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Port & Cable

Family reference

Storage connectors

Identify storage and media connector families before reasoning about protocol generation, lane count, power delivery or device compatibility.

31 forms 31 engineering profiles 22 related comparisons

Recognition & reference

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Recognition illustrations are not to scale or fabrication drawings. The label-led symbols below, where present, are not interface geometry. Read the illustration limits in each exact reference; equal image boxes do not establish equal physical sizes.

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Reference table31 connector forms · names, shape labels & reference depth

An alternate overview of the same facts shown in the cards. On narrow screens, scroll the table horizontally or read the cards above. Alias lists retain the existing first four entries; the full record has further detail. This is not a dimension, pinout or compatibility table.

Connector forms in the Storage family
Connector formShapeCommon aliasesEngineering
SATA 7-pin data connectorkeyedSATA data, SATA 7 pin, Serial ATAEngineering profile →
M.2 card edge interfacecard-edgeM2, M.2, M key, B keyEngineering profile →
Full-size SD card formcard-edgeSD card, SD slot, full size SDEngineering profile →
microSD card formcard-edgemicro SD, microSD card, TF cardEngineering profile →
eSATA 7-pin data connectorkeyedexternal SATA, e SATA, 7 pin eSATAEngineering profile →
CompactFlash Type I card interfacecard-edgeCF card, Compact Flash, 50 pin CompactFlashEngineering profile →
CFast card interfacecard-edgeCFast 2.0, CFast card, CFast 1.1Engineering profile →
CFexpress Type A card interfacecard-edgeCFexpress A, CF express type A, Type A camera cardEngineering profile →
CFexpress Type B card interfacecard-edgeCFexpress B, CF express type B, Type B camera cardEngineering profile →
XQD card interfacecard-edgeXQD memory card, XQD G seriesEngineering profile →
SATA 15-pin power connectorbladeSATA power, 15 pin SATA power, Serial ATA powerEngineering profile →
Slimline SATA connectorbladeSlimline SATA, Slim SATA, SATA slimlineEngineering profile →
SAS SFF-8482 drive connectorbladeSFF-8482, SAS drive connector, 29 pin SASEngineering profile →
SlimSAS connector familyrectangularSlimSAS, SFF-8654, slim SASEngineering profile →
U.2 / U.3 SFF-8639 68-position drive connectorbladeU.2, U.3, SFF-8639, 68 pin U.2Engineering profile →
Micro SATA connectorbladeMicro SATA, uSATA, micro Serial ATAEngineering profile →
Mini-SAS internal SFF-8087 connectorrectangularSFF-8087, Mini-SAS internal, Mini SAS 8087Engineering profile →
Mini-SAS external SFF-8088 connectorrectangularSFF-8088, Mini-SAS external, Mini SAS 8088Engineering profile →
Mini-SAS HD internal SFF-8643 connectorrectangularSFF-8643, Mini-SAS HD internal, Mini SAS HD 8643Engineering profile →
Mini-SAS HD external SFF-8644 connectorrectangularSFF-8644, Mini-SAS HD external, Mini SAS HD 8644Engineering profile →
OCuLink SFF-8611 / SFF-8612 connector familyrectangularOCuLink, SFF-8611, SFF-8612, PCIe OCuLinkEngineering profile →
PCI Express x16 164-position card-edge connectorcard-edgePCIe x16, PCI Express x16 slot, 164-position PCIe, x16 card edgeEngineering profile →
MCIO / SFF-TA-1016 connector familyribbonMCIO, Mini Cool Edge IO, SFF-TA-1016, Mini Cool Edge I/OEngineering profile →
SFF-TA-1002 1C 56-contact connectorcard-edgeSFF-TA-1002 1C, EDSFF 1C, 1C 56-contact, 1C connectorEngineering profile →
SFF-TA-1002 2C 84-contact connectorcard-edgeSFF-TA-1002 2C, EDSFF 2C, 2C 84-contact, 2C connectorEngineering profile →
SFF-TA-1002 4C 140-contact connectorcard-edgeSFF-TA-1002 4C, EDSFF 4C, 4C 140-contact, 4C connectorEngineering profile →
SFF-TA-1002 4C+ 168-contact connectorcard-edgeSFF-TA-1002 4C+, EDSFF 4C+, 4C plus 168-contact, 4C+ connectorEngineering profile →
PCI Express x1 36-position card-edge connectorcard-edgePCIe x1, PCI Express x1 slot, 36-position PCIe, x1 card edgeEngineering profile →
PCI Express x4 64-position card-edge connectorcard-edgePCIe x4, PCI Express x4 slot, 64-position PCIe, x4 card edgeEngineering profile →
PCI Express x8 98-position card-edge connectorcard-edgePCIe x8, PCI Express x8 slot, 98-position PCIe, x8 card edgeEngineering profile →
Mini PCI Express / mSATA 52-position socketcard-edgeMini PCIe, Mini PCI Express, mSATA socket, 52-position mini cardEngineering profile →

Tell them apart

Useful Storage comparisons

Related pages may include forms from another family. They explain distinctions, not permission to connect.

SD versus microSDCompare physical card forms; verify capacity, bus and speed class separately.Internal SATA data versus eSATAExternal data cabling does not establish the device power arrangement.CompactFlash versus CFastSimilar names refer to different card families.CFexpress Type A versus Type BRecord the type letter and supported reader, not just the family name.XQD versus CFexpress Type BA shared form factor does not establish device or firmware support.SATA, Slimline SATA and Micro SATAWhich physical SATA-family variant does the exact device specify?Mini-SAS internal SFF-8087 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643Is the internal storage connector legacy Mini-SAS SFF-8087 or Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.Mini-SAS external SFF-8088 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8644Is the external storage connector SFF-8088 or the higher-density SFF-8644 form? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.OCuLink versus SlimSASWhich compact cabled storage/PCIe connector family is documented by the host and cable? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.PCIe x16 card edge versus MCIO cabled interconnectIs the host interface a card-edge slot or an MCIO/SFF-TA-1016 cabled interconnect family? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.SFF-TA-1002 1C versus 2C connectorsIs the documented SFF-TA-1002 variation 1C/56-contact or 2C/84-contact? Contact count distinguishes these forms but does not establish device protocol or host support.SFF-TA-1002 4C versus 4C+ connectorsIs the documented variation 4C/140-contact or 4C+/168-contact? The family label alone is not enough to establish the exact connector or implementation.PCIe x1 versus x4 card-edge connectorsIs the slot/form the 36-position x1 or 64-position x4 mechanical variant? Mechanical width does not establish PCIe generation or active lanes.PCIe x8 versus x16 card-edge connectorsIs the card-edge form x8/98-position or x16/164-position? Mechanical form does not establish generation, lane wiring or platform support.Mini PCI Express/mSATA versus M.2Is the host using the older 52-position Mini PCIe/mSATA connector family or an M.2 keyed card-edge form? Similar internal-card roles do not make them physically or electrically interchangeable.SATA data vs SATA powerSATA data and SATA power are separate connectors with different roles and contact counts. Sharing the SATA name does not make them substitutes.Mini-SAS HD vs SlimSASMini-SAS HD and SlimSAS are different internal high-density connector families. Match the named SFF form and system documentation, not the general SAS label.Mini-SAS HD vs OCuLinkMini-SAS HD and OCuLink are different connector families used in high-speed internal links. Physical resemblance is not evidence of mating or protocol compatibility.M.2 card edge vs SATA data connectorM.2 is a keyed module interface, not another name for the seven-pin SATA data connector. An M.2 module may use SATA, but its exact host support and physical connection still differ.M.2 card edge vs PCIe x4 add-in-card edgeSeparate an M.2 module from a PCIe expansion-card edge. A named adapter can connect particular endpoints, but the physical shape does not establish drive protocol, host lanes or boot support.CompactFlash versus CFexpress Type BPATA CompactFlash and PCIe/NVMe CFexpress are different card families; a CF reader label is incomplete.CFast versus CFexpress Type BSATA CFast is not PCIe/NVMe CFexpress. Check the full card and reader names before checking performance.

Similar at first glance

Look-alike groups

SD versus microSDCompare physical card forms; verify capacity, bus and speed class separately.Internal SATA data versus eSATAExternal data cabling does not establish the device power arrangement.CompactFlash versus CFastSimilar names refer to different card families.CFexpress Type A versus Type BRecord the type letter and supported reader, not just the family name.XQD versus CFexpress Type BA shared form factor does not establish device or firmware support.SATA, Slimline SATA and Micro SATAWhich physical SATA-family variant does the exact device specify?Mini-SAS internal SFF-8087 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643Is the internal storage connector legacy Mini-SAS SFF-8087 or Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643?Mini-SAS external SFF-8088 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8644Is the external storage connector SFF-8088 or the higher-density SFF-8644 form?OCuLink versus SlimSASWhich compact cabled storage/PCIe connector family is documented by the host and cable?PCIe x16 card edge versus MCIO cabled interconnectIs the host interface a card-edge slot or an MCIO/SFF-TA-1016 cabled interconnect family?SFF-TA-1002 1C versus 2C connectorsIs the documented SFF-TA-1002 variation 1C/56-contact or 2C/84-contact? Contact count distinguishes these forms but does not establish device protocol or host support.SFF-TA-1002 4C versus 4C+ connectorsIs the documented variation 4C/140-contact or 4C+/168-contact? The family label alone is not enough to establish the exact connector or implementation.PCIe x1 versus x4 card-edge connectorsIs the slot/form the 36-position x1 or 64-position x4 mechanical variant? Mechanical width does not establish PCIe generation or active lanes.PCIe x8 versus x16 card-edge connectorsIs the card-edge form x8/98-position or x16/164-position? Mechanical form does not establish generation, lane wiring or platform support.Mini PCI Express/mSATA versus M.2Is the host using the older 52-position Mini PCIe/mSATA connector family or an M.2 keyed card-edge form? Similar internal-card roles do not make them physically or electrically interchangeable.

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Storage names and terminology

Resolve abbreviations, informal names and legacy labels without treating an alias as an additional connector identity.

Open Storage terminology and aliases →

Continue with the evidence

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