Faster 'NVM Express' SSD Interface Arrives on Retina MacBook and OS X 10.10.3

[MacRumors]

Apple has quietly introduced support for the next generation NVM Express (NVMe) interface to SSD Flash drives in their latest OS X 10.10.3 update as well as in the new Retina MacBook which was released on April 10th.

System Report on new Retina MacBook​

The NVMe software interface replaces the AHCI software interface in Apple's previous notebooks, and offers improved latency and performance over the old protocol. Anandtech offers a good overview between the technologies:

AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) dates back to 2004 and was designed with hard drives in mind. While that doesn't rule out SSDs, AHCI is more optimized for high latency rotating media than low latency non-volatile storage. As a result AHCI can't take full advantage of SSDs and since the future is in non-volatile storage (like NAND and MRAM), the industry had to develop a software interface that abolishes the limits of AHCI.

The result is NVMe, short for Non-Volatile Memory Express.

The new protocol is not to be confused with the underlying hardware that connects the SSD to Apple's notebooks. Apple has already upgraded the physical interface to the much faster PCIe connectors a number of years ago.

Going into the future, NVMe will allow Apple's hardware to take further advantage of the performance of SSDs as well as improve battery life with less time spent transferring data. Intel expects NVMe to also be coming to tablets and phones in the near future.

Thanks Jonathan

Article Link: Faster 'NVM Express' SSD Interface Arrives on Retina MacBook and OS X 10.10.3

 

[joshwenke]

Fuuuuuture

 

[Intelligent]

I don't even know what "NVM Express" is.

 

[Moonjumper]

As it is software, I hope it will come to existing hardware in an OS update.

 

[SSD-GUY]

Apple doesn't innovate they said.

 

[bushido]

Apple doesn't innovate they said.

but in this case they didn't? they just implemented existing techniques

 

[arn]

As it is software, I hope it will come to existing hardware in an OS update.

Pretty sure this requires a new controller chip too. So no retrograde upgrades.

arn

 

[Santabean2000]

Awesome. Faster = better

Another nail on the HDD cofin.

 

[markfc]

Is this in the new retina MacBook Pro 13" (with force touch)

 

[DrJohnnyN]

Good deal.

 

[springsup]

Pretty sure this requires a new controller chip too. So no retrograde upgrades.

arn

You should probably clarify that in the article. It's a little misleading:

The new protocol is not to be confused with the underlying hardware that connects the SSD to Apple's notebooks. Apple has already upgraded the physical interface to the much faster PCIe connectors a number of years ago.

But it DOES require new hardware.

 

[3bs]

If only their deliveries were as fast as their SSDs

 

[Cubeeless]

You need hardware for that.

 

[SpamJunkie]

Hardware as in a new SSD or a new controller (and thus logic board)?

 

[lowercaseperson]

As much as so many people are hating the MB - its got some pretty sweet technology in it. Excited for gen2 and these implementations trickle down (or up?) to other Apple products.

 

[parfy]

Is this in the new retina MacBook Pro 13" (with force touch)

Well I've just checked mine and i get the message : "This computer doesn't contain any NVMExpress devices. If you installed NVMExpress devices, make sure they are connected properly and powered on."

I'd have hoped it would be, surely it has the hardware requirements?

 

[KrisLord]

Hardware as in a new SSD or a new controller (and thus logic board)?

Both

 

[wizard]

Pretty sure this requires a new controller chip too. So no retrograde upgrades.

arn

A firm ware upgrade to the controller chips might be possible. However I can't see Apple doing this. This makes me wonder if Apple updated the new MBP to support this interface.

Im also wondering if this support might enable third party upgrades. If Apple has settled on a specific interface for solid state storage, then maybe we will see third party upgrades become possible.

 

[LoveToMacRumors]

is this a reason to return my macbook pro 13inch ?

 

[crjackson2134]

These are PCIe connections, so the controller is on the memory board. When you install the blade, you install the controller chip as well.

 

[deviant]

Awesome. Faster = better

Another nail on the HDD cofin.

Not even close. HDDs are for storage, SSDs are for the system. Is it THAT hard to understand? I hate to read this stuff over and over again. HDDs are CHEAP. You couldn't possibly afford a 50TB NAS storage filled with SSDs.

 

[wizard]

Image

Well I've just checked mine and i get the message : "This computer doesn't contain any NVMExpress devices. If you installed NVMExpress devices, make sure they are connected properly and powered on."

The NVMExpress devices should be discoverable over PCI-Express. It is the target hardware that needs to support NVMEXPRESS. {interesting, iOS capitalized that for me with no input from me}

I'd have hoped it would be, surely it has the hardware requirements?

The hardware requirements would be in the storage device. It is sort of like plugging a SCSI card into a PCI slot. However the SCSI card is useless without OS support. The same thing is going on here, NVMEXPRESS support is needed in the OS to support the new hardware interface.

Now the question is has anyone actually verified that this support is actually working with NVMEXPRESS hardware in the new Mac Book? I just checked my new MBP and it doesn't support NVME with the 512 GB drive.

----------

Not even close. HDDs are for storage, SSDs are for the system. Is it THAT hard to understand? I hate to read this stuff over and over again. HDDs are CHEAP. You couldn't possibly afford a 50TB NAS storage filled with SSDs.

A 512 GB SSD represents a lot of storage space, for some people all the space they need! For other people the cost of 50TB of SSD storage is a drop in the hat. Facts don't support your position.

 

[Simplicated]

is this a reason to return my macbook pro 13inch ?

No. The SSD read/write speeds on the 2015 13" Retina MacBook Pro is still ridiculously fast.

 

[wizard]

is this a reason to return my macbook pro 13inch ?

You can't be serious with that question! This doesn't not represent a defect, it is rather support for future technologies.

 

[redheeler]

is this a reason to return my macbook pro 13inch ?

Are you kidding? The Retina iMacs don't even have support for 4-lane PCIe SSDs yet!