m.2槽分类

There’s a new open format sweeping the world of performance PCs, and it’s…well, complicated. The M.2 format is designed for manufacturers to replace a variety of specific devices, do it in a tiny space, and require very little power. But actually upgrading to an M.2 drive or accessory requires a little forethought.

有一种新的开放格式席卷了高性能PC的世界，而且…复杂。 M.2格式是专为制造商设计的，可以替换各种特定的设备，在很小的空间中完成它，并且只需要很少的电源。 但是实际上升级到M.2驱动器或附件需要一些预见。

M.2来自哪里？ (Where Did M.2 Come From?)

Formerly known as Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), the M.2 format is technically a replacement for the mSATA standard,  which was popular with manufacturers of super-compact laptops and other small gadgets. That may seem surprising, since most M.2 drives sold at retail are intended for use in full-sized desktops, but M.2 has effectively replaced mSATA hard drives and SSDs in compact laptops like Apple’s MacBook or Dell’s XPS 13. They’re simply sealed within the bodies and unable to be upgraded by most users.

M.2格式以前称为下一代尺寸(NGFF)，从技术上讲是mSATA标准的替代品，mSATA标准在超紧凑型笔记本电脑和其他小配件的制造商中很受欢迎。 这似乎令人惊讶，因为大多数零售的M.2驱动器都打算用于全尺寸台式机，但是M.2已经有效地替换了Apple MacBook或Dell XPS 13等紧凑型笔记本电脑中的mSATA硬盘和SSD。只需密封在机体内，大多数用户就无法升级。

它能做什么？ (What Can It Do?)

M.2 is more than just an evolutionary form factor. Potentially, it could supersede the whole aging Serial ATA format altogether. M.2 is a slot that can interface with SATA 3.0 (the cable that’s probably connected to your desktop PC’s storage drive right now), PCI Express 3.0 (the default interface for graphics cards and other major expansion devices), and even USB 3.0.

M.2不仅仅是一个进化形式。 可能会完全取代所有老化的Serial ATA格式。 M.2是一个插槽，可以与SATA 3.0(目前可能已连接到台式机的存储驱动器的电缆)，PCI Express 3.0(图形卡和其他主要扩展设备的默认接口)接口，甚至与USB 3.0接口。

That means that—potentially—any storage or disk drive, GPU or port expansion, or low-power gadget that uses a USB connection, could all be mounted on a card plugged into the M.2 slot at the same time. The reality is a little more complicated—for example, a single M.2 slot only has four PCI Express lanes, a quarter of the total generally desired for graphics cards—but the flexibility for this tiny little