Plugable USB 3.1 Gen 2 Tool-free NVMe Enclosure

Product Description

Reach peak performance with the power of the Plugable USBC-NVME USB 3.1 Gen 2 NVMe SSD Enclosure. With a sleek and slim, tool-free design, the USBC-NVME is the first of its kind. Enjoy top of the line heat dissipation maximized by the rugged aluminum case and conveniently connect with compatible USB Type-A and Type-C hosts.

Our USBC-NVME Enclosure’s innovative tool-free design allows the quick installation of an M.2 NVMe SSD in just a couple of seconds. Simply remove the aluminum cover using the locking latch at the back of the enclosure, then insert the SSD and secure with the rubber SSD lock and reinstall the cover. The rubber SSD lock can be moved to support multiple M.2 NVMe SSD lengths including: 2280, 2260, 2242, 2230.

Capable of read and write speeds of over 900 MBps, depending on the SSD used, and when connected to a Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.1 Gen 2 port. Over 200% faster write speeds and over 40% faster read speeds than leading SATA SSD external enclosures and USB 3.0 flash drives, making long wait times a thing of the past.

Compatibility

SSD Requirements

  • This product is an enclosure only. Compatible SSD storage must be purchased separately.
  • Compatible with NVMe M.2 SSDs
  • Not compatible with M.2 SATA SSDs, M.2 PCIe AHCI SSDs, or other M.2 non-NVMe devices
  • M.2 NVMe SSDs with B-key and M-key cutouts are 2x PCIe Lane devices and will work in this enclosure but may have significantly reduced performance compared to 4x PCIe Lane NVMe SSDs

System Requirements

  • USB 3.1 Gen 2 is required for 10Gb/s connection speed (actual drive speed may vary due to media and file system overhead, and potentially thermal throttling for some SSDs)
  • USB 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.0 maximum connection speed 5Gb/s
  • USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and Thunderbolt 3 compatible
  • Operating system compatibility: Windows, macOS, and Linux. File systems may be operating system specific.

In The Box

USBC-NVME Enclosure with one USB-C to C cable, one USB-C to 3.0 cable, 3 replacement SSD rubber locks, and optional adhesive thermal pads. SSD media is *not* included.

Performance and Methodology


Sequential Speed Test Results
SSD Manufacturer SSD Model Number SSD Capacity Sequential Read (MB/s) Sequential Write (MB/s)
HP EX920 1TB 915 935
Intel 660p Series 512GB 915 897
Kingston A1000 240GB 910 818
Phison E7 480GB 810 890
Sabrent Rocket 256GB 897 913
Sabrent Rocket 512GB 914 948
Samsung 960 Evo 250GB 915 947
Samsung 960 Evo 500GB 915 949
Samsung 970 Evo 250GB 915 949
Seagate Barracuda 510 256 GB 912 911
Seagate Barracuda 510 512 GB 915 933
Seagate FireCuda 510 1 TB 913 939
Seagate FireCuda 510 2 TB 915 940

We tested the USBC-NVME enclosure with a variety of NVMe SSD media. The tests above are the sequential read and write speeds from Crystal Disk Mark with the enclosure connected to a Thunderbolt 3 ( USB 3.1 Gen 2 compatible ) notebook system. The above speeds are the average of five tests performed sequentially on the media, each test consisting of five passes at 1 GiB using an exFat file system.

Compatible NVMe SSDs available from Amazon

Heat Dissipation and Thermal Throttling

NVMe SSDs generate a great deal of heat, the Plugable NVMe to USB-C Toolless Adapter includes ports for airflow on either side of the SSD as well as extruded aluminum fins for heat dissipation. Even with these features some SSDs may still enter a reduced performance state as they heat up, especially when under heavy load, this is most common with older NVMe SSDs with less efficient flash storage. To help maintain performance we recommend allowing for plenty of airflow around the enclosure. Please be careful when handling the USBC-NVME after extended use, the aluminum cover may be quite warm to the touch.

NVMe SSD Installation Instructions

  1. Optional: Locate the thermal pads included with the USBC-NVME, remove backing to expose adhesive, and affix to the controller chip and flash memory module(s) on your NVMe SSD
  2. Use the slide lock to remove the aluminum casing
  3. Gently align the SSD notch into the socket at a 30 degree angle from the circuit board. Press the SSD edge connector into the socket. Using excessive force may damage the SSD or casing
  4. Tilt the rubber peg away from the SSD. Then press down on the SSD. Release the rubber peg to secure the SSD into the notch
  5. With the SSD securely in place, slide the aluminum cover back into place
  6. Connect to the computer using either the USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C cables provided

Partitioning and Formatting

New NVMe SSDs come from the factory without a partition table and will need to be partitioned and formatted before use, NVMe SSDs previously used in a computer that have already been partitioned and formatted will work right away. When a new SSD is installed into this enclosure and connected to a Windows computer nothing will happen, the drive must be manually formatted throug the Disk Management utility, we made a video explaining the process here: How to format a hard drive in Windows. MacOS will normally prompt the user when the drive is connected, like Windows the drive will need to be formatted and we also made a video for macOS here How to format a hard drive in macOS.

FAQ

Learn more

General Information


Q: Does this adapter support USB Attached SCSI Protocol (UASP)?

A: Yes, our USBC-NVME USB-C NVMe Enclosure supports UASP for optimal performance!


Q: Does this adapter support TRIM?

A: Yes, our USBC-NVME USB-C NVMe Enclosure supports Trim! Trim is operating system dependent, for example: In Windows, NTFS supports Trim while EXFat does not and may eventually suffer from reduced performance.


Q: What happens if I install the aluminum cover backwards and it gets stuck?

A: If the aluminum cover is installed backwards and gets locked trying to remove it, wiggle the cover from side to side, it should pivot to the right and come off (with the Plugable logo at the top, facing forward).


Q: The black finish appears to be rubbing off the locking latch, is this normal?

A: The ridges in the locking latch tend to catch dirt, gently brushing off the latching lever with a microfiber or cotton cloth should clean this right up.


Q: Will this enclosure work when connected to USB 2.0?

A: USB 2.0 ports provide less power than USB 3.0 and USB-C ports, in our tests the enclosure worked correctly on USB 2.0, at USB 2.0 speeds. However some SSDs may require more power than USB 2.0 can provide and may not work as expected.


Q: Can I clone my internal SSD to a Samsung NVMe SSD in this enclosure using the Samsung Data Migration Software?

A: Unfortunately no, the Samsung Data Migration Software will not recognize a Samsung NVMe SSD connected through USB as a valid target drive at this time.


Q: Can I clone my internal SSD to a Crucial NVMe SSD in this enclosure using the Acronis True Image for Crucial Software?

A: Unfortunately no, the Acronis True Image for Crucial software Software will not recognize a Crucial NVMe SSD connected through USB as a valid target drive at this time.


Q: Is this enclosure compatible with NVMe SSDs with 2x PCIe Lanes ( M+B key NVMe SSDs )?

A: Yes, these NVMe SSDs should be accessible through our NVMe SSD Enclosure with some exceptions. These SSDs are generally economy SSDs and will have reduced performance compared to 4x PCIe Lane NVMe SSDs, this is expected behavior and they may even be outperformed by 2.5-inch USB 3.0 SSD enclosures in some cases.