U.2 Drives?

[nvgrim]

So i just just built my ITX system with an Asus mobo and I noticed that instead of a m.2 connection is has a u.2 connection. I cannot find any u.2 drives at all. Is this connection that new where nothing is out yet for it?

 

[Blue Fox]

Any of Intel's 2.5" NVMe drives support U.2 (like the 750 series).

 

[HammerSandwich]

2.5" Intel 750 is u.2, isn't it?

 

[nvgrim]

So its another connection type like sata but still uses 2.5 drives? I was thinking it was like M.2 drives where they are physically different. This is the board i am running MAXIMUS VIII IMPACT - Overview

 

[Blue Fox]

The connector is quite different from SATA on the drive end. It's still PCIe and 2.5" just happens to be a convenient form factor. You won't find any drives that just plug straight into a U.2 port because it doesn't provide power.

 

[nvgrim]

The connector is quite different from SATA on the drive end. It's still PCIe and 2.5" just happens to be a convenient form factor. You won't find any drives that just plug straight into a U.2 port because it doesn't provide power.

Ah ok makes a lot more sense now. I was under the impression these were like the m.2 drives.

 

[Absalom]

They make M.2. to U.2 adapters, but not the reverse? I guess on these high end boards they expect you to fork over more money for the more esoteric (i.e. Intel NVMe) option. I suppose you could sacrifice a PCIe x4 slot for an PCIe to M.2 adapter. Irony is that you're still paying less then any U.2 options out there.

 

[nvgrim]

After looking at the drives it makes a lot more sense now Intel 750 Series 2.5" 400GB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDPE2MW400G4R5 - Newegg.com so the u.2 is essentialy a different type of pcie connection but you still need to provide power like a normal sata drive. I think ill wait for these prices to come down before i jump on one. $1/gb is a little high for me right now.

 

[SomeGuy133]

They make M.2. to U.2 adapters, but not the reverse? I guess on these high end boards they expect you to fork over more money for the more esoteric (i.e. Intel NVMe) option. I suppose you could sacrifice a PCIe x4 slot for an PCIe to M.2 adapter. Irony is that you're still paying less then any U.2 options out there.

any U.2 option are Datacenter drives....not dumb....your buying enterprise stuff...hence why its more.

BTW I don't know the pricing of the 2.5 in U.2 SSDs but I know the HHHL versions have been same price or cheaper than 950 PRO on sales. the 400GB was 250 the other day or something like that. Again these are enterprise drives focused on endurance/steady state and high queue depth.