NVMe SSD USB Adapter/Enclosure?

tomsjim

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I am looking for a USB adapter/enclosure for my Samsung 960 NVMe drive, so that I can install it in the enclosure/adapter and access the contents of the drive by plugging it into my various computers' USB ports. Is there such a device? I can't seem to find one. Thanks!
 
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I have the same quest and just spoke to Startech. They make a lot of adapters. They expect to be able to have one for NVMe M.2 SSD to USB sometime this year. The representative at Startech said it's a hot item and nobody has one yet, as far as he knows.
The linked adapter says not compatible with nvme devices.

Then, also, I might question the need for a pcie nvme device when the usb interface will be the performance bottleneck.
Would not a simple external usb based ssd device be better for the OP purpose?
 

tomsjim

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While I appreciate the well-meaning questioning of WHY I need to use my NVMe drive via USB (thereby dramatically slowing it's performance, for which I paid a premium), there are several reasons why I need to briefly do it from time to time (cloning, copying, backing up, moving OS, etc.). I assure you that it's not intended to be a permanent arrangement.

Would love it if someone could just direct me to an enclosure or adapter, if one exists, that is compatible with NVMe devices (I had already googled the heck out of this, and had found the device linked in the first reply, as well as several others, that work with SATA m.2 devices but not NVMe). I need one that will work with the Samsung 960 EVO 1TB NVMe drive. Anyone?

Thanks in advance!
 


For PCIe, don't think there are any, someone earlier did find something but no word on if it worked. Last post here http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-3468196/enclosure-nvme-ssd.html

I did not read the NVMe part too closely, I used the adapters with the Samsung 950 drives but not a 960.
 


I might suggest you call startek who makes all sorts of adapters.


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sjvmom

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I have the same quest and just spoke to Startech. They make a lot of adapters. They expect to be able to have one for NVMe M.2 SSD to USB sometime this year. The representative at Startech said it's a hot item and nobody has one yet, as far as he knows.
 
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tomsjim

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Thanks for calling the company and reporting back here. I figured Startech or Rosewill, etc., would come up with one, eventually, with the now widespread use of these NVM3 M.2 devices. It's just a matter of time. If you (or anyone) learns of their availability, by all means please post back to let us know!
 

sjvmom

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ifIwasarichman

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I tried to post this answer after logging in and every time I clicked in the text box, it would disappear (you will see 2 answers below from username - IfIwasarichman, sorry, but I got frustrated and clicked answer twice - will not even let me edit the posts.). So I was forced to post it this way.

I have used a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure (Akito Node) with an NVME PCIe adapter card to transfer data, but not only did I have a TB3 eGPU handy, I had a TB3 port on my computer, so it was very straightforward and easy. If you ever thought you had seen data transfer fast, wait until you do it from an NVME SSD to an NVME SSD via TB3 - I pressed go and looked away for a tic and when I turned back it was finished - just over 60GB of data sent through almost as fast as I could blink. But it is a rather expensive way if you don't have access to a TB3 enclosure which has a PCIe slot.

There is another TB3 adapter to consider which is a bit cheaper than a TB3 eGPU device, it is from Nestor and can take 2x NVME SSD's ( http://www.netstor.com.tw/product_info.aspx?PID=PID_171026055872595 ). Again you will need access to a TB3 port.

Instead of a TB3 enclosure, there is a cheaper alternative which can be found on several sites (check out the eBay search link below) which are only about US$20, but you will still need a PCIe to NVME adapter and a USB 3 adapter to plug it in (they normally have either an MSATA style mini PCI plug or a PCMIA plug). Total cost for the three parts should only be about US$60. Never tried one myself (a few friends had and they worked fine for what they are), these were used a lot as eGPU adapters before we had TB3 devices and it also required a PSU connection to run the video card, but for a very low powered M.2 SSD, you should be able to just use a DC adapter.
Here is a link to a good youtube video showing one being put together to use as an eGPU - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=bP_8EYQ-2RA
If you are curious, here is an example of where to find the PCIe adapter from an eBay search - https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Mini+PCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XPCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3.TRS0&_nkw=PCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3&_sacat=0



So it is doable if you have the right bits. but no off the shelf NVME to USB device is available at the moment


Also watch out for the PCIe SSD to USB adapters because as far as I know at the moment, none work with NVME SSD's. For example, Microsata cables already have an M.2 PCI SSD (eg - XP941) to USB adapter/enclosure but it is not suitable for NVME SSD's I have talked to them and they are looking into what is possible to do for an NVME SSD to USB 3/3.1 enclosure. Other companies have these as well, like BPlus.

Beware of Chinese adapters advertising NVME to USB 3 like this one from Aliexpress as they don't work either.- https://www.aliexpress.com/item/M-key-NVME-PCI-Express-M-2-SSD-HDD-Enclosure-USB3-0-to-PCI-e-3/32790143462.html



 

Ali_200

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The USB 3.x is a hardware link at the end of PCIe - xHCI -USB3 PHY chain. For ordinary mass storage devices the chain continues with USB-SATA bridge.

The NVME, in contrast, is a direct PCIe interface to SSD memory.
Basically you are asking for "reverse" USB-to-PCIe bridge with NVMHCI controller on top.

In other words, instead of PCIe-NVME-SSD, you want PCIe ->xHCI -> USB3 -> USB3 -> (PCIe +NVMHCI) -> NVMSSD.

This is quite a chain, and I don't know if anyone in sober mind will be working on a silicon for such "reverse USB-to-PCIe" converter. More, there will be issues with logical layer of PCIe across so many transformations. I don't think that someone like board-adapter-maker Startech can handle this task. They might wish, but I don't know if commercial volumes for this adapter can justify multi-million development effort.

If you want to make your NVMSSD as a portable storage, the way would be to get some SBPC (single-board PC) with 4X-PCIe, and wrap everything into gigabit Ethernet. If you want USB, get some Atom platform with USB OTG device mode, and write a USB bridge yourself.
 
Jul 17, 2018
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It sounds like Intel requires that all bus-powered thunderbolt 3 enclosure include an SSD drive.

I'm thinking of doing a Group Buy of the Win-Star Thunderbolt 3 Enclosure + Samsung 960/970 EVO SSD.

Anyone interested?

https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/8zmnbs/group_buy_thunderbolt_3_nvme_ssd_enclosure/
 
Aug 14, 2018
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I too have been looking for one. And to answer why.
I am a Tier 3 onsite IT engineer for DXC at a large global company.
I probably have over 500 Dell laptops at my site..amd starting with precision 5510s, they support nvme m.2's
Our engineering desktops are HP Z series, and starting with the x40 series ,meaning z440 and z840s, they ship with m.2 nvme on pci cards.
All machine's occasionally go south and need new images of our enterprise os installed.

Need a way to back up users data from the m.2 nvme before I reimage them..

Case closed..