How to Choose mSATA 120GB Solid State Drives
Your laptop can't seem to keep up with your pictures, videos, and games with its small amount of storage, but you can expand it with an mSATA 120 GB solid state drive. This type of SSD has some advantages over drives with a larger form factor, making them a convenient choice for specific storage situations.
Why Should You Use an mSATA SSD?
There are so many types of drives to select from, but what makes an mSATA different from other types of internal solid state drives? Here are some reasons to consider giving this type of drive a chance.
- An mSATA SSD has a smaller form factor than other drives do, making it just the right size for small devices like laptop computers, netbooks, and tablets. These 2.5-inch SSDs are slim and compact.
- mSATA drives use less power, making them more energy-efficient than larger drives are. Some SSDs with NAND flash memory are also shock-resistant and consume less power.
- Your device may even run faster with the addition of an mSATA, which could read speeds of up to 500 MB/s. This could also improve the time it takes for your machine to boot up. An mSATA can improve the IOPS of your computer, which is how fast your computer reads. In some cases, you don't have to give up your existing internal SSD as well as have an mSATA, as some devices have slots for both.
What's the Difference Between mSATA, SATA, and SATA III?
While you're shopping for SATA drives, you'll notice a few different acronyms: mSATA, SATA, and SATA III or SATA 3, no naturally, you may wonder what the differences are between them.
- A traditional SATA drive is a bit larger than an mSATA. These are the most basic type of internal solid state drives, and though they work in many devices, they are not as efficient or fast as mSATA drives.
- mSATAs are smaller, consume less power, and are faster than SATA SSDs.
- A SATA III drive is the next step up, as these third-generation SSDs may be slightly faster than mSATA.
Which Brands Make mSATA Drives?
Selecting an mSATA SSD isn't just about storage and power consumption or energy efficiency; it's about selecting a brand that you can count on. Fortunately, there are numerous tech brands that offer these and many other components for your laptop or netbook.
- Crucial manufactures SSDs, including mSATA form factors. Its SSDs generally come with installation components such as mounting screws.
- Another brand to consider is Kingston, which offers mSATA SSDs with 120 GB of storage. These are caseless and have no moving parts and install into your device without much effort required.
- A Samsung mSATA SSD comes in models like the 850 EVO. This type of SSD is meant for laptop usage, and this mini-SATA offers 120 GB of storage capacity to easily and quickly upgrade your computer.