M.2 2280 SSD 240GB 256GB – NGFF Notebook M.2 Interface Solid State Drive, N480
M.2 2280 SSD 240GB 256GB – NGFF Notebook M.2 Interface Solid State Drive, N480
M.2 2280 SSD 240GB or 256GB – NGFF Notebook Solid State Drive, N480
This M.2 2280 SSD is a bare solid state drive on a blue circuit board, 22 mm wide and 80 mm long, for notebooks and desktop boards that have an M.2 slot. The supplier lists it under the model reference N480 in two capacities, 240GB and 256GB, and calls the interface NGFF. Easy Life Markets sells each capacity as a single drive.
M.2 is the slot that replaced the 2.5-inch drive bay in thin laptops. The drive is a card about the size of a stick of chewing gum that lies flat against the motherboard and is held down by one screw. "2280" is simply the size: 22 mm by 80 mm, the most common length. NGFF is the older name for the same slot.
What Is in the Box
- 1 × M.2 solid state drive
The supplier provided almost no written detail with this drive. No mounting screw, heatsink, enclosure or cloning software is listed, so assume none is included.
Specifications
- Form factor: M.2 2280 (22 × 80 mm)
- Interface name in the listing: NGFF / M.2
- Connector: Two notches, B and M key, as shown in the supplier's photos
- Capacity options: 240 GB, 256 GB
- Model reference: N480
- Board colour: Blue
- Use: Notebook computers, per the supplier
The supplier gives no read or write speed, no flash type and no endurance rating, so we do not quote any.
The Label in the Photos
The drive in the supplier's photos carries a white label marked KingDian, along with FCC and CE marks. We are reporting what the photos show. We have not verified the maker or those marks independently, so we list the drive without a brand claim of our own.
SATA or NVMe? Read This Before Ordering
This is the point that catches most people out with M.2 drives. The slot looks the same on every laptop, but there are two different kinds of drive that plug into it, and many laptops accept only one of them.
- M.2 SATA drives talk to the computer the same way a 2.5-inch drive does. They normally have two notches in the connector, B and M.
- M.2 NVMe drives use the faster PCIe connection. They normally have one notch, M only.
The drive in the supplier's photos has two notches, and the supplier uses the name NGFF, which sellers generally use for the SATA kind. Everything we can see points to a SATA-type M.2 drive. The supplier does not state the protocol in writing, though, so we will not state it as a tested fact.
What that means in practice:
- Look up your laptop or motherboard manual and find what its M.2 slot supports: SATA, NVMe, or both.
- If the slot supports M.2 SATA, or both, this type of drive is the right kind.
- If the slot is NVMe only, a SATA-type drive will seat in it but will not be detected. Do not order this one.
- Check the length too. The slot needs a screw post at the 80 mm position.
If the manual is unclear, send us the model and we will help you check before you buy.
240GB or 256GB?
The two options are close enough that it rarely matters. Either holds an operating system, everyday programs and a working set of documents. Neither is large enough for a big games or video library on its own. If you already own a drive image that you plan to clone across, pick the option that is at least as large as the drive it came from.
Fitting It
- Back up your files and switch the computer off. Unplug the charger and disconnect the battery where the design allows.
- Touch bare metal on the case to discharge static before handling the drive. Hold it by the edges and keep fingers off the gold contacts.
- Slide the drive into the slot at a slight upward angle, around thirty degrees, with the label facing up. The notches only line up one way.
- Press the free end down flat and fix it with the M.2 screw from your computer.
- Start the computer and check that the drive appears in the BIOS or UEFI setup screen.
- A new blank drive must be initialised and formatted in the operating system's disk tool before it shows up as a usable drive, unless you are installing the operating system onto it.
Check It When It Arrives
As with any drive bought on a supplier's description, confirm the capacity in your operating system and run a full write-and-verify test with a drive testing utility before trusting it with files you care about. If the result does not match what you ordered, stop using the drive and contact us.
Looking After It
- Do not defragment an SSD.
- Leave some free space so the drive can manage its flash memory.
- Keep a backup of anything important on a second device.
Who It Suits
Owners of notebooks and small desktop boards with an M.2 slot that supports SATA drives, who want a modest boot drive to replace a failed or full one.
Common Questions
Will it fit a 2.5-inch drive bay? Not directly. For a bay, see our 2.5 inch SATA SSD.
Can it be used as an external drive? Yes, in an M.2 USB enclosure that supports the same kind of drive. The enclosure is sold separately.
Is it sold as a genuine branded drive? We describe the label we can see in the photos and make no brand or authenticity claim beyond that.
Does it need a heatsink? SATA-type M.2 drives run cool enough that one is not normally fitted.
Buy the M.2 2280 SSD at Easy Life Markets
Choose the capacity above. The current price and availability are shown on this page. Please read our return and refund policy before buying.
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