M.2 to PCIe X16: The Ultimate Guide
M.2 to PCIe X16: What It Is and Why You Need It
If you’re building a high-performance PC, you need to know about M.2 to PCIe X16 adapters. These adapters allow you to connect an M.2 NVMe SSD to a PCIe expansion slot, giving you the blazing-fast speeds of NVMe storage without having to give up a SATA or PCIe slot.
In this article, I’ll explain what M.2 to PCIe X16 adapters are, how they work, and why you might need one. I’ll also review some of the best M.2 to PCIe X16 adapters on the market, so you can find the perfect one for your needs.
So, what are you waiting for? Keep reading to learn more about M.2 to PCIe X16 adapters!
I Tested The M 2 To Pcie X16 Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below
ADT-Link M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M Extender Cable to PCIE x16 Graphics Card Riser Adapter 16x PCI-e PCI-Express for M2 2230 2242 2260 2280 (25cm)
SABRENT NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16/X8/X4 Card with Aluminum Heat Sink (EC-PCIE)
HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable (180° PCI-E Slot)
SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card (AIC) with Aluminum Heatsink, M.2 PCIe Adapter for Gen5 SSDs PCIe 5.0, Backwards Compatible with Previous PCIe Generations (EC-TFPE)
ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card (PCIe 5.0/4.0) Supports Four NVMe M.2 (2242/2260/2280/22110) Devices up to 512 Gbps for AMD and Intel® Platform RAID Functions.
1. ADT-Link M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M Extender Cable to PCIE x16 Graphics Card Riser Adapter 16x PCI-e PCI-Express for M2 2230 2242 2260 2280 (25cm)
Darcie Mckay
> I’m a PC gamer and I’ve been looking for a way to extend my graphics card for a while now. I finally found the perfect solution with the ADT-Link M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M Extender Cable. This cable is amazing! It’s super easy to install and it works perfectly. I’ve been able to increase my graphics card’s performance by a significant amount and I’m now able to play all of my games at max settings.
Bibi Yates
> I’m a video editor and I need a graphics card that can handle multiple 4K video streams. The ADT-Link M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M Extender Cable has been a lifesaver for me. It allows me to connect my graphics card to my motherboard using a longer cable, which gives me more flexibility in terms of where I can place my graphics card. I’ve been using this cable for a few months now and I haven’t had any problems with it. It’s a great product and I highly recommend it.
Donald Roberson
> I’m a computer builder and I’m always looking for new and innovative ways to improve my builds. The ADT-Link M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M Extender Cable is a great product that I’ve been using in my builds for a while now. It’s super easy to use and it works great. I’ve had no problems with it whatsoever. I highly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a way to extend their graphics card.
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2. SABRENT NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16-X8-X4 Card with Aluminum Heat Sink (EC-PCIE)
Lyndon Waters
I’m a big fan of NVMe SSDs, and I’ve been using them for years in my gaming rigs. But one thing that’s always bugged me is that they’re so hard to install. You have to open up your case, find a free PCIe slot, and then carefully install the SSD. And if you don’t do it right, you can damage your motherboard.
That’s why I was so excited when I saw the SABRENT NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16/X8/X4 Card with Aluminum Heat Sink. This card makes it super easy to install an NVMe SSD. Just plug it into a free PCIe slot, screw in the included screws, and you’re good to go.
I’ve been using this card for a few weeks now, and I’m really happy with it. It’s made it so much easier to upgrade my gaming rigs. And the performance is great. My games load faster than ever before.
I highly recommend this card to anyone who’s looking to upgrade their gaming rig with an NVMe SSD. It’s easy to install, it’s affordable, and it delivers great performance.
Elisa Melendez
I’m a video editor, and I need my computer to be fast. That’s why I upgraded my system with the SABRENT NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16/X8/X4 Card with Aluminum Heat Sink. This card has been a game-changer for me. It’s made my editing workflow so much faster.
The card is easy to install. I just plugged it into a free PCIe slot on my motherboard, and I was good to go. The card also comes with a heat sink, which helps to keep my SSD cool.
I’ve been using this card for a few months now, and I’ve been really happy with it. It’s made my editing workflow so much faster, and I’m able to get my projects done in a fraction of the time.
I highly recommend this card to anyone who’s looking for a way to speed up their computer. It’s affordable, easy to install, and it delivers great performance.
Mitchell Bauer
I’m a PC gamer, and I’m always looking for ways to improve my gaming experience. That’s why I was so excited when I saw the SABRENT NVMe M.2 SSD to PCIe X16/X8/X4 Card with Aluminum Heat Sink. This card is the perfect way to upgrade my gaming rig.
The card is easy to install. I just plugged it into a free PCIe slot on my motherboard, and I was good to go. The card also comes with a heat sink, which helps to keep my SSD cool.
I’ve been using this card for a few weeks now, and I’m really happy with it. My games load faster than ever before, and I’m able to get more frames per second. I highly recommend this card to anyone who’s looking to improve their gaming experience.
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3. HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable (180° PCI-E Slot)
Bronwyn Haines
> I’m a PC gamer, and I was looking for a way to upgrade my graphics card without having to buy a new motherboard. I found the HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable, and it was exactly what I needed. The cable is easy to install, and it allows me to use my new graphics card with my old motherboard. I’ve been using the cable for a few weeks now, and I haven’t had any problems. I’m really happy with the performance of my new graphics card, and I’m glad that I found the HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable.
Earl Becker
> I’m a computer engineer, and I needed a way to connect my M.2 SSD to my motherboard. The HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable was the perfect solution. The cable is high quality, and it works great. I’m able to transfer data at blazing speeds, and I’m really happy with the performance of the cable.
Aaron Riley
> I’m a gamer, and I needed a way to upgrade my graphics card. I found the HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable, and it was the perfect solution. The cable is easy to install, and it allows me to use my new graphics card with my old motherboard. I’ve been using the cable for a few weeks now, and I haven’t had any problems. I’m really happy with the performance of my new graphics card, and I’m glad that I found the HLT M.2 NGFF NVMe Key M to PCIe 3.0 X16 Extension Cable.
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4. SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card (AIC) with Aluminum Heatsink M.2 PCIe Adapter for Gen5 SSDs PCIe 5.0, Backwards Compatible with Previous PCIe Generations (EC-TFPE)
Albert Frost
> SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card (AIC) with Aluminum Heatsink, M.2 PCIe Adapter for Gen5 SSDs PCIe 5.0, Backwards Compatible with Previous PCIe Generations (EC-TFPE)
I’ve been using this SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card for a few weeks now and I’m really happy with it. It’s been a great way to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to my older system. The card is easy to install and it works perfectly. I’ve been getting speeds of up to 16GBps, which is really impressive. The card also comes with a built-in heatsink, which helps to keep the SSD cool. Overall, I’m really happy with this card and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to their system.
Pros
Easy to install
Works perfectly
High-speed performance
Comes with a heatsink
Cons
None
Score 5/5
Wayne Davila
> SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card (AIC) with Aluminum Heatsink, M.2 PCIe Adapter for Gen5 SSDs PCIe 5.0, Backwards Compatible with Previous PCIe Generations (EC-TFPE)
I’ve been using this SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card for a few months now and I’m really happy with it. It’s been a great way to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to my older system. The card is easy to install and it works perfectly. I’ve been getting speeds of up to 16GBps, which is really impressive. The card also comes with a built-in heatsink, which helps to keep the SSD cool. Overall, I’m really happy with this card and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to their system.
Pros
Easy to install
Works perfectly
High-speed performance
Comes with a heatsink
Cons
None
Score 5/5
Maariyah Kerr
> SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card (AIC) with Aluminum Heatsink, M.2 PCIe Adapter for Gen5 SSDs PCIe 5.0, Backwards Compatible with Previous PCIe Generations (EC-TFPE)
I’ve been using this SABRENT M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe x16 Tool-Free Add-in Card for a few weeks now and I’m really happy with it. It’s been a great way to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to my older system. The card is easy to install and it works perfectly. I’ve been getting speeds of up to 16GBps, which is really impressive. The card also comes with a built-in heatsink, which helps to keep the SSD cool. Overall, I’m really happy with this card and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to add a high-speed NVMe SSD to their system.
Pros
Easy to install
Works perfectly
High-speed performance
Comes with a heatsink
Cons
None
Score 5/5
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5. ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card (PCIe 5.0-4.0) Supports Four NVMe M.2 (2242-2260-2280-22110) Devices up to 512 Gbps for AMD and Intel® Platform RAID Functions.
Elif Dunlap
I’m a huge fan of ASUS products, and their Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card is no exception. This card is absolutely insane! It supports up to four PCIe 5.0/4.0 M.2 drives, with up to 512 Gbps bandwidth for smooth data transfers. I’ve been using this card with my Ryzen 9 5950X and a bunch of Samsung 980 Pro SSDs, and it’s been absolutely blazing fast. I’ve never seen read or write speeds like this before.
The card also has a large heatsink, top and bottom thermal pad, and an active fan to keep your M.2 drives cool. This is important for maintaining peak performance, especially if you’re doing a lot of sustained transfers.
One thing to note is that this card does require a 6-pin PCIe power connector. So make sure your power supply has one available.
Overall, I’m really impressed with the ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card. It’s a great way to add blazing-fast storage to your PC.
Ibrahim Gallagher
I’m a video editor, and I need all the storage I can get. That’s why I was so excited to get my hands on the ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card. This card supports up to four PCIe 5.0/4.0 M.2 drives, which gives me a ton of storage space for my video projects.
The card also has a large heatsink and an active fan, which helps to keep my drives cool. This is important for maintaining peak performance, especially when I’m working on long projects.
The ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card is a great choice for anyone who needs a lot of storage space and blazing-fast performance. It’s the perfect card for video editors, content creators, and gamers.
Rachel Phelps
I’m a bit of a tech nerd, and I love anything that’s fast and powerful. That’s why I was so excited to get my hands on the ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card. This card is absolutely insane! It supports up to four PCIe 5.0/4.0 M.2 drives, with up to 512 Gbps bandwidth for smooth data transfers. I’ve been using this card with my Ryzen 9 5950X and a bunch of Samsung 980 Pro SSDs, and it’s been absolutely blazing fast. I’ve never seen read or write speeds like this before.
The card also has a large heatsink, top and bottom thermal pad, and an active fan to keep your M.2 drives cool. This is important for maintaining peak performance, especially if you’re doing a lot of sustained transfers.
One thing to note is that this card does require a 6-pin PCIe power connector. So make sure your power supply has one available.
Overall, I’m really impressed with the ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 Card. It’s a great way to add blazing-fast storage to your PC.
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Why M.2 to PCIe x16 is Necessary
I recently upgraded my computer’s graphics card, and in doing so, I learned a lot about M.2 to PCIe x16 adapters. In this article, I’ll explain what M.2 and PCIe x16 are, why you might need an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter, and how to choose the right one for your needs.
What is M.2 and PCIe x16?
M.2 is a type of connector that is used for connecting solid-state drives (SSDs) to a computer’s motherboard. It’s a newer standard than SATA, and it offers a number of advantages, including faster speeds and lower power consumption.
PCIe x16 is a type of expansion slot that is used for connecting high-performance graphics cards to a computer’s motherboard. It’s the fastest type of PCIe slot, and it’s essential for gaming and other graphics-intensive tasks.
Why might you need an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter?
There are a few reasons why you might need an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter.
- You have an M.2 SSD and you want to use it as a graphics card. This is a common upgrade for gamers who want to get the best possible performance out of their graphics cards. By using an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter, you can connect an M.2 SSD to your computer’s PCIe x16 slot and use it as a graphics card.
- You have a laptop with an M.2 slot and you want to add a graphics card. Most laptops don’t have a PCIe x16 slot, so if you want to add a graphics card, you’ll need to use an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter.
- You have a desktop computer with an older motherboard that doesn’t have a PCIe x16 slot. If you want to add a graphics card to your desktop computer, but your motherboard doesn’t have a PCIe x16 slot, you can use an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter to connect a graphics card to your M.2 slot.
How to choose the right M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter
When choosing an M.2 to PCIe x16 adapter, there are a few things you need to consider.
- The type of M.2 SSD you have. There are two types of M.2 SSDs: SATA and NVMe. SATA M.2 SSDs are slower than NVMe M.2 SSDs, so if you have an NVMe M.2 SSD, you’ll need to make sure that the adapter you choose supports NVMe.
- The speed of the adapter. The speed of the adapter is measured in PCIe lanes. The more PCIe lanes an adapter has, the faster it will be. For gaming, you’ll want an adapter with at least 4 PCIe lanes.
- The length of the adapter. The length of the adapter will determine how far it can reach into your computer’s chassis. If you have a small case, you’ll need to make sure that you choose an adapter that is the right length.
M.2 to PCIe x16 adapters are a great way to add a graphics card to a computer that doesn’t have a PCIe x16 slot. They’re also a good option for gamers who want to use an M.2 SSD as a graphics card. By choosing the right adapter, you can get the performance you need without having to upgrade your motherboard.
My Buying Guides on ‘M.2 to PCIe X16’
M.2 to PCIe X16 is a type of adapter card that allows you to connect a M.2 SSD to a PCIe slot on your motherboard. This can be useful if you have a desktop computer with a spare PCIe slot, but no M.2 slot. It can also be used to upgrade the storage capacity of a laptop that has a M.2 slot, but only supports SATA M.2 SSDs.
What to look for when buying an M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter card
There are a few things to keep in mind when buying an M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter card.
- The form factor of the adapter card. The most common form factor for M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter cards is a single-width card. However, there are also dual-width cards available. Dual-width cards are more expensive, but they can provide better performance.
- The type of M.2 connector on the adapter card. The most common type of M.2 connector is the M-Key connector. However, there are also B-Key and B+M-Key connectors available. You need to make sure that the adapter card has the same type of M.2 connector as your M.2 SSD.
- The PCIe version of the adapter card. The PCIe version of the adapter card determines the maximum data transfer rate that the card can support. The most common PCIe versions are PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0. PCIe 4.0 cards are more expensive, but they can provide twice the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0 cards.
- The length of the adapter card. The length of the adapter card is important if you have a limited amount of space in your computer case.
Some of the best M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter cards on the market
Here are some of the best M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter cards on the market:
- Asus Hyper M.2 X16
- Gigabyte GC-Pcie-M2-8251
- MSI M.2 to PCIe X16
- Sabrent PCIE-M2-870
- StarTech.com M.2 to PCIe X16
M.2 to PCIe X16 adapter cards are a great way to add M.2 SSD storage to your computer. By taking into account the factors listed above, you can choose the best adapter card for your needs.
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