GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, has added new NVMe PCIe M.2 SSDs to its storage lineup following the recent release of its first SATA series.
The initial batch of GIGABYTE M.2 SSDs are available in three capacities, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB sizes. The new SSDs adopt 2280 mainstream specifications and operate by way of the PCIe Gen3 x2 M.2 transmission interface, removing the need for power and transmission cables that are used with traditional SATA SSDs. Installation of these M.2 devices are more straightforward and the lack of cables makes way for improved airflow and heat dissipation inside the casing. NVMe architecture allows for superior read/write speeds compared to SATA SSDs and with M.2 Thermal Guards on GIGABYTE motherboards, GIGABYTE M.2 devices offer improved performance at an value for those who want to upgrade from SATA SSDs to NVMe M.2 SSDs.
The 256GB drive is rated at sequential read speeds of 1,200MBps and 800Mbps sequential writes. The 128GB drive will hit 1,100MBps sequential reads and 500MBps sequential writes.
GIGABYTE PCIe M.2 SSD comes with a 3 year warranty. 128GB and 256GB capacity drives have already shipped, with the 512GB version to be expected "shortly."
Gigabyte officials said the 128GB SSD should sell for $50, while the 256GB drive will be listed at $70. Pricing and availability of the 512GB drive wasn't available, but if the pricing of the smaller drives is any indication, it'll be competitive.