Friday, June 6th 2014
ASUS Unveils Hyper M.2 X4 Adapter
For all those without M.2 slots on their motherboards, and want to buy some of the new-generation SSDs that offer transfer rates as high as 1.8 GB/s, ASUS unveiled a cost-effective new way, with its ASUS Hyper M.2 X4 adapter. It's a simple half-height add-on card, which converts PCI-Express 2.0/3.0 x4 to M.2, with gen 2.0/3.0 x4 wiring, so not only can you install current-generation M.2 SSDs with PCIe 2.0 x2 link layer, but also certain upcoming ones based on SandForce 3700 series processors, that feature PCIe 2.0 x4 link layer, offering stellar 1.8 GB/s sequential transfers. The card is also future-proof against an M.2 standard that makes use of PCI-Express gen 3.0. In addition to the M.2 slot, which can seat drives as long as 12 cm, the card also features some basic electrical circuitry, and M.2 SSD link/activity LEDs. For use on older (pre-M.2 motherboards), you may need BIOS support and/or F6 drivers from the SSD manufacturer, this card is merely an adapter, of the kind Plextor bundles with its M6e SSDs.
35 Comments on ASUS Unveils Hyper M.2 X4 Adapter
M.2 is set to replace mini PCIe longer term, but that'll most likely take a year or two.
Do note that M.2 SSD's are keyed, so some x2 drives can go in x4 slots, but not the other way around - rog.asus.com/313352014/labels/guides/buying-an-m-2-ssd-how-to-tell-which-is-which/
Overall I don't care much for m.2, because the motherboards that have the slot are all X2 apart from one single ASRock one, making it no faster than a normal SSD. Hurray for desperately attempting to make people buy a new motherboard for features we don't yet need/aren't refined enough yet - While we're at it, let's slap on USB 3.1 and DDR3.5.
@RCoon
It may be interesting for non intel or X58 and older users....
You don't want the connectors giving. You want the case giving. Soon, it won't be IDE reborn.
It'll be SCSI reborn. Let's hope we get to the point where we need adapters and other crap to really get our SCSI Reborn dream going.
SCSI Reborn. Complication makes it great and exclusive. Only the elite should be able to sort out how to set your drives up.
That was sheer poetry to my eyes.
Unless there are some nice X99 / LGA2011-3 motherboards with M.2 support, I won't likely be using one,...
It has been in some laptops since October 2013, namely the Sony Ultrabook Pro 13.
And PCs have had add in boards with the M.2 connector since Oct./Nov. 2013. The next generation batch of motherboards from AMD/Intel are now being released and support it natively.
That's the primary reason why I think M.2 x4 is becoming popular - it's double the bandwidth of SATA express (3.3x that of SATA 6Gb/s) when using PCIe 2.0 and quadruple the bandwidth of SATA Express (6.7x that of SATA 6Gb/s) when using PCIe 3.0.
www.amazon.com/dp/B00012PSB8/?tag=tec06d-20
I would've preferred moving to 12Gb SAS.... instead of this M2 atrocity.
If anyone was wondering, 72 x 4TB Seagate Kinetic drives, with dual 1Gb Ethernet connections in a 4U case which is pretty much just a big switch and source of power.
go fiber or go home!
jk