Some time ago I bought a motherboard with an m2 SSD connector. I only noticed this connector after purchasing it, so I did not bought a suitable drive, I just used a regular SSD.
Then I read a review, a comparison between a SATA 3 SSD and an NVMe SSD. Astonishing performances, up to 4 times faster! Whoa!
The review mentioned the Samsung 950 Pro but it has a problem for me: it’s 3 times more expensive than a regular SSD!
I found the Crucial MX300 m.2, for just 15 euro more than a regular SATA SSD. Yes! I Bought it immediately!
The installation was easy, just open the case, insert it into the slot and tighten the locking screw.
Windows starts but… I can’t see the drive anywhere! Where is it?
I go into the BIOS settings (ok, EFI) and it’s not shown! Did I install it wrongly? I take it apart and I install it again, but… nothing!
What happened? I assumed that m.2 (the form factor), also meant NVMe (the data protocol), but it’s not . The Crucial MX300 is an m2 SSD m.2 SATA, so it (should) seen by the system as SATA!
In my board it’s not compatible, so I have to return it.
Next time: if you want to buy an m.2 SSD, check that’s it’s NVMe, otherwise, at least in a desktop PC, it’s better to buy a regular drive.