CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS Review

Last updated on 15 Feb 2025 📧 Subscribe
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1 Review of the CWWK x86 P6 Mini SSD NAS Review
1.1 CWWK x86 P6 N355 SSD NAS Review – Quick Conclusion
1.2 CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Design
1.3 CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Internal Hardware
1.4 CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Storage
1.5 CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Tests & Performance
1.6 CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Verdict & Conclusion
2 Need Advice on Data Storage from an Expert?

Review of the CWWK x86 P6 Mini SSD NAS Review

The CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS is a compact, all-flash server aimed at home lab enthusiasts and small businesses seeking high-speed storage in a small form factor. It features four M.2 NVMe slots, dual 2.5GbE ports, and support for up to 48GB DDR5 memory, offering impressive capabilities for its size. Available in two configurations, the quad-core Intel N150 model and the octa-core Intel N355 model, it aims to balance affordability and performance. This review covers the design, hardware, storage, performance tests, and overall value of the N355 model. Compact and highly portable, the P6 is marketed toward users who need a small but capable server for virtualization, containerized apps, and media streaming. With support for up to four M.2 NVMe drives, it caters to users focused on high-speed, flash-based storage rather than traditional hard drives. However, its PCIe 3.0 x1 lanes per M.2 slot and lack of 10GbE raise questions about its potential bottlenecks.

The P6 is priced competitively at $195 for the N150 version and $315 for the N355 version, placing it in a niche between DIY NAS solutions and more expensive pre-built systems. Despite its compact size, it promises a multi-core processor, virtualization support, and dual 2.5GbE connectivity, making it appealing to users with small-scale but demanding workloads. However, users should be prepared for some limitations typical of compact systems, such as limited expandability and port options. Let’s discuss the P6.

Component Details
Processor (SoC) Intel Twin Lake SoC (Two Options):
– Intel N150: Quad-core, up to 3.6 GHz (Turbo), 6MB cache, 24EU Intel UHD graphics (1.0 GHz), 6W TDP
– Intel N355: Octa-core, up to 3.9 GHz (Turbo), 6MB cache, 32EU Intel UHD graphics (1.35 GHz), 15W TDP
Memory 1x SO-DIMM DDR5 4800 MHz (up to 48GB, Non-ECC)
Storage Slots 4x M.2 M-Key 2280 NVMe SSD (PCIe 3.0 x1 per slot)
Additional Expansion 1x M.2 E-Key 2230 slot for Wi-Fi 6/7 modules
SATA Support 2x JFPC1 Ribbon Cable Connector (for SATA drives via adapter)
Video Output 2x HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz)
Networking 2x 2.5GbE RJ45 (Intel i226V controllers)
USB Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)
Power Supply 12V/5A via 5.5/2.5mm Barrel Connector (60W adapter included)
BIOS/UEFI Features AMI BIOS/UEFI with Auto Power On, Wake-on-LAN (WoL), PXE Boot
Cooling Integrated aluminum heat sink with base-level fan; Optional external top-mounted fan (USB-powered)
Chassis Material Aluminum Alloy (entire enclosure)
Dimensions 100 x 100 x 58.5 mm
Weight Approx. 1.2 kg
Operating Temperature -10°C to 75°C
Humidity Range 10%–90% RH (non-condensing)

 

Where to Buy?
  • CWWK x86 P6 NVMe NAS ($195-315 AliExpress) – HERE
  • CWWK x86 P6 NVMe NAS ($160 AliExpress) – HERE
  • DIY N355 NAS Products ($254-349 Amazon) – HERE

CWWK x86 P6 N355 SSD NAS Review – Quick Conclusion

he CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS offers a compact and capable option for users seeking a small-scale, flash-based server with support for multiple VMs, containers, and media streaming. The Intel N355 model performs well under load, handling three VMs simultaneously while maintaining reasonable power consumption of 34–35W. SSD speeds were solid for a PCIe 3.0 x1 setup, reaching around 780 MB/s read and 690 MB/s write per drive, though aggregate speeds across four drives were limited to 450–520 MB/s. Cooling is generally effective, with CPU temperatures peaking at 40°C, but NVMe SSDs required improved thermal pads to keep below 55°C under load. Noise levels remained moderate, between 35–38 dBA depending on fan usage. The inclusion of SATA support via JFPC1 ribbon cables, while unconventional, offers an additional expansion route, though BIOS adjustments may be needed for full compatibility. Dual 2.5GbE ports support link aggregation but limit network throughput compared to 10GbE options, which can only be added via an M.2 to 10GbE adapter, sacrificing a storage slot. The two USB ports are restrictive for those needing additional connectivity. Overall, the P6 delivers good multi-purpose performance in a compact form factor, but its PCIe lane limitations, limited USB ports, and barrel power input may be drawbacks for some users. It is a suitable choice for those seeking a small, efficient, and configurable NAS, provided they understand its hardware constraints.

BUILD QUALITY - 9/10
HARDWARE - 8/10
PERFORMANCE - 8/10
PRICE - 9/10
VALUE - 10/10


8.8
PROS
👍🏻Compact and portable design (100x100x58.5 mm, aluminum chassis)
👍🏻Good multi-VM performance (three VMs with under 50% CPU utilization)
👍🏻Dual 2.5GbE ports with link aggregation (~550 MB/s combined throughput)
👍🏻Reasonable power efficiency (18W idle, 34–35W under heavy load)
👍🏻Expandable via M.2 adapters (supports M.2 to PCIe, OCuLink, or 10GbE)
👍🏻Effective CPU cooling (40°C peak with aluminum heat sinks and fan)
👍🏻Smooth media streaming (1080p, 4K, and 8K playback on Plex)
👍🏻Supports up to 48GB DDR5 RAM (high capacity for VMs and containers)
CONS
👎🏻Limited PCIe bandwidth (PCIe 3.0 x1 per M.2 slot)
👎🏻Only two USB ports (restricts peripheral and OS drive options)
👎🏻Barrel power input (no USB-C for power delivery)
👎🏻SATA support via JFPC1 cable requires adjustments and may need BIOS tweaks



CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Design

The CWWK P6 is remarkably compact, measuring 100 x 100 x 58.5 mm, and built with an all-aluminum alloy chassis, which doubles as a heat sink. Weighing approximately 1.2 kg, the unit has a solid, durable feel.

The top panel functions as a large heat sink for the SSDs, while the bottom panel houses a CPU fan and aluminum heat sink.

The cooling system is effective but relies on passive dissipation for the SSDs unless the optional external fan, included in the package, is attached via USB.

The power input uses a 12V/5A barrel connector, which is disappointing for users expecting USB-C. Given the small size and relatively low power draw, USB-C with Power Delivery (PD) could have been a modern and convenient solution.

The barrel connector feels like an outdated choice and limits power supply flexibility. On a positive note, the included 60W power adapter is compact and efficient.

The port selection is limited, with only two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (10 Gbps) and two HDMI 2.0 outputs supporting up to 4K 60Hz displays. Users planning to use UnRAID or similar OSes via USB may quickly find the two ports insufficient, especially if they need one for a keyboard or KVM switch.

Additionally, the M.2 E-key slot for Wi-Fi 6 or 7 is present, but no antenna kit or Wi-Fi module is included, adding extra cost for wireless connectivity.

The included thermal pads for the M.2 drives are extremely thin, providing minimal heat dissipation.

During sustained workloads, SSD temperatures rose above 65°C, but using third-party thermal pads reduced peak temperatures by approximately 10°C, enhancing performance stability.

The optional external fan, which attaches to the top panel via USB, helps reduce SSD temperatures during sustained workloads but at the cost of a higher noise level.

Overall, the design feels solid but because they have had to cram a lot into a small space, the potential for airflow in key areas might be pretty poor (hence the included optional USB fan). While the cooling solution is effective, port limitations, poor-quality thermal pads, and the choice of barrel power input are significant drawbacks.

Despite these issues, the compact size and all-metal construction make it an attractive option for users needing a small yet powerful NAS.

CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Internal Hardware

The CWWK P6 is powered by Intel Twin Lake processors, offering two configurations: the quad-core N150 (up to 3.6 GHz, 6W TDP) and the octa-core N355 (up to 3.9 GHz, 15W TDP). The N355 version tested here features eight cores, 32EU Intel UHD graphics at 1.35 GHz, and a TDP of 15W, making it more suitable for virtualization, container workloads, and media streaming.

The system uses one SO-DIMM DDR5 slot, supporting up to 48GB of non-ECC DDR5 4800 MHz RAM. While the single-channel configuration may reduce memory performance, the high RAM ceiling is useful for running multiple VMs or containers. The absence of ECC memory support may be a concern for users seeking data integrity in a server environment, but again – at this price it is tough to be overly critical about this here.

For networking, the P6 includes two 2.5GbE ports, controlled by Intel i226V controllers, supporting SMB multichannel and link aggregation. During testing, the 2.5GbE ports achieved up to 550 MB/s combined throughput with link aggregation. However, the lack of 10GbE is a missed opportunity, given the PCIe limitations on M.2 throughput, which could benefit from faster networking.

A M.2 E-key slot is provided for Wi-Fi 6 or 7 modules, but no module or antenna is included. Additionally, while the motherboard supports auto power-on, Wake-on-LAN (WoL), and PXE boot, the BIOS lacks some advanced settings found on other DIY NAS boards – however the N355 CPU itself is already getting stretched pretty thin here, so the scope for modification is pretty slim anyway to be honest.

One notable advantage is the expandability of the M.2 slots, which can be used for more than just storage. Users can install M.2 to PCIe adapters for 10GbE network cards, PCIe expansion cards, or even OCuLink adapters for external storage enclosures. This flexibility allows the P6 to be tailored for different use cases, such as adding 10GbE for faster networking or expanding with a PCIe card for additional functions. This feature partially offsets the lack of built-in 10GbE and adds versatility to the system.

RECOMMENDED M.2 ADAPTERS

M.2 to 10GbE Adapter – BUY HERE – REVIEW HERE

M.2 to PCIe Card Slot Adapter – BUY HERE – REVIEW HERE

M.2 to Oculink 4i Adapter – BUY HERE – REVIEW HERE

CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Storage

The CWWK P6 is built around four M.2 NVMe 2280 slots (PCIe 3.0 x1), supporting high-speed, flash-based storage. Each slot has a maximum theoretical throughput of around 800 MB/s, which is suitable for general NAS tasks but limits RAID performance.

The absence of screw holes for shorter M.2 sizes means users must use full-length 2280 drives.

The included thermal pads are surprisingly thin and for an all flash system, a little underwhelming, but given the 3×1 speed of each bay, just how hot each SSD will be getting is debatable.

The four M.2 NVMe SSD Bays are mounted on a a sister board that is connected on it’s underside with a 40 pin connector into ANOTHER m.2 NVMe PCB that is in a single m.2 2280 SSD slot on the lower micro motherboard.

The M.2’s profile is still being investigated, but it IS a novel way of getting around the limitations of the base N150/N355 PCU Lanes and physical distribution that a single board would have needed to counter/work-around.

During sustained workloads, SSD temperatures rose above 65°C, but using third-party thermal pads reduced peak temperatures by approximately 10°C, enhancing performance stability. The optional top-mounted fan offers additional cooling but increases noise levels.

The P6 includes an unusual SATA expansion option using JFPC1 ribbon cables connected to the motherboard. While the implementation is unconventional, it is understandable given the small internal space constraints.

During testing, these SATA drives were detected in the BIOS but not recognized by the OS, indicating possible BIOS or driver issues.

It is worth noting that the inclusion of SATA connectivity is a welcome option for users needing low-cost storage expansion, though it may require further configuration.

As mentioned earlier, the lack of an internal PCIe slot limits storage expansion of course. However, users can convert an M.2 slot to a 10GbE network card, PCIe expansion, or even OCuLink storage expansion using third-party adapters. This flexibility is a notable advantage but comes at the cost of losing an M.2 storage slot.

Overall, the storage system is functional but limited by PCIe lane bottlenecks and poor SATA support implementation. Users seeking high-speed RAID configurations may be disappointed, but for NVMe-based storage pools, virtualization, and caching, the P6 performs well within its hardware constraints.

CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Tests & Performance

In this section, we evaluate the CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS based on its SSD speeds, power consumption, noise levels, and thermal performance. Using the N355 octa-core model with four M.2 NVMe SSDs, we tested its performance under different workloads, including file transfers, virtualization, and media streaming. Even initial VM testing was pretty promising, when I ran three Windows 10 VMs, at 1 Core and 2GB Memory – there was still plenty of H/WW remaining to play with and each VM ran well. Just keep in mind that you only have 8 threads (i.e 8 vCPU) to assign.

We also measured how efficiently the system manages power and heat under load. Our tests aim to give a clear, practical understanding of what users can expect from the P6, particularly for tasks like running small scale containers or virtual machines or acting as a domestic/home/family media server, while considering its design limitations, such as PCIe lane constraints and cooling efficiency.

SSD Performance:

In our tests with four M.2 NVMe SSDs (PCIe 3.0 x1):

  • Single SSD (Sequential): 780–790 MB/s (Read), 690 MB/s (Write)

  • Four SSDs Simultaneously: 450–520 MB/s aggregate throughput

The x1 PCIe lanes per slot are the primary bottleneck, but single-drive speeds are acceptable for general NAS usage. Performance drops significantly in RAID configurations due to lane sharing.

Power Consumption:

Measured during testing:

  • Idle (No Drives): 18W
  • All Four SSDs Under Load: 31–32W
  • Three VMs with Disk Activity: 34–35W

  • Power efficiency is reasonable, and the 15W TDP N355 processor delivers a good balance of performance and efficiency.

Noise Levels:

  • Base Fan Only (Peak): 35–36 dBA
  • With Optional Top Fan: 38 dBA (noticeable but not disruptive)
    The top fan is audibly louder, but effective for SSD cooling, especially during sustained workloads.

Temperature Measurements:

  • CPU Peak (VMs & SSD Reads): 40°C (with fan)
  • SSD Peak (Stock Thermal Pads): 65°C
  • SSD Peak (Improved Thermal Pads): 55°C

The large aluminum heat sinks and internal fan handle CPU heat effectively, but a lot of this comes down to the CPU being already low-powered to start with, as well as the speed limit of 3×1 on each bay – sorry to keep repeating this, but it’s important!). Early PLEX performance testing was very good! I tested the streaming of a 100Mb 1080p file, a 60Mb 4K HEVC File and an 8K File. I will be going into more detail on the PLEX performance (especially the hardware transcoding later on, via PLEX PASS) later on via the YouTube channel, but my early testing was very good and the CPU use on these single connections was very good (even with Software transcoding too).

CWWK x86 P6 NAS Review – Verdict & Conclusion

The CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS offers a compact and efficient solution for flash-based storage, virtualization, and media streaming, with strong CPU performance and reasonable power consumption. It excels in scenarios such as running multiple VMs, hosting containers, and acting as a Plex server, thanks to its Intel N355 processor and dual 2.5GbE ports. However, it has notable drawbacks, including limited PCIe lanes, unconventional SATA expansion, and only two USB ports, which may restrict expandability. That said, the SATA implementation, while unusual, is understandable given the space limitations of the compact design, and it provides an option for low-cost storage expansion. Additionally, the barrel power input instead of USB-C feels outdated, and thermal pads provided for SSDs are insufficient, necessitating upgrades for long-term reliability.

The lack of 10GbE networking is a missed opportunity, but users can add 10GbE via M.2 adapters, albeit at the cost of an M.2 slot. The N355 version offers significantly better performance for multi-tasking and VMs compared to the N150 version, making it worth the additional cost for power users . In conclusion, the CWWK x86 P6 is best suited for tech-savvy users who are comfortable with DIY upgrades and minor hardware adjustments. It offers good value for VM hosting, containerization, and high-speed storage tasks, provided users are aware of its limitations and willing to work around them.

Pros Cons
✅ Compact and portable – Small 100x100x58.5 mm size with a durable aluminum chassis. ❌ Limited PCIe bandwidth – PCIe 3.0 x1 per M.2 slot restricts maximum SSD performance.
✅ Good multi-VM performance – Handled three VMs with low CPU utilization (under 50%) and stable performance. ❌ Only two USB ports – Limited connectivity for peripherals and OS boot drives.
✅ Dual 2.5GbE ports – Supports link aggregation for up to ~550 MB/s throughput. ❌ Barrel power input – No USB-C for power delivery, limiting modern power supply options.
✅ Reasonable power efficiency – 18W idle, 34–35W under heavy load with four SSDs and three VMs. ❌ SATA support requires adjustments – JFPC1 cable solution is unconventional and may need BIOS tweaks.
✅ Expandable via M.2 adapters – Supports M.2 to PCIe, OCuLink, or 10GbE adapters.
✅ Effective cooling for CPU – Integrated aluminum heat sinks and internal fan kept CPU below 40°C under load.
✅ Good media streaming performance – Smooth playback for 1080p, 4K, and 8K files during Plex tests.
✅ Support for up to 48GB DDR5 RAM – High memory capacity for VMs and containers.

 

Where to Buy?
  • CWWK x86 P6 NVMe NAS ($195-315 AliExpress) – HERE
  • CWWK x86 P6 NVMe NAS ($160 AliExpress) – HERE
  • DIY N355 NAS Products ($254-349 Amazon) – HERE

 

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      CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS Review
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      CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS
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      374 thoughts on “CWWK x86 P6 Pocket SSD NAS Review”

      3. Do those SATA cables only support 5V for 2.5″ drives or also 12V for 3.5″ drives? I would like you to focus a bit more on BIOS options in your reviews as in one screen I saw Thunderbolt mentioned…which Alder Lake N, Amston Lake, Twin Lake don’t have…
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      7. If you get hands on the n150 system, i’d like to know the difference in idle power between the two versions. Idle Power seems a little high for the cpu and expected controller.
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      10. I use my NAS as a perma-backup…often replacing drives and placing them in USB multi-drive boxes for final storage. Do you have any concerns about the lower TRWs of NAND Flash memory cells over mechanical hard drives for the long term use of SSDs in a NAS function where rewrites could prove quite frequent over a network of users?

        I avoid using SSDs under certain scenarios, (My computer’s download & documents folders, for example, are on a mechanical drive, a habit adapted after losing data from critical SSD fails)
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      11. Hello,

        is it possible to equip the internal slot, which is intended for the WLan module, with an SSD? So that this could be used as a boot drive and the other 4 slots could be used for data SSDs?
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      12. given the same material and mounting pessure you want the thinnest pads. The thinner the pad the faster and better the thermal transfer to the the heatsink. It’s why thermal paste is used on gpu’s and cpu’s instead of pads.
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      20. I would rather have a proper dc connection over usb-c. But they could’ve at least recessed it into the chassis, so the plug was stabilised and “clicks” in. Because there’s a reason they kept inventing newer power connectors. It’s very janky and insecure. And thr main power connector.for a nas, SHOULD be locked in. Omg. How can they not just do it right.
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      24. For the idle power, I noticed that some mini PCs have ASPM disabled in BIOS under PCI Express configuration. See if you can flip it on.
        For the powering, there are converters from USB type-c to barrel, but they are typically for laptops and output 19.5 – 20 V on the barrel side.
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      27. I brought one of these to use as a travel NAS, and slapped in a WIFI7 card, it works a treat! … Not it has no holes forthe antenna’s.. but the huge-ass label on the front (see 0:30) is just plastic, and eash to drill a couple of holes through, it looks as ugly as hell, but works really well.
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      32. I am laughing hard when I see the enthusiasm on your new toys, not understanding that the big old boy Synology is not a toy. You have no worthy software for your new toy to back it up as a replacement. Any open source software will be long gone when Synology will still stand. There is the price, not in the hardware. Hardware is nothing. If you have never restored a crashed server to a new bare metal, using one of your backups captured with Synology software, if you never restored multiple versions of some important files when those files have started being corrupt, you can’t understand value. If Synology doesn’t hold value in front of your toy, than this new toy will have a very short life as well hahaha. No business will have this toy filled with SSD’s in their environment. I think Synology is not for you, I can understand that much. I’ve got at least 10 solid reasons for Synology can’t be replaced by a toy.
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      33. i’ve got a ROG Strix X570-E Gaming (which will end his life under proxmox) that i bought in early 2020, the last bios update was 2024/11/01, does these mini pc/nas ever had a bios update?
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      41. 12v barrel jacks do allow easy integration with external 12v PSUs with battery backup. A cheap UPS solution without the losses of AC/DC & voltage conversion.
        Currently designing one to go in a location with plenty solar so could go entirely off grid power.
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      47. Hi just in time I was planning to take this device to try with proxmox various solutions:
        1- Ai via m.2 coral google edge tpu card.
        2- qnap qtscloud on vm
        What do you think it could handle the load with the corals in parallel?
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      50. How would you power the NVMe to PCI-E device if you used that adapter? Even if the 60W barrel connected “PSU” provides enough power, I didn’t see where there are power cables…
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      52. I have the X86-P5 model of the same chassis, unfortunately the fan on the former model is incredibly noisy, which is throwing me off.

        There’s one thing that you didn’t mention though which is how you can easily adapt an M.2 converter on the Wi-Fi slot to put an extra 5th nvme. You can possibly even make it fit taping it under the extension board.

        Overall there’s a few trade-offs on these price points, as seen from the last model they look more like prototypes being sold as finished products and will always lack the polish of a more stable and expensive brand. It’s great for a lab or first for a first NAS to evaluate if you’re into the world of self hosting though.

        I’ve paid 130 GBP for the x86-p5 and it definitely helped making me see what I could do with it, but now I’m looking into a more polished and safe solution, maybe waiting for a price drop of the terramaster f8 or the new lincstation n2. For low power users the new processor at higher power usage are probably not a good choice anyway.
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      53. Again Alder Lakes-N CPUs have 9 PCIe lanes. This board cannot have 2 usb3, 2 Sata, 2 NIC, 1 wifi6, 4 pci NVM same time. It is 11, but there are 9 total lanes. So I think there are total 2 lanes for 4 NVM. Half of PCIe3, or 1 PCIe2 for each NVM
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      58. Also, happy to see more and more portable solutions for people that need it or need to save one physical space in wherever they work. Def kinda hoped for more ports but it is what it is.
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      59. From what I understand, you don’t want your thermal pads to be thicker because the more material you have the less heat transfer is going to happen to the heatsink. Am I mistaken here?
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      63. So has anyone used these specifically for media (plex).. ?? I use a mini pc now for the containers with a 2 bay old synology nas mounts. I let the minipc run plex and my -aar containers. I suppose I can do the same with this.. separate “compute” and use this for the storage of my media with libraries mounted. “hmm thinkin thinkin thinkin”
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      67. Ok 18 Watt in Idle is high. I had in the past an microATX mainboard with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700g in a fully passive Cooled Media PC enclosure with 6 SATA SSDs, 1 RX540, powered via a 90W 12V PicoPSU and this system Pulled only 5W on idle and the drives were all in a Raid 6 configuration managed over the mainboard. I mean yeah under load this thing was able to hit 80W i used this system heavily and ended up pulling close to 70W constantly. So i decided to buy something more capable, but it was an efficient system. My system now uses more power on idle, but is more efficient with increasing load.
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      70. Seriously?! I ordered the P5 N305 version in late December and got it like two weeks ago. Now you’re telling me that they finally released a variant with a newer CPU just after I ordered that? Just my luck I suppose.
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      72. Can’t decide between this (n100 version) and Nucbox G9 for a Home Assistant/Frigate/Jellyfin. G9 has LPDDR5. But this one seeminglyhas better build quality. Wonder how they compare on noise.
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      73. From my reading the SATA connectors worked ok on the predecessor X86-P5. Though you had to route those special cables and organise a chassis. I think they retain the ports as the N series cpus give them for free, not taking a scarce pcie lane.

        The P5 had a variant/upgrade that added 4xUSB2 on the blank rear panel. There were headers already on its motherboard.

        I’m intreaged if they’ve changed more than the cpu on these, as the other generations (P1/P3/P5) got board changes as well as the cpu.

        For those who fancy 10gb cwwk do have a couple of devices with 2xSPF+. Those lean into router solutions though without the M2 array functionality.
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      78. I would have thought the thinner thermal pads the better. They don’t conduct heat as well as something like aluminium just better than air. So you want the smallest thickness possible that still eliminates all air gaps.
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      84. Does it have USB4 for a DAS connection to Apple?
        Considering how much SSD cases cost for Apple, this is like an expensive SSD case with a free Intel CPU for transcoding.
        Given the heat issues probably would not want to stack an Apple Mac Mini directly on top?
        The 8 CPUs would be good for DuckDB.
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      89. man, I really love the build quality and design on CWWK gear. there’s something a little retro about it that I really like and the entirely metal casing makes me happy. (plus good for heat dissipation.) my one real criticism? GIVE US 10GbE, YOU COWARDS
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      95. Can you test if it is possible to add a egpu to something like a ugreen nas running truenas via PCIE to Oculink in order to provide extra power for transcoding AV1 and running ollama
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      96. These adapters are always quite interesting to think about.
        Personally i had this idea of using m.2 sata adapters, the easiest foolproof variant is one, which accepts 2 sata data and 1 sata power for 2 m.2 sata drives. There are also 3 drive adapters, which probably use raid/jbod systems to show 3 drives as 1. Tho i think that might cause more problems, having separate sata cable for each drive is foolproof.
        Then you also add a pcie adapter, which gives you extra sata ports. With an x4 slot, i think you can easily convert that into 20 sata ports or more.
        I personally like to keep m.2 slots for fast nvme drives, considering DirectStorage and improved access times for newer games.
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      97. You are only running this at 4x 3.0 which isn’t going to exceed USB4 you need to ht 4x 4.0 use GPU-Z to check . My Beelink GTR7 Pro uses PCIE Gen 4 however I have tried to and both only show 4x 3.0 why I don’t know?.
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      98. What would happen if we would add an Oculink M.2 adapter to a Synology NAS? Like an 1821+. Would DSM recognize it and allow us some enhanced AI Facial recognition or DVA in Surveillance station?
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      100. Thr video I’ve hoped someone would make, I’ve had these adaptors since November and i haven’t had the time to try it myself. I purchased a few on AliExpress. Thanks for covering this topic. How do i check if my beelink gtr7 pro 7840hs mini pc has rhe pcie4? Thank you ❤

        I purchased an m.2 to Oculink extension so i can keep the mini pc closed and adds a socket outside the mini pc. However some claim wirks no issue a few say the particular ones i chose don’t work and only work with the same manufacturers oculink hardware. ????????
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      101. What I’d like to see is a drive box with 6 or 8 3.5″ drive slots and a LSI card. that way you can start with a low end system and upgrade – rather than having a USB connection use Oculink
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      105. Is there such a thing as an ethernet switch that has an oculink uplink? I was thinking it would allow a few high speed devices simultaineously share that 64gb path to a nas.
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      106. This is not the future, here will you have Thunderbolt 5, all new Macbook with M4 Pro CPU and also some PC’s already have Thunderbolt 5. It gives you 120Gbit bandwith, 80GBit bidirectional.
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      109. ?WHY?

        I own a Mini-PC with Oculink – so I don’t need this adapter. But I don’t need the built-in Oculink either, it’s just there – and it is completely unnecessarily!

        Imagine the setup: Mini-PC, Oculink extender with a graphics card (probably with its own power supply unit…), USB extender and a power supply unit? A huge mess on the workplace. Please consider: WHO WOULD WANT SUCH A THING?

        What I would like to have is a PC in a compact case (maybe 3x the size of a Mini-PC, but high enough to fit a graphics card within), with a built-in power supply, 4 x HDMI and 4 x DP (8 connectors, for a total of 4 monitors – never worry about what graphics cable you take along…), 12 x USB3.0, 4 to 6 USB-C, 1x10GB 1 x 2.5GB network.

        This would result in a tidy workstation and thermal problems would be much easier to solve than in a Mini-PC!
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      114. I’d love to see some standardization regarding external pcie connectivity. Right now we have TB, Occulink (x4 and x8 kinds), U.2 over few types of SFF cables and probably few others.
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      119. I’m using a Occulink/M.2 adapter with a Dell 7090 SFF running a 6800XT and can play just about any modern game. Use a PCIe M.2 adapter as a riser and then the occulink cable can be run out the back of your PC.
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      122. People, if you’re using such adapters be sure that you can check for PCIe Bus Errors, i. e. that the adapted PCIe Interface and BIOS support PCIe Advanced Error Reporting (AER). PCIe lanes coming directly from a CPU typically support PCIe AER, PCIe lanes generated by a chipset might not. The problems caused by failing signal integrity with PCIe Devices are very, very diverse.
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      126. The x99 motherboard I use for my homelab setup doesnt have a PCIE slot aligned with the top most expansion bay on my case (nor do many ATX motherboards it seems), so with a 4xM.2 to X16 card in the top slot I can install 2 SSDs, a 10GB SFP+ NIC that is routed to the slot above, and have an extra slot available for future use without touching the rest of the PCIE slots below.
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      127. I agree with the comments about the ribbon cable, it is terrible. Looks like some basic generic cheap cable. No wonder why someone in comments mentioned lower data rates when installed in miniITX compared to test laying flat on table. Interference is a bi*ch.
        On the bright side though, they do sell version of this NIC with micro coax cable which is far better solution for this application. It would be interesting to see comparison between these two outside and inside miniITX case. I bet we would see better numbers.
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      136. starting out by telling folks they are using soemthing wrong by using the MAIN consumer product it was made for … is not a good take my bro. my mainboard has 5 open m.2 slots and one that is occupied by the wi-fi module , (still building the system) i already got 1 ssd and i plan on filing the others with SSD’s . i’m a gamer that is sick of juggling hard drive space vs fast storage for X game… so yeah bro i’m filling those with storage.
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      137. Something to keep in mind is that your M.2 slots are bottlenecked by the number of PCIE lanes your CPU and Motherboard support. If you several things like a NVME and 10GE into your m.2 slots and you also have a honking GPU, all of your devices are likely going to be throttled as a result. An i513600K for example has 20 PCIE lanes. Pair that with an RTX 4070ti which eats 16, and you’ve only got 4 left for an NVME, and you’re out of lanes already.
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      140. PCIe is PCIe is PCIe, my friend. 😀 I honestly don’t know why they went with M.2 keying, since apart from NVMe vs SATA they deliver pretty much _the same thing_ – PCIe lanes. And using a x4-to-6xSATA breakout module is still a better deal than putting ONE (1) SATA disk in it. Just something to remember: those controllers will likely run at SATA-II or even SATA-I, depending on how much you’ve paid – YMMV, you may find better chips to use your M.2 on. Still, if you’re running GbE (while 2.5GbE and 10GbE _cards_ may finally have reasonable pricing, the _switching hardware_ still costs a pretty penny! I can buy TWENTY 8-port GbE switches for what they want for an 8- or 10-port 2.5GbE!), adding even a 4xSATA-I card per PCIe lane is reasonable for HDDs.
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      141. If your CPU supports _PCIe bifurcation,_ move your GPU to a x1 or x4 slot (a dremel may be useful if you don’t want to buy a riser) and then purchase a 4×4 card that can fit 4x NVMe on the x16 slot. The CPU needs to support this, and there are modes (x8/x8, x4/x4/x8, x8/x4/x4, x4/x4/x4/x4) which may or may not be supported (my CPU doesn’t support the 4×4 config – I suspect it’s due to the iGPU – so I ended up going with x8/x4/x4 for a total of 3 NVMe disks). But if you really need those PCIe lanes – a PCIe x16 card that gives you 4 x4 M.2 sockets is _a wonderful thing to have._ Just take care: this will likely be very awkward to reach and will require angled adapters. But if you have a free x16 slot? That’s potentially 24 more SATA ports…
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      142. A small ARM PC with 4xGbE that I’m using as a router doesn’t offer any sort of storage except for USB ports and a microSD card slot. If you’ve ever tried running a full-fledged OS on a microSD card, you’ll know that it’ll bite it _in about a year_ (besides being slow as heck). But the two M.2 slots keyed for a WiFi card really helped there! 😀 Actual NVMe storage? Wicked! It really gives you back the power, because otherwise it’s a super-fast quad-core 4 GB machine! Another thing: under Linux, nVidia GPUs really don’t like to run on PCIe that is _not_ hooked to the CPU (the driver hangs on boot). So I moved my NVMe disks to a 4×4 card in the x16 slot, and then used the M.2 to hook the GPU up. May not game great, but AI doesn’t care. 😀
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      144. I’ve been trying to do this to my Dell Opliplex AIO 9030, but can’t seem to get it to work.

        Want to run PCIE off the NGFF NVME socket so I can turn it into a gaming GPU attached AIO, but I think the BIOS needs to be flashed with a custom image, and that’s a bit beyond my current skill.
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      155. lol some of these are really dumb. But thanks for The suggestions.

        Oh while we are rounding up kinda useless suggestions, what about oculink? That’s one that I have actually seen in the real world and it wasn’t a terrible idea
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      157. I feel like 4 lanes of gen 4 is enough bandwidth that they could put a gpu on a m.2. Not a crazy one, but better, or literally identical to integrated graphics. It would be huge for mobile devices and useless for desktop
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      167. I’ll save you 10min32sec : an M.2 slot is usally just another PCIE 3.0/4.0 1X/2X/4X, here you go (unless it’s a specific old laptop wifi port which wouldn’t have every pins necessary to be pcie port, but just MSATA or over things)
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      168. I’ve actually gotten into doing things like this for my daily driver PC to get around the fact that consumer motherboards these days have taken a hatchet to expansion slots in order to dump as many lanes as possible into more M.2 slots.
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      173. make sure to get NVME instead of SATA for M.2 slots if using an SSD,, they are almost as fast as the Ram…
        as for internet speeds, a lot of people don’t realize it but 1mbps is more than fast enough for majority of uses… I only use 15mbps on my home internet with 1 other person using also…
        People are just shoving their money into ISP pockets and getting nothing in return…
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      178. The big problem that makes most of this pointless is that the M2 slots share the bus of PCIe slots, meaning that utilizing them prevents using the PCIe slots they are paired with. You have to pick one or the other, especially on enthusiast class boards.
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      183. I like the concept of using Oculink like TB or Firewire for utilising PCI-E devices in external enclosures. Obviously this is its main use case for eGPUs, but I’m thinking low power devices like my 2-slot PCI-E 3.0 1X Audio card that I can’t live without. M.2 – Oculink bridge could provide a neat interface that promotes portability for SFF systems.
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      186. 4:36 Can we talk about how a guy that’s only used to voice operated computers can suddenly type at 1000wpm? On a qwerty keyboard no less, because apparently humanity never moved up to dvorak.
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      196. It should be made more explicit that Coral is ONLY good for object recognition tasks, and thus only good for a security system. It is an incredibly weak NPU with a very small memory pool. No problem if you’re just doing object recognition for a security camera or two, but it will never help you do any of the really popular and fun AI projects. Projects like image generation, large language models, STT, TTS to Voice, and RVT vocal encoders, it simply doesn’t have the memory capacity or bandwidth for any of that.
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      197. I managed to double the speed of my M.2 NVME Gen4 SSD with one simple trick. Put in the Gen4 slot instead of the Gen3 one. I’m too ashamed to say how long it was in the wrong place.
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      200. I see a lot of absolutely disgustingly stupid dumb videos on YouTube in regards to tech… especially from people like Linus Tech Tips… it’s good to see an actual fresh realistic approach to tech that isn’t skewed, paid for, or just completely wrong.
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      201. Nice! I have six Dell Wyse 5070’s and I was wondering how to turn one into a NAS. That SATA adapter (and probably using the WiFi slot) sounds like a real solution. Thanks for the tips
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      203. Only problem I know of these little M.2 slots is that when you actually plugin a 10GB Network Card or a GPU.. it get hot as hell, burning hot. But I heared you can plug like over a 100 USB ports on them.. thats insane!
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      205. I would pay good money to see you plug one of those m.2 to PCI-E adapters into one of the new Microsoft Surface units that has the m.2 upgrade slot. you would probably have to completely disassemble the tablet and alter the housing but it would be AWESOME! LOL. put a 4070 or something like that on it. lol. I know there would be a bottleneck from hell there but it would be hilarious and cool to see if the system could recognize it and utilize it!! Could you imagine being in a library gaming with a 4070 setting on the table ???????? That would be the best conversation starter…. EVER! lol Don’t forget to take your power supply with you as well! LOL ????????
        I just had an even better idea. Take some thick acrylic and make a box with ventilation and somehow fix the Surface in the front of it and put the graphics card and power supply in there! LOL. That would be awesome! you could make a portable DIY Surface gaming rig lol.
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      208. I wish my board had more m.2 slots. I only it only has two. But I searched a while for an matx board with intel alterlake w680 chipset to have ecc support.
        Both slots are used for SSDs. One for Proxmox and the VMs and one for data that changes often or I want to be fast.
        Thankfully I have a PCIe x4 slot left for another card if I want to upgrade to 10g Ethernet.
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      209. All nice, but all my slots has been spent on NVMe disks. Just love the fact that I have 3 disks and no wires to hide! The only powercords I run other than the motherboard, is the GPU. Makes a much cleaner build with modular PSUs.
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      216. These options shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anyone, as they’ve been around for years with the previous Mini PCIe (mPCIe) form factor… of which M.2 PCIe (NVMe) is just a more modern version of.
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      221. Geez bud. None of this is at all relevant to me. I don’t see any advantage for all this gear in my standard ATX life. Is there a great shortage of expansion slots in mini PC’s or something? Seems like it’s tech gizmos just for fun imo, and I’m all for it in that case.
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      223. I was listening to you while working. My brain registered your accent but my attention was divided. So I was sitting here wondering what the heck an Aye Aye adaptor is. Does that let you connect a pirate ship to your M.2? Anyway, thanks for this little roundup, great video.
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      229. Great video. I’ve always been keen on finding alternate uses for hardware like this that the typical user wouldn’t think of doing. Especially if you build custom rigs for example which use nonconventional designs/layouts/sizes.
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      232. This is great and all, but as I only have a laptop with one M.2 drive I will stick to using it as storage. Funny, you say wired is reliable, stable and consistent, but my EE Wi-Fi has been exactly that for 6 months. And, it is faster than my home broadband, which is why I ditched my home broadband for my phone hotspot internet. It’s also a lot cheaper. Horses for courses I guess.
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      235. Has anyone went M.2 to PCIE NVME raid card? I have several 2TB NVME cards i’d like to put to use. Or better yet, is there a small factor NVME raid card that doesn’t depend on a full PCI slot to hold it in place? Using a custom ITX case with no available slots, but room to tuck a card in somewhere in the case.
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      238. what can you do with only one spare M.2 slot at 3.0, I have 1 4.0 M.2 slot and 2 M.2 slot 3.0 ? ( Motherboard is Gigabyte Z590 UD AC ) Do I misunderstand something here ? ( sorry for my bad English i am from Belgium )
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      239. As a low-income hacker, I’d noticed that classic HDDs at a certain UK secondhand retailer seemed to be coming down in price quite a lot, and 05:00 finally explains for why. Looks like I’m going to have to remember to keep hold of those S-ATA I/F cards for the forseeable, especially as I imagine that there’ll be no classic/magnetic devices built for the M.2 standard at all, which makes long-term data storage and archival a pig. ????

        Going to have to dig out a pinout of the M.2 standard and learn a bit more about it. I thought it was just a storage interface, not a _complete_ PCI-Express 4×4 interface! ????

        And yes, I wish I could be this handsome too. If I was then I could also produce YouTube content that people would actually watch, rather than my videos being shadowbanned and my comments being dropped left right and centre because platforms don’t like those with diversity _and_ handicaps… ????????‍????????
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      244. This could turn a old PC into a relatively useful NAS – putting in a 10GB M.2 card and a router?
        Could a PCIe gen 5 M.2 Be converted to a PCIe gen 3 x 16 GPU slot effectively?
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      247. You should put together a list with all your links in one place(just put a note that prices can change). I wanted to check some of the motherboards you where referencing, however you only listed links for the cards.
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      249. I have one PCIe NVMe M.2 connector for a SSD drive in my laptop and one in my mini PC and both have exactly what’s supposed to be connected to them — the C: drive (512 GB in the laptop, 2 TB in the mini PC).
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      250. Hmmm. How will adding an aye-aye to a motherboard help with your computing experience? To start with, you need to provide them with grubs (shudder!) and water them and then there’s dealing with what comes out the other end! Besides, what kind of aye-aye even *has* an interface for a computer? It’s just, I mean, the concept of grafting a lemur into a computer doesn’t make any sense to me. ????????????
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      256. That mini SAS may seem useless but there are cables that can split that to 4 or maybe more SATA drives. You also can use SAS if you want where with SATA you can’t. SATA drives work with SAS but SAS works with both SATA or SAS. So if you plan to use SATA drives SAS is OK for it with that cable.
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      257. A year ago I bought one of those m.2 to 10gbe adapters for my system because I was out of PCIe slots. For reference, I was using a ryzen 5950x on an x570 chipset. My observations that you didn’t have on your review that I feel are important and I’d love further investigation.

        First, the included thimble sized heat sink was not adequate as it would overheat and then I’d lose network connectivity. I had to replace it with something more robust. Seeing I was in it to win it, I used a thermalright fully active m.2 cooler. That solved the overheating.

        Second, because the device is a b+m key, I was only getting PCIe x2, NOT x4. It was easily verfied with a lspci -vv command and it always showed the device ws downgraded. Because of that, performance was nerfed and I coulnd’t get 10gbe with iperf even when running parallels.

        My solution was then to use an m.2 to PCIe adapter like you had, then a 10gbe card (running the same aquantia chipset). Boom, iperf gave 9+.
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      258. Great video. I was all excited only to realise that my Sabertooth X79, I had already upgraded with Dual M.2 PCIe NVMe X4 Adapter and put in 2x 4TB SSD’s 🙂
        So I can’t upgrade further as yet.
        I tell you the Dual M.2 PCIe NVMe X4 Adapter made my 12 year old Sabertooth motherboard live longer and the drives are fast.
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      263. 3:30 That M.2 to PCI slot adapter seems pointless because all the M.2 slots I’ve seen are paired with either a PCI slot on the motherboard or a SATA port. From what I’ve seen, unless people need a PCI slot that’s on a different angle, they won’t be gaining anything.

        6:30 That “A.I.” card is a lie. (I don’t mean you’re lying, I mean the company is lying) Currently, there is no such thing as A.I. (artificial intelligence). All the current so-called A.I. are either algorithms that are sufficiently complex that they seem to be A.I. or they’re completely unrelated to A.I. Artificial intelligence doesn’t currently exist and it likely never will exist.
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      278. it is far more caveated than simply bang in a device into the M.2 slot, by doing so you can slow down or even cripple the baandwidth on other devices as many M.2 are actually shared.
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      281. the moment I saw the caption “You are using your m.2 slot wrong!” automatically I knew its a clickbait… so I came here to give a dislike. So many trash youtubers out there nowadays.
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      283. esentially m.2 is basically just a repackaged pcie, sata or usb connector or a mix of those
        for example wifi key m.2 often carry 2x pcie and 1 usb , nvme carries 4x pcie and so on and in many cases standards are interchangable
        i am using my dedicated x16 pcie port on my motherboard wrong because i put m.2 adapter into it just to have 2 nvme drives on my desktop computer
        full size graphic card would not fit into it anyway
        and on my laptop i desoldered sd card reader chip just to add m.2 socket on cables for another ssd support and dualboot a cheap hp laptop with no upgradable storage

        i am much more upset about x4 pcie slot not being popular on desktop boards because making ssd that slots into that would be much easier with much more space for radiators and no need for screws and other laptop things could also be plugged in there, but for some reason bubblegum slot is better form factor even on desktop where space is not a constrain
        making it worse and placing it often under gpu slot and making ssd’s die from excesive heat
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      284. This is great information. I had no idea this M.2 could do anything else but Wi-Fi.
        I can now use my very limited NUC i3 Intel with only 1 NIC with an extra 2.5 GB LAN as a OpnSense firewall, taking over my very poor current OpnSense firewall that can’t load all the geo location database needed to stop the scam/spam and can’t run the clamd antivirus plugin either due to the limitations of the resources on it. This is excellent news.
        Recycling older hardware to good use 🙂
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      285. Such a wonderful video your content is really impressive but I saw your Thumbnails need some improvement Since thumbnails are key to attracting viewers
        I’d love to create a ????FREE thumbnail trial for your next video???? If you like it, we can discuss more. Looking forward to your response! ????
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      286. What about a video on what we can do with those pretty useless M.2 NGFF SATA 2042 ports they keep putting in the NUCs and its clones? Useless because actual SATA SSDs of that format are extremely expensive.
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      287. Thanks for the information. My problem is that many of the products shown here are apparently not yet available for purchase. I would be particularly interested in the M.2 to SFP+ cards, then I would no longer have to take the detour via OCuLink. Even my Retro XP PC can access the 10G network via OCuLink. However, OCuLink has an advantage that should not be underestimated: The SFP+ card can be quickly moved from one PC to the next.
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      290. I have a z790 dark hero and I cannot get any of the PCIe slots to work with a Gen 3 network adapter. It is supposed to be a 10G adapter I was trying to get working with my NAS
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      292. 5:05
        The idea of having a sweet server board with 2 built in miniSAS HD and then going with janky m2 to sata adapter seems quite wrong to me.
        Especially if you live in US you should have a wide variety of SAS breakout cables and SAS backplanes available, should just go with those IMHO.
        (Personally just got a 4 bay hotswap rack for my server with miniSAS HD but sadly i didn’t notice that the cable is a separate purchase so still need to get one)
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      294. The enhancements only work if its an NVME M.2 AND the use of the pcie lanes in the slot doesn’t disable them elsewhere…. There are M2 nvme to multiple nvme breakouts.. cheap, one pcie lane each m2 slot. Or expensive.. pcie lane switch to provide more.
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      296. One more thing to use in M.2 is – NVME drive, but not the M.2. I found in “local” shops new (with original package and seals, have warranty) P4510 1Tb ( SSDPE2KX010T801 ) in U.2 form factor. For some reason they are twice cheaper than same/similar models with SATA interface while much faster. Aliexpress, 10$ M.2 to SFF-8643 card + SFF-8639 cable bundle and they can be installed in any motherboard with M.2!
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      297. There are better things that you didn’t mention. When you talked about the 2x10GbE, the device you showed was actually a re-manned SFP+ and the device to connect it was actually actually a mini-sas standard (I forget which one) but there are tons of SFF 8643 devices so if you want to go that rout use those. You have U.2 adapters and External versions for things like Jbod and backplains.
        Also Occulink really deserves a shout out here. Missed opportunity.
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      298. To say you’re using it “wrong” is pretty clickbaity at best, as opposed to PCIe slot can be used for multiple types of devices. Bu that wouldn’t get quite as many clicks.
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      299. As an alternative to the ADT-Link PCIe extender, you might take a look at an M.2 Oculink adapter board and SFF-8611/8612 cabling to an external PCIe slot. Eta Prime made a video about this 3 months ago – he used a mini-PC with an existing external Oculink port connected to an eGPU, but he also displayed an adapter board that could be used in an internal M.2 NVMe slot. The parts came from Amazon. Oculink should provide superior signaling and durability over a PCIe ribbon cable.
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      301. Your title screen shot……….. mate don’t. Don’t sit there and tell people they are using their slots wrong, you just come off as a pretentious prick. Don’t get me wrong I like your videos but………. a slow revenue day? …. Come on.
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      302. Not to rain on the excellent parade of ideas, but people need to remember that the older or cheaper boards and mini pcs may only have PCIe 3.0 (~8 Gigabits/s per lane) or only a x1 slot, or both limits. All part of Intels goal to cripple the Atoms and J/N series cpus. “Oh you wanted more fast lanes, please buy a far more expensive cpu!” ????‍♂️????‍♂️????‍♂️. On the upside PCIe has its speed in both directions at once. ????
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      303. Surprised you missed the best use, m.2 to U.2/U.3 adapters. Enterprise NVME are sometimes cheap from ebay, and the drives basically have infinite write life for most people. Not to mention that they have so many more chips on them, that they don’t get the transfer rate slow down you get with consumer nvme drives, once they run out of their small caches.
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      308. thare are still a lot of questions about smart ups systems budget and others, i follow some reddit threads and most people are still questioning what kind of ups they should get and if its able to connect (software) to their nas so it neatly turns it off on time. what are the best picks for late 2024, that works on ;asustor, Qnap and Sygnology?
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      312. M2-to-SATA is not equal to normal SATA ports. For example, it does not let HDDs go to sleep mode (actually, they enter sleep mode and wake up immediately). I had to junk this card
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      313. Every port that has little chance of its potential being expoited should have a method to share it by many devices. A PCIE slot can be used by the most demanding game with the most bandwidth starved GPU while being shared by several m.2 SSDs without any noticeable hit to performance, from the sharing, of any of them. Just prioritize GPU when gaming; storage commands will still be in the order of microseconds and GBs/s.
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      314. Ooooh, I thought I’d filled my bingo card there – I don’t have an m.2 AI adapter or an m.2 to Dual SFP+ 10G, but I have all the others. The m.2 to PCIE x16 is probably the least useful, if you’re into small formfactor rigs, but the 10G NIC, the 6xSATA and the wifi to dual SATA cards have been very useful. Though the wifi slots are becoming less useful, with most of the new ones being CNVio and not MiniPCIE.
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      327. What I want is an m.2 to dual m.2. not using the fastest m.2 nvme drives on my nas. So not worried about speed But I would like to have twin drives for redundancy on my cache. My board has another m.2 but it is being used for SATA ports for storage drives
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      330. Surprisingly useful. Didn’t think of the 6x SATA or AI being options. This suddenly gives something like MS-01 almost unlimited uses (with a different case, of course). But even the most ancient of boards could suddenly have a wildly different use. My old gigabyte router-on-a-stick is going to definitely see some hacking. Thx Robbie!
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      331. Those M.2 to SATA adapters normally use something like the ASM1166 or a JMB585 which can experience some weird behaviours (e.g. The ASM1166 needs a certain level of firmware for unraid)
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      338. I’m just going to sit and sulk in the corner with my MacMini, unable to play with any M.2 options, and yet I still plough through to the end of the video!
        I’m forever shouting our local gulls who make a hell of a racket. You’re not in SW London near a bus depot, are you?! We may be sharing the same noisy brutes!
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      339. If you initially setup your NAS ( I have both QNAP and Synology ) with just M2 NVME’s installed as Volume 1 with the operating system and apps, and then later installed HDD’s as Volume 2 for the data, would the operating system and apps be installed and run solely on that faster storage pool and improve performance. Or am I misunderstanding how this works ? Happy Friday.
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      340. Those wifi M.2 cards are often USB 2. Depending on the age of the host machine, USB 2 over M.2 might be all you get. iirc, more modern M.2 wifi cards can be USB 3 and/or PCIe x2?

        Some of your suggestions are going to need a larger case. I don’t see a lot of point in ITX vs mATX if you’re going to need more space.
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      346. Ali express has the M.2 to SFP+ Intel X520, for around $30. Would really like to see the performance on those. This one a little too expensive for the use case, when using it for something like a mini pc.
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      349. I got an M.2 to PCIE 3.0 x4 adapter and connected with an Intel X540-T2, using the extra PCIE 3.0×4 M.2 slot on my motherboard. the reason I don’t get a direct M.2 to 10GbE adapter is most of these cards use the Qualcomm AQC chip, which is not good. get a full-width M.2 PCIE adapter and you can put any card you want on it, even Mellanox.

        FYI: I did an ITX build and the only PCIE slot is occupied by GPU. I’m using PVE 8.2.4, no extra driver is required, just plug and go. iperf3 shows a full 10Gbps speed, which I remember is around 9.6~9.7 Gbps with 9000 MTU.
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      350. Why not go for an awesome Sonnet PCI-E card that has 10Gbit Ethernet, two M.2 slots and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2. Sure it costs, but I’d like to get that one and their other overkill PCI-E card that houses eight M.2 slots. They’ve got some really awesome and obscure tech.

        It’s called “Sonnet Technologies McFiver PCIe Card G10E-USBC-M2-E”
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      351. Felling a bit shame I was an early EGPL-T101-C1 (aqc113c) adopter. Now, there’s cheaper options like iocrest, but still, I can get full 10 GbE on iperf3 test with PCEI 3.0 x2.
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      358. Currently in my ITX SFF Desktop I am using a m.2 to pcie x4 riser adaptor (Search for R42SL) with a Mellanox ConnectX 3. Would recommend that over this. I get full 10G performance. In all about $40. Would be a bit more if you need Intel for FreeBSD based system without updating drivers.
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      363. If you didn’t mention the seagulls, I would literally never even notice them in your videos. It’s _only_ you mentioning them that brings any attention to the seagulls.
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      366. even if you put this in a custom build itx system, im lery of that cable. Wish it was a more robust cable that could be replaced easily if necessary (if it was damage or you needed a longer/shorter one)
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      369. With off-the-shelf NAS there is only one guarantee – that you will be milked as long as they want. Every budget-friendly model will be based on a CPU without GPU and locked from you adding any extention
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      370. PLEASE run this test: A PCIE gen 4 x 1 slot on a motherboard to a M.2 adapter with this card plugged in. This might be the solution a lot of us have been looking for.
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