Storage Connectors
All Storage connector types with specifications and compatibility.
Storage connectors interface with hard drives, SSDs, and optical drives inside and outside computer enclosures. SATA (Serial ATA) handles most consumer internal storage with 6 Gbps bandwidth, while SAS provides enterprise reliability. M.2 connectors support NVMe SSDs with PCIe lanes delivering up to 32 Gbps (PCIe 5.0 x4). External storage increasingly uses USB-C or Thunderbolt rather than dedicated eSATA connectors.
eSATA
External SATA connector for connecting drives without a USB bridge. Offers native SATA speeds but lacks power delivery, requiring a separate power cable for portable …
M.2 (B-key)
M.2 slot keyed for SATA or PCIe x2 devices. Used for SATA M.2 SSDs, Wi-Fi cards, and cellular modems. Lower bandwidth than M-key but more …
M.2 (M-key)
Compact card-edge connector for NVMe SSDs using PCIe lanes. The M-key notch identifies it as a high-speed storage slot, supporting up to PCIe 5.0 x4 …
microSD Card Slot
Compact memory card slot for microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards. Standard on smartphones, tablets, drones, action cameras, and single-board computers like Raspberry Pi.
PCIe x1
Shortest PCI Express expansion slot for low-bandwidth cards like NICs, USB controllers, and sound cards. Single lane provides up to 32 GT/s in PCIe 6.0.
PCIe x16
Full-length PCI Express slot for graphics cards and high-speed accelerators. 16 lanes provide massive bandwidth: 126 GB/s bidirectional in PCIe 5.0.
SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)
Enterprise storage connector supporting dual-port drives for redundancy. SAS-4 delivers 22.5 Gbps per lane. Backward compatible with SATA drives in SAS bays.
SATA Data
7-pin L-shaped connector for Serial ATA drives. The standard internal interface for HDDs and SATA SSDs since 2003. Supports hot-swapping on compatible controllers.
SATA Power
15-pin power connector for SATA drives, providing 3.3V, 5V, and 12V rails. Replaced the legacy Molex 4-pin for drive power in modern PCs.
SD Card Slot
Standard SD card slot accepting full-size SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards. Found on laptops, cameras, card readers, and some desktop monitors. UHS-II slots support …
U.2 (SFF-8639)
Enterprise NVMe connector supporting PCIe x4 in a 2.5-inch drive form factor. Found in servers and workstations for hot-swappable NVMe SSDs.