Why NVMe Drives Are So Expensive
NVMe drives are notably more expensive than SATA SSDs, regardless of whether the latter is a 2.5-inch form factor or uses an M.2 connector. If you check out the latest NVMe drives with sufficient storage capacities, they often cost a small fortune.
Key Reasons for NVMe Drive Costs
NVMe drives are expensive because they’re much faster and have greater bandwidth than SATA SSDs. Specifically developed for SSDs, NVMe technology uses the PCIe protocol to eliminate the bottlenecks of SATA interfaces, so solid-state drives perform much better. Additionally, NVMe drives have yet to become the industry standard. They are not as prevalent as SATA SSDs, so they aren’t currently benefiting from economies of scale that can reduce the manufacturing cost per unit and, thus, the retail price.
Factors Contributing to NVMe Drive Costs
1. Bandwidth or Lanes
SATA SSDs have limited bandwidth and use only one lane. In contrast, NVMe drives can use up to four lanes, depending on the motherboard and the interface and protocol standards. This bandwidth factor alone makes NVMe drives capable of delivering around four times the data transfer speeds of SATA SSDs. This significant difference also applies to SATA SSDs using M.2 connectors.
However, simple computing may not be demanding enough for you to notice any significant impact of the massive bandwidth. Plus, you need compatible hardware for the latest NVMe drives to deliver up to their potential. For example, a PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSD can work with a PCIe 2.0 motherboard, but the drive’s bandwidth and speed will be throttled.
2. Data Transfer Speed
The data transfer speed of SATA III solid-state drives is up to 600 MB/s. In contrast, most NVMe drives can deliver data transfer speeds of around 3,000 MB/s or 3 GB/s. A Gen 4 NVMe drive may clock as high as 7 to 8 GB/s, but actual speeds are subject to the limit of the PCIe lanes.
NVMe drives in the M.2 form factor can access the x2 or x4 lanes of the PCIe bus. Thus, the bandwidth and data transfer speeds are significantly higher than those of SATA SSDs. The greater bandwidth and higher speeds also apply to how fast the SSD might read and write, not just transfer data. For example, all NVMe drives since Gen 3 can deliver sequential read and write speeds of over 1 GB/s.
3. Designed for SSD
SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) and AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) were developed for hard disk drives (HDDs). Neither interface was conceived or intended to explore the real potential of solid-state drives (SSDs). NVMe technology is specifically designed for SSDs, accounting for the investment and research that led to this innovation. This specific development and innovation contribute to the higher cost of NVMe drives.
4. PCIe Bus Protocol
The fact that NVMe drives use the PCIe bus standard enables SSDs to improve performance attributes such as latency, response times, queues, and throughput. NVMe drives can have up to 65,535 queues with as many commands in each of them, while AHCI and SATA have only one queue for storage requests with a maximum of 32 commands.
This significant difference in capacity to process commands makes NVMe SSDs consistent, fast, and reliable. Removing SATA cables from the equation allows NVMe drives to have a much shorter path to and from the CPU, contributing to faster data transfer speeds.
5. Reduced CPU Overhead
NVMe drives reduce CPU overhead associated with storage by 33% because they need fewer resources and cycles. This reduction in overhead and cycles leads to a decrease in the time and power required for operations, making NVMe drives more efficient.
For instance, NVMe drives take around 3 microseconds to complete 1 million input and output operations per second (IOPS), compared to about 30 microseconds required by AHCI/SATA SSDs. This efficiency is beneficial for data centers and servers, as it reduces the demand for excess cores and lowers power consumption.
6. Smaller Than SATA SSD
NVMe drives, particularly in the M.2 form factor, are smaller than 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. This smaller size makes them the default choice for desktop and laptop brands making sleeker models. However, some NVMe drives, such as PCIe add-in-card (AIC) SSDs, are much bigger or longer. The compact size and advanced technology contribute to the higher cost of NVMe drives.
7. Upcoming Industry Standards
SATA SSDs are more expensive than HDDs, and from 2015 through 2021, SSDs have overtaken HDDs to become the conventional storage device in desktop computers and laptops. However, not all SSDs are NVMe, as SATA SSDs are still predominant.
As more original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) prefer NVMe drives over SATA SSDs, the latter’s cost will decrease considerably. The global market for solid-state drives is poised to expand rapidly, and NVMe technology will benefit from economies of scale, potentially reducing costs for consumers and manufacturers.
8. Wider Range of Applications
NVMe drives are available in different form factors, enabling their use with various configurations such as M.2 (PCIe), PCIe AIC, and U.2. These drives have different compatible connectors and protocols, allowing for versatility and backward and forward compatibility. The ability to use NVMe drives in various setups contributes to their higher cost.
Conclusion
NVMe drives are more expensive than SATA SSDs due to their advanced technology, greater bandwidth, faster data transfer speeds, reduced CPU overhead, and compact size. While the cost is higher, the performance benefits and efficiency gains make NVMe drives a valuable investment for those seeking superior storage solutions. As NVMe drives become more prevalent and benefit from economies of scale, their prices may decrease, making them more accessible to a broader range of consumers.
