eMMC Storage, Its Benefits And Characteristics, eMMC VS SSD. FAQs

It's found in many newer Chromebooks, as well as entry-level Windows 10 laptops and any mini cell phones and tablets. So let's take a look at some of the advantages and characteristics and compare them to other drives.

The eMMC stands for "embedded Multi-Media Card". The MMC components, which include the flash memory and controller, are packaged in a compact ball grid array BGA IC package that spans only 32 by 24 millimeters in size. It is used in circuit boards as an embedded non-volatile memory system. This is distinct from other MMC versions in that it is not a typical user-removable or upgradeable card, but rather a permanent attachment to the circuit board. Until around 2016, almost all mobile phones and tablets used this type of flash for main storage, until UFS (Universal Flash Storage) began to take control of the market.

J deck introduced version 5.1A of the eMMC standard (JESD84-B 51) in February 2019, with speeds that rival discrete SATA-based SSDs at 400 megabytes per second. That isn't inherently a slow speed, as SATA SSDs have a maximum transfer speed of approximately the same. However, the overall transfer rate isn't the only factor that affects a device's performance.

eMMC storage usually operates with fewer memory gates than an SSD (Solid-state Drive), meaning it can still deliver at the same speed just not at the same volume. Consider it like a highway: the more lanes you have, the more cars you can move at once. A single lane each way is used by eMMC, but a multi-lane expressway is used by SSD. So you'll travel at the same pace on either, but the line to get on the road on the multi-lane highway will be nearly as long. So, if you want the fastest data transfer speeds, a PCIe SSD is the way to go.

There are a few reasons for this, these are: 

The first consideration is cost; manufacturers of laptops and other portable devices face stiff competition, and cost is a major consideration. eMMC storage is significantly less expensive than PCIe SSD storage, or any SSD storage for that matter.

If you purchase a  Plextor 128 gigabyte PCIe solid-state drive going for $500.00 compared to the 64-gigabyte eMMC at only $40.00. Now, look at the cost of $500 for 128 GB and only $40.00 for the 64 GB version, here we see it's $3.90/GB for the PCIe SSD versus only $0.60/GB for the eMMC.

Customers want super-slim laptops and eMMC storage takes a very little space compared to an M.2 SSD. The M.2 slot and the card take up more space than the chip of eMMC.

The newer eMMC version 5.1 wins in this area, allowing for longer battery life for laptops. eMMC runs from 1.9 volts to 3.6 volts while consuming power between 4 and 7 watts depending on the load while the solid-state drive varies from 5 to 8 watts depending on the load.

The newer eMMC 5.1 running at 200 megahertz at 3.6 volts is faster than the earlier eMMC versions but not as fast as the M.2 SSDs. let's take a look at different storage, typical micro SD card speeds with its 90 MB/s read and 40MB/s write speeds. Next is a 1TB SATA III hard disk drive inside of HP laptop speeds with its 109 MB/s read and 108 MB/s write speeds.  After that is a 32-gigabyte eMMC version 4.5 found in the HP stream 11 speeds with its 114 MB/s read and 64 MB/s write speeds. Then we have the 32-gigabyte eMMC version 5.1 and that's found in the Acer Chromebook 15 CB515 speeds with its 250 MB/s read and 125 MB/s write speeds.  Now we have the 128 gigabytes SATA III crucial M4 found in the Intel NUC speeds with its 393 MB/s read and 156 MB/s write speeds. Then we have the 64-gigabyte M.2 found in the Acer Chromebook 15 CB5 speeds with its 434 MB/s read and 355 MB/s write speeds. Finally, we have the 128 gigabytes PCIe Toshiba solid-state drive found in typical desktop PC speeds with its 791 MB/s read and 433 MB/s write speeds.

This is not typically seen as a user-upgradeable part. If you find yourself having this in your laptop, basically that's what you have as your storage, you cannot upgrade it. It's not like the M.2 SSD, we can just swipe it out and plug in another one, it actually takes some work because this is soldered onto your main motherboard.

*  Firstly, you got to make sure that you do find the correct eMMC for your particular device also the ones that come on the laptops are already 32 GB eMMC and purchase the 64 GB eMMC so it's just a small little jump-in this size.

*  Once you found the correct eMMC then remove all screws from the laptop's case with the help of a screwdriver.

* Now remove the motherboard from your laptop and then secure it and ground it. 

* After that find eMMC on the motherboard and then supply continued heat to the eMMC.

 

* When solder gets melted then scrape away excess solder from the edges of that eMMC. This may take three or four minutes of heating and scrape away.

* Continue to heat and now slowly and carefully pry up the edges of that eMMC.

* After about three minutes of heating and prying lift a corner of the eMMC off from the motherboard and remove the eMMC from the motherboard.

* Now you need to take a note of where the pins were connected to your motherboard. So look for the pin configuration where pin one was and make sure that when you put on the new chip that's in the same orientation.

* Now scrape off the excess solder and you do that by applying more heat and scraping off the excess solder. There you can also use a brush to brush off some less solder. Make sure that all of the excess solder is gone.

* Now it's time to place the new eMMC right on the motherboard making sure and taking note of where pin number one was on the first chip. After that secure the chip and then heat the top center of it.

* After about thirty to forty-five seconds of heating and pressing on there you should be done.

* Now we move the grounding, remove the heat, blow it off and then reinstall the motherboard into your laptop.

If you just need more storage try this. You can just go in and buy a little flash memory and install it on your laptop's motherboard by following above method.