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NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5

by Pimoroni

Add super-fast storage to your Raspberry Pi 5 allowing for lightning fast boots, NAS use, and snappy applications!

NVMe Base is a PCIe extension board for Raspberry Pi 5. Simply populate it with an M-key NVMe SSD (2230 to 2280 sizes supported) and mount it under your Pi for a compact and fast storage solution - It even comes with rubber feet!

It's the perfect solution for turning your Raspberry Pi 5 into a file server, media centre, reverse proxy, etc. - really any task that benefits from large amounts of fast storage, especially with random high operations per second (IOPS) workloads. In short it's a game changer!

NVMe base follows the new "PIP" design guidelines provided by Raspberry Pi ensuring that it will be easy to use and be supported long term by updates to Raspberry Pi OS - though it is very early days and things are improving rapidly there!

Base Kit

  • NVMe Base PCB with M.2 Slot (M-Key)
  • 'PCIe Pipe' Flat Flex Cable
  • 4x Rubber feet
  • M2 bolt and 2x nuts for SSD mounting
  • 4x 7mm M2.5 standoffs for base mounting
  • 8x short M2.5 bolts for base mounting 
  • 4x long M2.5 bolts for 'pass-thru' mounting with a HAT

NVMe Base + SSD Bundle

We also offer the kit bundled with a 250GB, 500GB, 1000GB or 2000GB NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 or better).

The Raspberry Pi 5 will run at PCIe 3.0 x 1 speeds at best, even though this mode is unsupported officially, so most drives are limited to around 700-800MB/s read and 350-450MB write at peak.

Due to the tides and vagaries of the SSD market, we will ship whichever drive offers the best value for decent specs. We can say that:

  • It will have 250GB / 500GB / 1000GB / 2000GB (or better) capacity
  • It will be rated by the manufacturer at PCIe Gen 3 or better speed
  • We'll have personally tested the drive with the NVMe Base and it will be in the list below.
  • It'll be backed by the usual Pimoroni guarantees and customer service.

Drive compatibility

We have tested NVMe Base with the following M.2 NVMe drives successfully. We have usually tested one drive from one batch, so this is not comprehensive, or an 'Approved' list, but it's a good guide for drives to seek out:

  • AData Legend 700
  • AData Legend 800
  • AData XPG SX8200 Pro
  • Axe Memory Generic Drive
  • Crucial P2 M.2
  • Crucial P3 M.2
  • Crucial P3 Plus M.2
  • Inland PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Kingston KC3000
  • Kioxia Exceria NVMe SSD
  • Kioxia Exceria G2 NVMe SSD
  • Lexar NM620
  • Lexar NM710
  • Netac NV2000 NVMe SSD
  • Netac NV3000 NVMe SSD
  • Origin Inception TLC830 Pro NVMe
  • Sabrent Rocket 4.0
  • Sabrent Rocket Nano
  • Samsung 980
  • Samsung 980 Pro (500GB/1TB)
  • Team MP33
  • Western Digital Black SN750 SE (Phison Controller

' Maybe' List. Works with quirks/not ideal.

These drives either needed extra power, were a bit quirky when we tested them or we've had reports of them being problematic. It may just be the drive we had, but they're probably best avoided.

  • Kioxia BG4 2230. Performance very patchy. Runs at quite a high temp.
  • Patriot P300 - These drives have various controllers, some of which seem to be incompatible at this time.
  • Patriot P310 - These drives have various controllers, some of which seem to be incompatible at this time.
  • PNY CS1030 (250GB). Reports of this size not working.
  • Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Runs at a higher temp. Some user reports of problems under heavy load or not showing up on boot.
  • Samsung 980 Pro (250GB). Reports of this size not working.
  • WD Blue SN550. Our fresh unit could be used as storage but could not be booted from.
  • WD Red SN700. Slow to boot first time, but worked and booted OK.
  • WD SN740. Our fresh unit worked well. YMMV.
  • WD Black SN770. Our fresh unit worked fine. YMMV.

'Avoid' List. We've had problems or reports of problems.

  • KingSpec NX Series
  • Kingston OM8SEP4256Q-A0
  • Transcend 110Q (TS500GMTE110Q)
  • WD Green/Blue/Red/Black not in the above list. Variable results or not working because of quirks of a SanDisk controller/firmware. Our SN350 and SN570 prevented the RPi 5 from booting at all especially.

Otherwise most M.2 NVMe drive (Not SATA!) you have lying around should work fine.

Check out our benchmark results over at pibenchmarks.net!

Getting Started

Firmware

For the most hassle-free experience, make sure your Raspberry Pi OS is up to date, and your RPi 5 firmware is updated to 2023-12-06 (Dec 6th) or newer. This supports all the features of the RPi PCIe spec and means you don't have to mess with config files to get started.

Software update on the RPi OS should do this for you, but to force it you can:

  • open a Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-T)
  • run sudo raspi-config and choose 'Latest' under Advanced Options > Bootloader Version.

Running sudo rpi-eeprom-update in the Terminal will tell you which version of firmware is running.

PCIe 3 Mode

To enable experimental and not-officially-supported PCIe 3 mode, add the follow line to the [all] section at the end of your Raspberry Pi /boot/firmware/config.txt file like this:

[all]
dtparam=pciex1_gen=3

Save and reboot - your drive is ready to use!

Formatting the NVMe and booting from NVMe

If you want to boot from the NVMe drive, follow these extra steps:

  1. Make sure your firmware is updated as above!
  2. Format the drive using Raspberry Pi Imager
  3. You can do this with your NVMe Base installed by booting the RPi 5 from SD card and running Raspberry Pi Imager from the start menu.
  4. Open a Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-T).
  5. Run sudo raspi-config
  6. Choose NVMe/USB boot under Advanced Options > Boot Order.
  7. Reboot your RPi 5.

Notes

  • Always power off your RPi and disconnect the power supply before installing or uninstalling the NVMe Base.
  • NVMe Base offers a general purpose PCIe x1 connection - while we know most people want to add fast storage in theory you can use other devices with it, we just can't help you make them work! :-D What Would Jeff (Geerling) Do?

Resources

821 customer reviews

4 days ago
This is a good base unit fitting to the bottom of pi 5 works absulutley fine and is easy to install, only drawback is finding a suitable case hence the 4 stars otherwiase it would be 5.
by Hugh about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
10 days ago
The NVMe Base combined with the 2TB Adata SSD work very well on my Raspberry PI 5. No problems! Thank you very much!
by Stephan about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
17 days ago
At last, a way of connecting capacious storage to your Pi 5. Take care with the connectors - I managed to break the PCIe connector on my new Pi 5 as it's vary fiddly to connect, and had to resort to using a spare Pi 5 instead. The flex cable is quite easy to damage, and it's best to connect the Pi5 first then the NVMe base. But it's all working in the end, and adding 2TB NVMe storage has been revolutionary for the application I had in mind.
by Gary about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
21 days ago
The Pimoroni NVMe Base for the Raspberry Pi 5 is a good value and provides a significant improvement over TF/SD card storage. I have purchased four of the NVMe base boards - they all perform well with Samsung, Crucial/Micron, and TeamGroup M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs. They are perfect for applications which require fast and reliable access to NVMe storage. Installation is simple and all parts and spares are provided. Pimoroni packages and ships the products quickly to the United States.
by Anonymous about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
23 days ago
The base is excellent, perfectly matching the pi. But what I enjoyed the most is that documentation along with video makes the process of installing it hassle free and easy.
by Anonymous about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
a month ago
I found the instructions so easy to follow, and the whole process only took about 20 minutes to complete, I definitely recommend this unit for every project you wish to do, this really complements the Raspberry Pi, and the cost is very reasonable.
by Philip about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
a month ago
Very good and comprehensive kit. Easy to assemble if a little fiddley due to the size of the components. Worked straight out of the box with very little setup required. Overall an interesting experience.
by Anonymous about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
a month ago
This is the second Pimoroni NVMe Base I've purchased for Raspberry Pi 5. Perfect solution. Love it. Quality is excellent! Highly recommended.
by Anonymous about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
a month ago
Good piece of kit. Easy to install and works well. It’s the second one I’ve bought. First one still going well too.
by Robin about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
2 months ago
The best upgrade everyone should add to their RaspberryPi5. The increase in disk I/O is massive when compared to an SD card, even high speed SD cards. The Pi5 boots in seconds and I'm now able to use the KDE-Plasma Desktop and still have a snappy, fast, reactive desktop experience! Apps start instantly, O/S updates are super fast and the Pi5 now makes a great desktop computer. Such a shame the new Pi500 doesn't have NVME SSD capability, a deal breaker!
by Mike about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
2 months ago
Arrived quickly with no fuss. Was a little fiddly to get it afixed with there not being any clear way of securing the NVME on the other end. Fixed with a screw but it could do with a proper palstic retainer as you find with other NVME enclosures.
by Andre about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
2 months ago
Amazing team who pulled all the stops with my order! Originally got from amazon, however it appeared they had put it through the shredder before sending. After an awesome chat, recieved in good packaging and speedy safe delivery too, a replacement that has been nonstop brilliant :)Very many thanks for dealing with my order and goes to show... better going direct!
by Ben about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
3 months ago
I am all set with the NVME, currently booting from it. It has been a few decades since I worked in unix/linux environments and the NVME is new to me. I look forward to learning more. Thank you for your quick reply to my support query with the excellent link for the setup David
by David about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
4 months ago
ThevNVMe base for raspberry pi 5 is a good product. No problem installing it with the included hardware and the memory stick is up and running.
by ron about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
4 months ago
The Pimoroni NVMe Base is a great way to add NVMe storage to your Raspberry Pi 5. It's easy to install and use, and it provides a significant performance boost over traditional microSD cards. However, it's important to note that the NVMe Base doesn't fully utilize the potential speed of NVMe drives due to the Raspberry Pi 5's PCIe Gen 2 x1 interface. Overall, the NVMe Base is a worthwhile upgrade for anyone looking to improve the performance of their Raspberry Pi 5. Just be aware that you won't see the full benefits of NVMe speeds.
by A about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
4 months ago
I have been a Pi fan since version 1, all the way up to 5. This drive +base is quite a game changer. Easy to fit, noticably faster than SD Cards and so far very reliable. Its great to have this big storage, but even better to have the speed. I am not goingg back to SD cards. Thanks!
by Mat about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
4 months ago
I used it with a 512Gb 2280 (longer) NMVe SSD stick (as a Pimorini bundle) and it all fits great. Even better, you can mount the "base" either under the Pi or as a hat, over the standard cooler, just flip the base over and the orientation of the cable is still correct. Some sort of pirate magic going on, I reckon. Anyway, the photos might make things a bit clearer. The connecting ribbon still fits (just) but (it gets better and better) Pimoroni also sell those flat curved cables (pipes) in either the original 30mm length and also 50mm length so give you some breathing room. I've bought a couple of both in case I decide to change things around. One caveat to mounting the NVMe base *underneath* the Pi, is that your Pi will no longer fit a standard case (with all those pesky LAN/HDMI/USB cutouts) because your Pi PCB is now higher. I've 3D printed my own case for now (even though I mounted it as a hat), but I might change things around in the future. There are *some* cases out there that don't assume your Pi mounts on the base of the case, but few and far between. All in all, my Pi 5 now really flies with this upgrade; its probably the first Pi which really allows me to use the Pi desktop without wondering when the mouse pointer will catch up to my actual position. Google browser also runs almost as well as on PC/MAC, even though I have a few tabs open (just as welll I got the 8Gb Pi 5, hey?) Well done, Pimoroni!
by Ralph about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
5 months ago
Excellent product, worked straight away. Good performance. The ribbon cable is a bit fiddly, however that is probably the same for all the other NVME bases out there. Better fitted on the bottom, does not obstruct the cooling fan on top. One thing that would be nice however is to find on your product list a case that fits the PI5+Heatsink+NVME Base. Over to you.
by David about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io
5 months ago
First time I've bought from Pimoroni and I'm extremely happy with the service. Fast delivery and well packaged. I bought the Pi5 with cooler and NVMe and it works perfectly first boot - I've never seen a raspi run this quickly! Easy to assmebly with very comprehensive instructions and good support should it ever be needed. I was impressed with the quantity of spares shipped with the base as normally they are not required however I carelessly lost one of screws so its was nice to have a replacement - thank you!
by Chris about NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 via REVIEWS.io

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