What is the form factor of an SSD that is small, sleek, and light enough to be used in a laptop?

The form factor of an SSD that is ideal for use in laptops, particularly for its small, sleek, and lightweight features, is the M.2 SSD. M.2 is a specification that allows for high-speed data transfer while maintaining a compact size, making it particularly suited for devices where space is a concern, such as laptops and ultrabooks.

M.2 SSDs are usually mounted directly onto the motherboard, eliminating the need for cables or bulky casing, which complements the design of modern laptops that prioritize weight and thinness. Additionally, M.2 supports various storage protocols, including SATA and NVMe, providing flexibility in performance based on specific use cases.

The other options do not fit the description as well as M.2 SSDs. mSATA is also a small form factor but is larger and less efficient compared to M.2. Hybrid drives combine traditional spinning hard drives with SSD technology but do not have a sleek form factor like M.2 SSDs. Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) refers to a protocol for accessing high-speed storage media, primarily used with M.2 and some PCIe SSDs, rather than a form factor in itself. Thus, M.2 SSDs are the best choice