Your cart is empty.
Your cart is empty.
Raspberry Pi 5 NVMe SSD HAT – Compatibility Notice
If your SSD is not recognized or fails to boot with the Raspberry Pi 5, it is most likely due to incompatibility between the SSD and the Raspberry Pi 5. The HAT simply acts as a signal and power bridge and does not affect SSD compatibility.SSD controllers known to cause issues include:
SMI2263XT, SMI2263EN, MAP1202, Phison series controllers
★ Known Incompatible SSDs ★
The following SSDs have been reported to show compatibility issues with Raspberry Pi 5:
- Inland TN446
- Corsair MP600
- Micron 2450
- Kingston OM8SEP4256Q-A0
- WD Blue SN550 / SN580
- WD Green SN350
- WD Black SN850 / SN770
- Kingspec series
- PNY CS1030
- Lexar NM620
- Lexar NM790
- Transcend 110Q
- Kingston KC3000
- Any other SSDs that use SMI2263XT, SMI2263EN, MAP1202, or Phison series controllers
★ Recommended SSDs (Confirmed Compatible) ★
The following SSDs are known for low power consumption and low heat generation, making them a great match for the Raspberry Pi 5’s hardware and power limits:
- Samsung PM9A1, PM981, PM991, PM991a, PM9B1
- SK hynix BC901, BC711
- Kioxia BG4, BG5 (2230 size)
- Official Raspberry Pi NVMe SSD
- AData Legend 700
- AData Legend 800
- Crucial P2 M.2
- Crucial P3 M.2
- Crucial P3 Plus M.2
- Lexar NM710
- Kioxia Exceria
- Netac NV2000
- Netac NV3000
★ Tips for Stable Operation ★
- Make sure your Raspberry Pi 5’s bootloader and OS are up to date.
- Before purchasing an SSD, we recommend searching online for “Pi Benchmarks” to check real-world performance and compatibility reports.
🔧 How to Set Up SSD Boot on Raspberry Pi 5 Using an M.2 HAT
📝 Note: SSD boot setup is the same as with the official M.2 HAT or other standard models.
You can follow the official Raspberry Pi documentation, online tutorials,
or simply refer to the step-by-step guide below.
1. Assemble your Raspberry Pi 5 board with the M.2 HAT and SSD.
2. Insert an SD card with Raspberry Pi OS into your Raspberry Pi 5, and power it on.
3. Open the terminal and run the following commands one by one to update your Raspberry Pi.:
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
sudo apt install rpi-eeprom
sudo rpi-eeprom-update
4. Install Raspberry Pi Imager:
sudo apt install rpi-imager
5. Launch Raspberry Pi Imager:
rpi-imager
6. In the Imager:
- Select Raspberry Pi 5 as your device
- Choose the OS version
- Select your SSD as the target drive, and start the installation.
7. After OS installation, run the following to configure boot order:
sudo raspi-config
8. Set boot order:
Advanced Options → Boot Order → NVMe/USB Boot
Then press Finish or the Escape key.
9. Reboot your Raspberry Pi. It will now boot from the NVMe SSD 🎉
carp
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2025
I use this for my Pi in that i have for my home automations. It’s really easy to assemble, looks professional and fit is fantastic. The build quality is great and functionally it is fantastic. Does help disperse the heat well. While you don’t need a case like this, it does tie your build together to make it look more professional.
John D.
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2025
Overall I would give it 4.5 stars. The 1/2 star deduction is for the lame heatsink/fan. The aluminum heatsink is pretty light weight, not going to do much. I had another heatsink on hand that's heavier duty, so I used that one instead. The Pi 5 does put off some heat so a good heatsink is needed. It does come with thermal pads for the 3 main chips on the Pi board. The case itself is great. The aluminum housing is nicely milled and everything was easy to put together. For the price this also includes an nvme hat. I installed it so I wouldn't have to take it apart later, but I not currently using it , so I can't really comment on that part. Overall at $29 it's one of the nicer Pi 5 cases for sure and the included nvme hat only adds to the value.
Liquid Crystal
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2025
This is a great case, including both an active cooler and NVME hat. The case is a nice satin aluminum case with cutouts for the normal board connectors, a large cutout for easy removal of the SD card, and an illuminated rubber power button that is easy to press.The instructions are easy to follow. The thermally controlled fan sits on four small o-rings that are a bit fiddly to get aligned. Also, the fan needs to be mounted with the logo down so the screws can reach the heat sink. Don't over tighten them so the fan can rest lightly on the o-rings to reduce vibration. The heat sink is then connected to the board using spring-loaded push pins. They are VERY tight and need to be gently but firmly pressed into the holes on the system board. I found that firmly pressing the pins while applying pressure in a small, circular motion eventually got them seated. A bit of a pain but you should never need to remove this fan/heat sink. It is slightly better than the standard version from Rpi.The manual has the instructions for installing the ElectroCookie NVME hat, but this kit includes the hat from Geekworm. The product description shows the installation steps for this hat, or you can find the instructions on Geekworm's website. The major difference is the ElectroCookie hat can use 2230 and 2242 length SSDs, while the Geekworm can fit 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 SSDs. The holddown for 2280 length is pre-installed and an additional holddown is included for shorter lengths. The picture also shows the proper orientation of the flexible flat cable (FFC) and standoffs.The fan has an RGB LED that shows through the vents and lets you know when the Rpi is running. The translucent power button shows the red/green power status so it is easy to see where to turn on power after a shut down. The case is very well made, looks great on the desk, and the bundled NVME hat is a great addition. Out of the four cases I've tried so far, this one is the best.
recoil
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
Reasonably sturdy case that is clearly well considered. The gaps between the case and lid, with ventilation holes, are perfect for running wires to the GPIO. I think this is preferable over cases that expose the GPIO entirely as it offers greater protection against accidents.Aesthetically, it's probably inferior to the tower models, but also less expensive.The screw holes for the lid are, questionably, partially open. This does not appear to be a manufacturing defect.Even if RPi's start shipping with eMMC's, I think this type of kit is likely to be preferred--given no physical dimension conflicts--as the spacious M.2 could be used for something other than storage.
Savant Reviews
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2025
This rate should be 4.5. I rounded up because I like the case but it has its flaws. I’ve now ordered two of them—the latest one includes the NVMe hat. Unfortunately, I can’t use these with my Raspberry Pi 4s. Assembling the case was simple, and I appreciated the extra pieces included in case of mistakes. I chose to use thermal paste on the components instead of the included pads because I prefer paste. At first, the number of screws seemed overwhelming, but I found the setup quick and straightforward—it took me about 10–15 minutes. I wore nitrile gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and used 99% rubbing alcohol to clean the bottom before attaching the feet. Hopefully, that helps them stay on longer. The case looks sleek, and the RGB fan adds a nice touch. I just wish the top weren’t made of PCB-like material; a fully plastic or metal top would feel more premium. Additionally the fan isn’t perfect, it could move more air, but it’s definitely better than nothing The heatsink itself could be beefier or made of copper. Still, I would absolutely recommend this aluminum case to anyone building a Raspberry Pi 5 setup.
Fonzie Sanders
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
Pretty cool little enclosure. The instructions/assembly were pretty clear except they seem to reference an older version of the HAT. At first, I thought I was missing a long stand-off, but the included HAT only needs 3. The instructions also direct you to install the thermal pads on the SoC, the WiFi module shield and the PMIC section which seems a little odd versus other coolers which place the pads on the SoC, SRAM and IO controller. I suppose if I ever see any thermal/throttling issues, I will open it back up and add some thermal pads...As far as the quality goes, I think the kit is worth the ~$30 list price. The top and bottom of the case are essentially PCBs--I'd prefer those to be aluminum or plastic. Also, unlike some snugger-fitting solutions, the connectors are recessed into the case a bit because of the way it is assembled--hasn't been a problem so far, but could be for some connectors.
C
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2025
Complex but very good instructions! Very happy with it so far but can’t find my spare nvme drive so i installed everything but haven’t tested drive. Fan works etc and nice build quality.
Recommended Products