Pimonori has began to take pre-orders for the NVMe BASE add-on board that provides an M.2 PCIe socket beneath the Raspberry Pi 5 SBC with help for M.2 NVMe SSDs and M.2 AI accelerators with 2230, 2242, 2260, or 2280 sizes.
It’s not the primary M.2 enlargement board for the Raspberry Pi because the PineBerry Pi HatDrive TM1 and BM1 add-on boards launched final month can even do this both on high of on the underside of the Raspberry Pi, however the NVMe BASE is kind of cheaper at simply 13.50 GBP inc. VAT or $14.29 ex. VAT on the time of writing.
NVMe Base key options and specs:
- NVMe Base PCB
- M.2 M-key slot
- Holes for 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 sized M.2 modules
- Raspberry Pi FFC PCIe connector
- ‘PCIe Pipe’ Flat Flex Cable
- M2 bolt and 2x nuts for SSD mounting
- 4x 7mm M2.5 standoffs for base mounting
- 8x quick M2.5 bolts for base mounting
- 4x lengthy M2.5 bolts for ‘pass-thru’ mounting with a HAT
- 4x Rubber toes
Because the NVMe Base goes beneath the Raspberry Pi 5 we’d virtually not see it as soon as put in with solely the golden flat cable and black PCB seen. One concern is that the NVMe SSD faces the underside aspect of the Raspberry Pi 5 and there’s no cooling in such a decent area. Solely time (and testing) will inform if that issues.
The corporate says the add-on board follows the just-released Raspberry Pi FFC connector specs and tips so I might not count on any concern with most SSDs. However in order for you one thing that works with near 100% certainty, you may also order a $49 package with the NVMe Base and a 500GB Kioxia Exceria SSD that has been examined efficiently with PCIe Gen3 x1 on the Raspberry Pi 5.
Different SSDs examined by Pimoroni embrace Western Digital Black SN750 SE Sequence, Samsung 980, Essential P3 Plus M.2 Sequence, Netac M.2 NVMe SSD, Inland PCIe NVMe SSD, Samsung 980 Professional, Lexar NM710, Sabrent Rocket 4.0, Essential P2 M.2 Sequence, and Lexar NM620, however the firm doesn’t advocate the WD Inexperienced SSDs as “drives such because the SN350 are temperamental with the CM4 and RPi 5”.
Transport of the NVMe Base is anticipated to start out within the first week of January 2024, though we’re advised some items can also ship proper earlier than Christmas 2023.
Jean-Luc began CNX Software program in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, earlier than quitting his job as a software program engineering supervisor, and beginning to write each day information, and evaluations full time later in 2011.
