with your standard SATA power and data connectors.

You can see an mSATA SSD installed on the NUC motherboard in this picture (right side of the board).

If you're looking for an SSD for a standard desktop, you probably don't want mSATA - just regular SATA.
Click to expand...

Thanks. My best intuition kept me from any such purchases when I don't have the ability to use them, and now I know the facts.

What sort of laptops is mSATA designed for? I was thinking you could simply use the proper-sized regular SSD to replace a laptop's HDD. But then there's "new stuff" (relatively speaking) like Ultrabook and Surface.
 
L

Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
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Smaller systems need smaller components. An mSATA drive is usually just like a regular SATA drive but it's physically smaller so in a space constrained system you can fit the components together more easily.

It's 100% about space. You can often get a regular 2.5" version or mSATA version of the same SSD, but the mSATA version is usually slightly little more expensive.
mSATA is designed for laptops where the manufacturer wants to make it as small as possible. They are far far smaller physically than a 2.5" drive.

Some desktop boards are also coming with mSATA slots nowadays, usually mITX boards more than larger ones, but they are around.
 
razel

razel

Platinum Member
May 14, 2002
2,337
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It is SATA, but like Zxian mentioned, not standard SATA. It is just a smaller form factor with different connectors. Adapter exist where you plug in mSATA to SATA 2.5".

The adapter doesn't fiddle with the SATA data. It is pass through. It probably does fiddle with the power voltage to provide a different one.

It can get confusing since M2 also exists which looks like mSATA. M2 as well can be SATA or straight up PCI-E to the NAND controller which is WONDERFUL!
 
KentState

KentState

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2001
8,397
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It also allows for laptops to have multiple drives. For example, my laptop has a 128GB mSATA for OS and a second 1TB HDD for storage.
 
BonzaiDuck

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
16,499
1,961
126
sm625 said:
It is still SATA. All you need is a cheap adapter to use an mSATA SSD in your desktop. If you get a good enough deal on a mSATA drive, it could cover the cost of this adapter:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812186184
Click to expand...

Now I remember seeing those adapters before. By the looks of it, the four holes in the PCB are likely to fit holes in a 2.5-to-3.5 adapter bracket? The bracket should be threaded, I think, so you'd just find the right screws, put it together and then slip it into your 3.5" HDD cage . . .
 
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