M.2 2280 SSD Form Factor Guide: Is It Compatible With Your Rig?

Building a new PC or upgrading your storage in South Africa? Awesome. You've probably seen "M.2 2280 SSD" pop up everywhere, promising insane speeds. But here's the catch... what do those numbers actually mean? Choosing the wrong size is a classic blunder that can stop your build dead in its tracks. Let's make sure that doesn't happen to you. This guide will quickly demystify the M.2 2280 SSD form factor so you can buy with confidence.

Western Digital SN8100 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive - 4TB / Sequential Read, Write Performance - 14900MB/s, 14000MB/s / PCIe Gen 5 / WDS400T1X0M

R10499.00In Stock

Corsair MP700 PRO SE Hydro X Series 2TB M.2 PCIe Gen5 x4 NVMe 2.0 SSD – M.2 2280 – Up to 14,000MB/sec Sequential Read – High-Density TLC NAND – Pre-Installed Water Block – Black / CSSD-F2000GBMP700PHXS

R7499.00In Stock

ADATA SU650 512GB 3D-NAND SATA 2.5 inch Internal SSD / ASU650SS-512GT-R

R799.00In Stock

ADATA XPG 1TB GAMMIX S70 Blade - Works with Playstation 5, PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 Internal Gaming SSD Up to 7,400 MB/s / AGAMMIXS70B-1T-CS

R2599.00In Stock

Corsair MP700 PRO SE 4TB PCIe 5.0 x4 NVMe M.2 SSD / Up to 14,000MB/s Sequential Read / Up to 12,000MB/s Sequential Write / M.2 2280 Form Factor / CSSD-F4000GBMP700PNHS

R10999.00In Stock

XPG 2TB GAMMIX S70 Blade - Works with Playstation 5, PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 Internal Gaming SSD Up to 7,400 MB/s (AGAMMIXS70B-2T-CS)

R3699.00In Stock

What Does the M.2 2280 Form Factor Actually Mean?

Let's break it down. It's simpler than you think. The term "M.2" refers to the slim, modern slot on your motherboard, replacing the chunky old SATA cables. The number that follows, however, is the most crucial part for compatibility.

The M.2 2280 SSD form factor is not a model number... it's a measurement. 📏

• 22 stands for the width of the drive in millimetres (22mm).
• 80 stands for the length of the drive in millimetres (80mm).

That's it! So, a 2280 drive is 22mm wide and 80mm long. This is, by far, the most common size for consumer NVMe SSDs today because it provides enough space for NAND flash chips and a controller without being too large. You might occasionally see other sizes like 2242 or 22110, but 2280 is the standard for gaming rigs.

KLEVV CRAS C930 2TB M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen4x4 Internal Gaming SSD with Heatsink, Compatible with PS5, up to 7400MB/s with DRAM Cash / K02TBM2SP0-C93

R3999.00In Stock

ADATA XPG GAMMIX S55 2TB NVMe PCIe Gen4 x 4 M.2 / Read & Write Speed up to 5,000 & 3,700MB/s / Internal Solid State Drive Great for Steam Deck, Microsoft Surface and Gaming Consoles / SGAMMIXS55-2T-C

R3999.00In Stock

DAHUA M.2 PCIe Gen4x4 1TB NVMe SSD / PCIe Gen4.0x4 Supported / Read: Up to 6290 MB/s Write: Up to 5680 MB/s / DHI-SSD-C970VN1TB

R1949.00In Stock

ADATA XPG Mars 980 Blade 4TB NVMe 5.0 Internal Solid State Drive / Up to 14,000MB/s Read Speed and Up to 13,000MB/s Write Speed / SMAR-980B-4TCS

R7999.00In Stock

Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB NVMe SSD / M.2 2280 Form Factor / PCIe Gen5.0 / Up to 14,700MB/s Read / Up to 14,000MB/s Write / SFYR2S/2T0

R6999.00In Stock

KingSpec XG7000 1TB NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD / TLC NAND flash memory / PCIe Gen 4.0, M.2 2280, Up to 7400MB/s/6600MB/s Read/Write Speeds / XG7000-2280-1TB

R1999.00In Stock

Checking Your Rig's M.2 2280 Compatibility

So, how do you know if an M.2 2280 SSD will fit your setup? Don't guess. The last thing you want is a top-tier drive you can't even install. Here are two foolproof ways to check.

1. The Motherboard Manual is Your Best Friend

Your motherboard's manual is the ultimate source of truth. It will have a dedicated section or diagram showing the M.2 slots and explicitly stating which lengths are supported. Look for labels like "M.2_1" or "M.2_2" and check the specs for "supports 2242/2260/2280 storage devices." If you see 2280 listed, you're good to go.

2. A Quick Visual Inspection

If you're comfortable opening your case, you can often see the compatibility right on the motherboard itself. Look for the M.2 slot and you'll likely see several small screw holes lined up next to it, each labelled with a number like 2242, 2260, and 2280. If there's a screw hole marked 2280, your board is ready for the most popular M.2 2280 SSD form factor on the market. Brands like Klevv focus on this standard, offering some of the best performance in this size from Klevv's range of high-performance memory and storage.

Kingston Fury Renegade 4TB NVMe SSD / M.2 2280 Form Factor / PCIe Gen5.0 / Up to 14,800MB/s Read / Up to 14,000MB/s Write / SFYR2S/4T0

R9999.00In Stock

ORICO e7400 M.2 NVMe SSD - 4TB / PS5 Compatible / PCIe Gen4.0 x4 / Up to 7,400MB/s Read and 6,600MB/s Write Speeds / ORICO-e7400-4TB-GD-BP

R5949.00In Stock

Dahua L7 M.2 512GB NVMe SSD / Read: Up to 1,050 MB/s Write: Up to 895 MB/s / Shock-resistant and drop-resistant design / Aluminum body with heat dissipation / Dual Type-C/Type-A cable included / DHI-PSSD-L7-512GB

R899.00In Stock

Kingston Fury Renegade 2TB PCIe Gen 4.0 NVMe M.2 Internal Gaming SSD with Heat Sink | PS5 Ready | Up to 7300MB/s | SFYRDK/2000G

R4199.00In Stock

Western Digital 500GB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe Internal Solid State Drive SSD / PCIe Gen 4.0, M.2 2280 / Up to 5,000MB/s Read Speed / Up to 4,000MB/s Write Speed / WDS500G4B0E

R1299.00In Stock

Adata Mars 980 Storm 2TB NVMe SSD / PCIe Gen5 x4 / Up to 14,000MB/s - 13,000MB Sequential Read/Write / SMAR-980S-2TCI

R4499.00In Stock

Why the 2280 Standard Dominates PC Gaming

There's a good reason the M.2 2280 size became the industry standard. The 80mm length provides the perfect real estate for manufacturers to pack in multiple high-density NAND flash chips and a powerful controller. This results in higher capacities, better performance, and more efficient heat dissipation. 🚀

A drive like the super-fast Klevv Cras C925G 1TB Gen4 is a perfect example. It leverages the 2280 layout to deliver blistering read/write speeds that slash game load times and make your entire system feel incredibly responsive. Once you've confirmed your board's compatibility, browsing our wide selection of SSDs is the exciting next step.