If you’ve upgraded your NVMe storage and trying to figure out what to do with the old one, well, you can put it into an M.2 NVMe enclosure like this one from UGREEN. This way, you can conveniently use your other NVMe sticks even if your PC has no extra M.2 slots to spare.
This UGREEN M.2 NVMe enclosure works similarly to portable hard disk drive enclosures. You put your NVMe stick into it, and connect to your PC over a USB Type-C connection. Your PC treats this as a USB external storage. No drivers are needed. It’s easy to use.
Installing the NVMe stick is also a simple, tool-less, process.
Simply insert the NVMe stick into the M.2 slot. It works exactly like how you’d do on an actual motherboard. Slip the provided plastic screw into the notch at the other end of the NVMe stick, push down, turn the screw about a quarter-turn clockwise, and you’re done.
To be honest, I did struggle to figure out how to use the screws at the start. But once you know how to use it, it’s pretty simple. Removing and swapping NVMe sticks couldn’t be quicker and easier.
In case you lose the plastic screw, two of them are provided in the box.
A short length of USB Type-C to Type-C cable is also provided. This UGREEN M.2 NVMe enclosure supports PCIe Gen 3, and the USB interface is a USB 3.1 Gen 2, providing up to 10 Gbps speed. The enclosure also supports UASP, or USB Attached SCSI Protocol, which enables it to perform at 70% faster read speed and 40% faster write speed than conventional USB 3.1 when used with a UASP-enabled host computer.
The enclosure supports 2230, 2242, 2260 and 2280 M.2 NVMe sizes with M Key or M+B Key. It’s constructed with aluminium alloy for better heat dissipation and a more premium feel.
The UGREEN M.2 NVMe Enclosure retails at S$39.99 on Amazon.sg (affiliate link).