https://goo.gl/py2vhs Not sure how long this deal will last, but with a 2260 to 2280 extender (see links in this forum) on our UdooX86 boards, this might be one of the best deals on Western Digital Blue, SSDs available: 250 GB -----> $91.00 500 GB -----> $135.00 1 TB ---------> $270.00 Use the above referenced coupon code at the Newegg. Free shipping. Enjoy!
Thanks for the notice. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Pr...6820250082 w/code EMCRGBG39 Specifications Capacity 500 GB Interface SATA III 6 Gb/s Form Factor M.2 2280 It appears that the WDS500G1B0B has a SATA interface, not PCIe which is faster. Are SATA SSDs compatible with the Udoo X86 M.2 connector? The "Intel SSD 600p Series (512GB, M.2 2280 80mm NVMe PCIe 3.0 x4, 3D1, TLC) Reseller Single Pack" at $177.99 looks like a better deal for Udoo X86 users. There's even a ~$15 coupon code for it: EMCRDBG35
UDOO x86's top M.2 socket is socket 2, i.e., B-key interface. This type fits SATA type of SSD card or 2-lane PCIe M.2 card. The NVMe type of SSD card (e.g., Intel 600p) needs a M.2 socket 3 type of card. It is M-key and it has 4-lane PCIe interface. Thus that WD Blue M.2 referenced above is compatible with UDOO X86 (other than it's 2280 -- 20 mm longer), while Intel 600P is not. P.S. bottom M.2 is socket-1, an A+E key M.2 socket. ccs_hello
M.2 B-key does NOT necessarily support both PCIe and SATA - whether it supports only one of those or both depends on manufacturer.
UDOO x86's top M.2 socket will support either 2-lane PCIe or SATA interface, but not both simultaneously. On the M.2 spec, it actually has a control signal pin (CONFIG1) determining that if M.2 should be operated as either SATA or PCIe. UDOO x86 does comply with that spec. ccs_hello
Of course not simultaneously. I just meant that generally M.2 B-key can support only PCIe or only SATA or both. So while UDOO X86 does support both, generally you can't say that M.2 B-key always does.
Gentlemen, I am grateful for all your sagacious technical input on the topic of M.2 hardware compatibility; very much appreciated and enlightening. On the other hand, I find the reference to "top" and "bottom" M.2 connectors somewhat arbitrary, if not outright confusing, as such terminology fails to address the position of the X86 board being right side up or upside down. But at this age, it doesn't take much to confuse me. I find the "A+E key M.2 socket" and "B key socket" or, "2260 socket (60mm)" and " 2230 (30mm) socket" terminology less ambiguous/preferable. To further confuse the terminology is the fact that the 60mm socket is under (or over if the board is held upside down) 30mm socket. So, it would appear that the Udoo X86 supports M.2 SATA, M.2 PCIe, as well as M.2 NVMe PCIe cards, and the latter (M.2 NVMe PCIe) is the fastest of the lot. Here's a quote from a comment on the page that spawned this thread:: Just my 2¢.
See this picture: https://www.udoo.org/docs-x86/img/x86_bottom.png Bottom M.2 slot is the closest to the PCB and will be hidden by the top M.2 card, if the top M.2 card is installed as well. This slot fits 2230 sized A+E card. Top M.2 is the B-key slot, normally fits 2260 card. There are some clever adaptation to fit a 2280 sized card. NVMe card is a M-key card. It will not fit any M.2 slot of the UDOO X86. P.S. 2230, 2260, 2280, etc. are purely to characterize different card sizes. The actual M.2 spec. has three generations of revisions. In Gen 1, there are A key, E key, and A+E keys (3 flavors.) In Gen 2, it's B key. In Gen 3, it's M key. ccs_hello
Hmmm.... First, the the terminology in the picture doesn't appear to represent the X86's current M.2 socket configuration, as it fails to reference A+E key 2230 M.2 socket which it denotes "M.2 CONNECTOR KEY E", not "A+E". Further, the picture denotes the PCIe 2260 M.2 socket (the socket that holds the lower 2260 card when the board is oriented with its top upmost) as "M.2 CONNECTOR KEY B" which is apparently correct. Okay. So the Udoo X86 doesn't support "PCIe NVMe" M-key cards, apparently currently the the fastest PCIe interface standard. Oh well... Got it. Thank you very much for the information you provided.
Yes, unfortunately SoC:s used by UDOO X86 only have four PCIe lanes total. One is used by Ethernet and one is used by M.2 E-key slot (e.g. WiFi cards), so only two are left for other M.2 slot, and M-key would require four, so this other slot has to be B-key.
The socket of UDOO X86 is E-key, not "A+E" (whatever that is). Now I don't know if "A+E"-key card will still fit E-key socket or not. On the other hand "B+M" card will fit either B-key or M-key socket -- but I don't know if same logic applies for "A+E" or not. M.2 is really confusing ...
UDOO x86 M.2 lower (bottom) slot itself is an E-key slot. It physically can accommodate E-key card or A+E card. <-- from physically matching point of view In reality, UDOO x86's lower slot only support these 3 flavors (1) WiFi and BT card (2) USB 2.0 interface (3) 1-lane PCIe ccs_hello
I am not sure, but ... Am I right that max. length of the M2 SSD board is 60mm (type 2260) instead of 80mm (type 2280) ? -> so M2, 2280 sized card (20mm longer) cannot fit into Udoo X86 ?
The connector is the same so you can use any length board. It will just stick out past the side of the board and you have to support it somehow. There is a thread with a 3d printed adapter for 2280
Yeah take your two cents back, they're not wanted, this isn't 'Merica, its a forum! Your opinion is quite valued though, I completely agree with you, I didn't know which slot was which when I got the board. I won't know for certain until I decide to use those ports, but I ASSUME the M.2 B key is the one which is risen "above" the other, and that it makes with the screw post which is FURTHEST from the two slots. It only makes sense. otherwise the cards would have to pass through eachother, and nobody is stupid enough to design that mistake right? (I don't have the time to find examples but i know this mistake has been made in the past, forcing an "either/or" condition. This seems like a good way to improve the performance for the SBC, but in my case I opted for the advanced, if I upgrade i'll simply get a used ssd and tape it to the bottom, absolutely no doubts where the bottleneck is then
If everyone follows the Udoo reference for these connectors (M2 connector Key B and M2 Connector Key E) then there cannot be a misunderstanding.
