Ahead-looking: MSI has launched a storage accent that lets you hot-swap M.2 SSDs with out having to open up your PC. The M.2 Xpander-Aero Slider Gen5 is a dual-slot PCIe-to-M.2 growth card that appears extra like a graphics card than a storage accent. The newest model proven at Computex is a slot-mounted card that helps as much as a pair of PCIe Gen5 M.2 22110 drives. The new-swappable drives slide in by way of the cardboard’s rear I/O panel.
MSI’s product description notes the big Aero cooling fan, which may detect whether or not or not SSDs are plugged in and alter fan pace accordingly. PCIe Gen5 SSDs can get fairly sizzling underneath load; having a devoted fan blowing straight on them ought to assist decrease the danger of thermal throttling.
There may be additionally a handbook on / off fan change for larger management, which may turn out to be useful when working slower Gen3 or Gen4 SSDs that do not generate a ton of warmth.
Reaching round to the again of your machine each time you must pull a drive may very well be a ache, however once more it beats having to open your machine up and pop off a heatsink cowl. Exterior enclosures are another choice, however they arrive with their very own set of limitations.
No phrase but on availability for the M.2 Xpander-Aero Slider Gen5. Apart from a short point out of their Computex abstract, I used to be not capable of finding any reference to it on MSI’s web site as of this writing. In keeping with a report from KitGuru, the growth card will come bundled with future high-end MEG motherboards.
MSI may very well be on to one thing with the sliding idea. Ought to it acquire traction, maybe we may see future motherboards that combine an M.2 sliding growth slot proper into the rear I/O panel. However first, MSI might want to unbundle the add-in card from motherboard kits so extra customers can get their fingers on it.
Would you’ve any use for a PCIe SSD card like this?
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