How to Check If an SSD Is SATA or NVMe on Windows 10

The fastest way to check whether an SSD is SATA or NVMe on Windows 10 is to read its BusType with PowerShell. If Windows reports NVMe, the drive is NVMe; if it reports SATA, it is a SATA drive. When Windows instead shows RAID, USB, or an unclear value, identify the exact SSD model and confirm its interface on the manufacturer’s official specifications page.

Method 1: Check the SSD BusType in PowerShell

Windows includes the Storage PowerShell module, and Microsoft’s Get-Disk documentation confirms that disk objects expose a BusType property.

1. Right-click Start and open Windows PowerShell. Windows Terminal running PowerShell also works if it is installed.
2. Run this command:
   Get-Disk | Select-Object Number, FriendlyName, BusType, Size
3. Find your SSD by its model name or disk number.
4. Read the value under BusType.

If you want a second built-in check, try Get-PhysicalDisk | Select-Object FriendlyName, MediaType, BusType, Size. Microsoft documents Get-PhysicalDisk as returning physical disks visible through Windows storage management providers.

Method 2: Find the SSD model in Task Manager and verify its specs

Task Manager is helpful when the PowerShell bus value is ambiguous. It normally identifies the disk as an SSD and shows its model, but the SSD label by itself does not tell you whether the drive is SATA or NVMe.

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
2. Select the Performance tab.
3. Select the SSD under Disk 0, Disk 1, or the appropriate disk number.
4. Copy the model name shown in the upper-right area.

Search that exact model on the SSD manufacturer’s official website and look for fields such as Interface, Protocol, or Host Interface. Wording such as SATA 6 Gb/s indicates SATA. Wording such as PCIe x4, NVMe indicates NVMe.

This model lookup is also the best fallback when Intel RST/VMD, a RAID configuration, a USB enclosure, or another storage controller prevents Windows from exposing the underlying protocol cleanly.

Method 3: Cross-check in Device Manager

1. Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Disk drives.
3. Double-click the SSD, open the Details tab, and choose Hardware Ids.
4. If an ID clearly begins with or contains NVME, that supports an NVMe identification. If the value is generic or controller-dependent, use the manufacturer-spec method instead.

Microsoft documents NVMe as a distinct storage protocol supported by Windows 10 through its storage APIs and StorNVMe driver. See Microsoft’s Working with NVMe drives reference for the underlying Windows support.

Do not assume M.2 means NVMe

M.2 is a form factor, not a guarantee that a drive is NVMe. SATA-IO’s M.2 documentation notes that the M.2 form factor can carry SATA or PCIe. That means two SSDs can look almost identical while using different interfaces.

Likewise, physical size alone is not a perfect test. A common 2.5-inch consumer SSD is usually SATA, but 2.5-inch NVMe form factors such as U.2 also exist. NVM Express explains this distinction in its NVMe form-factor overview.

Which result should you trust?

• Best quick answer: PowerShell BusType when it explicitly says NVMe or SATA.
• Best final verification: the exact model’s official manufacturer specification.
• Useful cross-check: Device Manager hardware IDs or controller information.
• Not reliable by itself: the words SSD or M.2, the drive’s shape, or a speed estimate.

NVMe generally offers much more available bandwidth than SATA because it uses PCIe and the NVMe protocol, but the real performance of a particular SSD depends on the drive, PCIe generation and lane count, controller, thermals, and workload. If your goal is simply to identify what is already installed, checking BusType and then confirming the model specification is more reliable than judging by benchmark speed.

Windows 10 note: Microsoft ended standard Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, although the operating system continues to run and eligible devices may use Extended Security Updates. Microsoft’s current status is available on its Windows 10 support page.