U.2 and SATA Express

[Bandalo]

Why do motherboard manufacturers keep pushing out motherboard after motherboard with U.2 and SATA Express ports? While all the storage vendors are pushing towards M.2 or straight PCI-E. I don't think I've ever even seen a SATA Express drive for sale, and the only U.2 drive I've seen was the Intel model that was also available in M.2 and PCI-E x4 models.

Am I missing something here?

 

[jarablue]

To me what is the point of introducing all of these ports? Can we agree on one type or two and then work our asses off on improving it. To me all of this effort into shit that no one will ever use. Just keep it simple. I have to stop being cranky.

Now get off my lawn.

 

[Bandalo]

To me what is the point of introducing all of these ports? Can we agree on one type or two and then work our asses off on improving it. To me all of this effort into shit that no one will ever use. Just keep it simple. I have to stop being cranky.

Now get off my lawn.

I know SOME of the history and why the ports exist...SATA Express was supposed to replace SATA as the next great thing. It just got devoured by M.2/U.2/PCI-E direct before any storage developers got into it. But that was years ago now.

I honestly don't know the history of U.2 and why it exists. Might be something from the server world, where you'd run out of space for multiple M.2 drives on a motherboard, or if you wanted the drives in hot-swap bays or something, but I'm just speculating here..

 

[DejaWiz]

I know SOME of the history and why the ports exist...SATA Express was supposed to replace SATA as the next great thing. It just got devoured by M.2/U.2/PCI-E direct before any storage developers got into it. But that was years ago now.

I honestly don't know the history of U.2 and why it exists. Might be something from the server world, where you'd run out of space for multiple M.2 drives on a motherboard, or if you wanted the drives in hot-swap bays or something, but I'm just speculating here..

U.2 is NVMe hot-plug capable, and is geared towards the enterprise/data center segment.

M.2 is NVMe compact package with a focus on small footprint and lower power draw (3.3V vs 5.0V).

 

[Bandalo]

U.2 is NVMe hot-plug capable, and is geared towards the enterprise/data center segment.

M.2 is NVMe compact package with a focus on small footprint and lower power draw (3.3V vs 5.0V).

That makes a bit more sense then. I didn't know it directly supported hot-swap. I'd still question why it's on so many commercial motherboards these days though. Is there some other advantage? Who is making drives for U.2 besides a very few models from Intel?

 

[DejaWiz]

That makes a bit more sense then. I didn't know it directly supported hot-swap. I'd still question why it's on so many commercial motherboards these days though. Is there some other advantage? Who is making drives for U.2 besides a very few models from Intel?

U.2 was developed by Intel, so they have a lock on the tech.

 

[Bandalo]

U.2 was developed by Intel, so they have a lock on the tech.

NOW we have the actual reason!

As for why ASUS and everyone else feels the need to take up board space with this superfluous connectors is still a question though.

 

[DejaWiz]

NOW we have the actual reason!

As for why ASUS and everyone else feels the need to take up board space with this superfluous connectors is still a question though.

I agree. It's been what, over 2 years, that M.2 pretty much became the de facto replacement standard for SATA? I see all these new MoBo's still sporting SATA-E and I just shake my head...

 

[Bandalo]

I agree. It's been what, over 2 years, that M.2 pretty much became the de facto replacement standard for SATA? I see all these new MoBo's still sporting SATA-E and I just shake my head...

All I want is 2 M.2 slots and 2 SATA ports, and I'd be happy!

 

[emmjawsX]

The only thing i've seen a sata-express port used for is to add additional usb 3.1 ports so while it has some use i guess i wouldn't miss it if it was gone.