M.2 SSDs in Lenovo Laptops - How to Choose the Right Format?
M.2 isn't one universal standard - it varies by length, interface, and connector keying. Mixing up the format is one of the most common mistakes in a DIY upgrade.
Drive length - the numbers in the format name
A designation like "2280" describes the dimensions in millimeters: 22mm wide, 80mm long. In Lenovo laptops you'll encounter:
- M.2 2280 - the most common format in modern laptops, a full-size NVMe drive
- M.2 2242 - a shorter format, found in some ultrabooks (e.g. some X1 Carbon and T480s configurations had a second 2242 slot alongside the main 2280 one)
- M.2 2230 - a very short format, rare for storage in ThinkPads but common for WiFi cards (don't confuse a drive with a network card - both use the M.2 connector, but they're different devices)
Older models (T440-T460, X230-X250 era) often don't have M.2 at all, only mSATA - a physically different connector, incompatible with M.2.
SATA or NVMe - the connector key
M.2 drives also split by interface: SATA (slower, but backward-compatible) and NVMe (significantly faster, requires motherboard support). You can tell them apart by the notch in the connector (the "key"):
- B+M key (two notches) - a SATA drive, sometimes also NVMe running in a slower mode
- M key (one notch) - a PCIe NVMe drive, faster, but requires a slot with NVMe support
Not every M.2 slot in a laptop supports NVMe - older motherboards (even with a physical M.2 socket) sometimes only support SATA. It's worth checking this before buying a fast NVMe drive, so you don't lose out on performance.
How to check what fits your model
Before buying a new drive, check our SSD selection - the surest way: check the Hardware Maintenance Manual for your model on support.lenovo.com, or write to us with your model/serial number - we'll check what format and interface your motherboard supports.
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