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M.2 SATA SSD Add-in Card Recommendations

Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Messages
833 (0.54/day)
Location
Maryland, USA
Processor Ryzen 5 5600X
Motherboard MSI MPG X570S Carbon Max Wifi
Cooling CPU: bequiet! Dark Rock 4. Case fans: 2x bequiet Silent Wings 3 140s, 2x Silent Wings 3 120s
Memory 2 x 8 GB Patriot Viper Steel DDR4-4400 C19
Video Card(s) Sapphire NITRO+ RX 5700 XT
Storage 2TB Mushkin Pilot-E M.2, 1 TB SK Hynix P31 M.2, 1 TB Inland Professional, 500 GB Samsung 860 Evo
Display(s) MSI Optix MAG271CQR 1440p 144Hz, MSI Optix MAG241C 1080p 144Hz
Case Lian Li Lancool III
Audio Device(s) Philips SHP9500, V-Moda BoomPro, Sybasonic Better Connectivity USB DAC/Amp
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA G3 80+ Gold 750W
Mouse Glorious Model D Wireless
Keyboard Custom Qwertykeys Navy QK80: Sarokeys Strawberry Wine switches, GMK CYL DMG3 keycaps
Picked up a new PCIe 3.0 x4 SSD the other day as I needed some more space and wanted to upgrade my boot drive. I had planned to move my WD Blue 3D M.2 SATA drive to the second M.2 slot on my motherboard and pop the new NVME drive into the first slot. Unfortunately, due to an oversight on my part, I failed to realize the second M.2 slot only accepts PCIe M.2 drives and not SATA M.2 drives. This forces me to put the NVME drive in the second slot, limiting it to PCIe 2.0 x4. There also isn't an integrated M.2 heatsink there (nor did my drive come with one), and I've observed some less-than-ideal temperatures. That said, it seems the most cost-effective option would be to get a PCIe add-in card that supports M.2 SATA drives so I can have my NVME drive in the 1st M.2 slot and still utilize my M.2 SATA drive.

Background info out of the way, does anybody have any M.2 add-in cards they've used and can recommend? I'm sure just about anything would work but would rather opt for something a TPU user can recommend before trusting reviews on other sites. Ideally looking to spend as little as possible (since I didn't anticipate having to buy an add-in card), but want something of decent quality of course. Of course, if I'm overthinking this whole thing and can just make do with just about anything on Amazon/Newegg/etc., feel free to just tell me I'm being an idiot.
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2020
Messages
833 (0.54/day)
Location
Maryland, USA
Processor Ryzen 5 5600X
Motherboard MSI MPG X570S Carbon Max Wifi
Cooling CPU: bequiet! Dark Rock 4. Case fans: 2x bequiet Silent Wings 3 140s, 2x Silent Wings 3 120s
Memory 2 x 8 GB Patriot Viper Steel DDR4-4400 C19
Video Card(s) Sapphire NITRO+ RX 5700 XT
Storage 2TB Mushkin Pilot-E M.2, 1 TB SK Hynix P31 M.2, 1 TB Inland Professional, 500 GB Samsung 860 Evo
Display(s) MSI Optix MAG271CQR 1440p 144Hz, MSI Optix MAG241C 1080p 144Hz
Case Lian Li Lancool III
Audio Device(s) Philips SHP9500, V-Moda BoomPro, Sybasonic Better Connectivity USB DAC/Amp
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA G3 80+ Gold 750W
Mouse Glorious Model D Wireless
Keyboard Custom Qwertykeys Navy QK80: Sarokeys Strawberry Wine switches, GMK CYL DMG3 keycaps
Ended up purchasing a Silverstone ECM20. Was packaged well, build quality seems solid, and does its job.
 
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