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May 04, 2024

eMMC vs. SSD: How Do They Differ and Which Is Most Suitable for Your PC or Laptop?

Is there a difference between eMMC and SSDs? Digital storage has gone through many phases, with the switch from HDDs to SSDs being the latest. However, as is the case with many modern technologies,

Is there a difference between eMMC and SSDs?

Digital storage has gone through many phases, with the switch from HDDs to SSDs being the latest. However, as is the case with many modern technologies, there are just way too many types of SSDs on the market, which can cause confusion about the best option.

We know that SSDs are better than HDDs for most people. However, eMMC storage devices still exist and are often used alongside SSDs. So, what should you choose if you're looking for digital storage for your PC or laptop?

MMC (MultiMediaCard) storage is the forerunner to another popular type of storage called Secure Digital (SD). The most prominent example of SD storage is the memory cards you see being used in cameras, smartphones, and just about any other device.

eMMC is an embedded version of MMC storage found in smartphones and cheap laptops. The "e" in eMMC here stands for embedded, meaning these chips are often directly soldered onto the motherboard instead of being available in the convenience an SD or microSD card offers.

That said, the fact that it's embedded generally means better performance and lower price. Under the hood, eMMC storage is based on NAND flash memory, which you find in USB flash drives, memory cards, and even SSDs.

However, it's the low-cost nature of eMMC storage that makes it a go-to for manufacturers producing devices on the lower end of the price bracket.

We've covered SSDs in great detail, but here's a quick refresher. SSD technology has been around since the 1950s but only became available to the consumer market in the 1990s.

Like eMMC storage, SSDs also use NAND flash memory to read, write, and store data. They also include a controller that manages data and works with the computer every time a read or write request comes through.

SSDs come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, as well as underlying technologies. QLC and TLC SSDs are two of the most popular SSD technologies in the market, with differences in speed being the major differentiating factor. Besides sheer data transfer speed, knowing the difference between NVMe, SATA, and M.2 SSDs can also help save a lot of headaches.

You'll see SSDs being used in just about every modern-day computer. There are still questions about how long SSDs last compared to HDDs, but generally speaking, they're better in every aspect under regular use cases.

While both storage devices use NAND flash memory, the eMMC vs. SSD comparison is much more in-depth.

SSDs, on average, are faster than eMMC storage drives. The difference in speed arises from the number of NAND gates found in each drive. To keep costs down, most eMMC drives only have one NAND gate, while SSDs can have as many as 20.

eMMC storage delivers average data transfer speeds of up to 400MB/s. While that's not slow by any measure, and SATA SSDs provide about the same data transfer rates, the lower number of NAND gates makes the difference here. The more NAND gates available, the higher the rate of data transfer a drive can hit.

The fastest PCIe 3.0 SSDs have faster transfer rates than eMMC drives, providing data transfer speeds of up to 3,500 MB/s. Additionally, PCIe 4.0 SSDs are twice as fast again. Data write speeds are also significantly faster than an eMMC drive.

Storage capacity is another slam dunk win for SSDs. Most eMMC drives have a capacity between 32GB and 256GB, though the maximum currently available is 512GB. 64GB and 128GB eMMC drives are common. That's not to say that eMMC storage can't be manufactured in higher capacities; it's just that the lower number of NAND gates will throttle the drive, causing slow data transfer speeds. Hence, eMMC storage works best with smaller capacities.

When it comes to SSDs, you can find all sorts of different capacities ranging from 128GB to up to multiple terabytes. As you can guess, this makes much more sense for computers or just about any device requiring a large storage capacity, as typical eMMC sizes will leave little space for extras once you've got an operating system and essential programs loaded on the drive.

While both storage types are available online and offline, the major difference is pricing. Depending on the capacity, underlying technology, and form factor, an SSD can cost you anywhere from $15 to over $200.

Regarding eMMC storage, a 64GB eMMC module from Kingston will only cost you around $11, with the 32GB counterpart coming in at nearly half the price at $6. Prices will slightly differ based on the manufacturer, but they're more or less the same across manufacturers as far as you're comparing the same capacity. You also have to consider that most folks won't go out and buy specific eMMC, as it's embedded on the motherboard and difficult to swap out, but it contributes to the price of the device you buy.

As you can probably guess, SSDs are used anywhere you need a more permanent data storage solution, like your computer or console. eMMC storage, on the other hand, is commonly found on low-cost computers or temporary storage devices like USB flash drives.

If you're looking to save money on storage and thinking of picking up the highest capacity eMMC module you can find, remember that you may struggle to attach it to your computer—it is "embedded" memory, after all.

In contrast, investing in a good SSD with the right capacity will cost you more upfront, but you won't run into the headaches of dealing with frequent storage shortages. Additionally, you'll also be able to pick up another, higher-capacity SSD whenever you want and increase your storage without much hassle.

Choosing the right type of storage is very important and can save you trouble down the road. You might save money buying a cheaper, lower storage capacity eMMC in the short run, but you'll soon be looking for storage expansion options—a problem you won't face when using an SSD.

Yadullah is a Computer Science graduate who writes/edits/shoots/codes all things cybersecurity, gaming, and tech hardware. When he's not, he streams himself racing virtual cars. He's been writing and reporting on tech and cybersecurity with websites like Candid.Technology and MakeUseOf since 2018.