Can you install an nVME SSD into a M.2 2230 slot designed for a Wi-Fi/BT module?

[King Mustard]

I have an ASRock B550M Pro4 motherboard.

It comes with 2x 2280 M-key slots and 1x 2230 E-key slot.

I have an nVME SSD in both of the 2280 slots.

The manual states the 2230 slot is designed for a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module.

Can a third SSD be installed into the 2230 slot?

The manual states: "The M.2 socket does not support SATA M.2 SSDs" (page 37) but doesn't mention nVME SSDs.

[Jonj1611]

I'm afraid not and it wouldn't physically fit either

You might find an adapter to allow the use of an SSD with the socket but how useful/practical that would be I don't know

[DanceswithUnix]

Do you have anything in the second PCIe x16 slot? You can get adaptors for that.

[King Mustard]

Do you have anything in the second PCIe x16 slot? You can get adaptors for that.

Ooh, interesting!

Thank you

[tazzrats]

If you're interested at all it wouldn't fit because M.2 drives as well as having length have "keys" (the notch in the drive), these are key A or E for this WIFI card slot, but key B for your storage.

[Tried to put this table into my reply via HTML, went badly, but here's the link if itnerested! https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...your-next-ssd/ ]


As the others say I have no idea if an adapter for the key exists, a quick google didn't turn up much though!

[Jonj1611]

Think you need to edit that post as its come out wrong

[DanceswithUnix]

Last post was in a bit of a hurry, but I checked the motherboard spec and the second PCIe x16 slow is the size of a x16 but only has 4 lanes. That's all you need for a single SSD, so it can happily take something like:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sabrent-NVM...dp/B084GDY2PW/

Don't waste your money on one for multiple SSDs, only one slot would work.

[watercooled]

You can get even cheaper ones on eBay, for example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-M-2-N...d/363056407516

It could be a bit more of a gamble but lots of the cheap and expensive ones look suspiciously similar and I suspect might be made by the same manufacturer anyway. But given the difference in price for what is effectively a small passive PCB, some of the branded ones seem a tad on the expensive side IMO.

And yeah, the ones with two slots tend to have one PCIe slot and one SATA slot with connectors for cables on the board. You can also get cards that support bifurcation (which requires motherboard support) or PCIe switches, but you won't get that on the cheap ones.