ASUS Rolls Out the Hyper M.2 x16 V2 NVMe RAID Card

[btarunr]

ASUS today rolled out the latest in its series of M.2 NVMe RAID add-on cards, the Hyper M.2 x16 Card V2. A successor to a similar card ASUS released back in 2017, this one comes with improved electrical components, so each of its four slots is guaranteed to put out 14 Watts of power. The card splits a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 link to four M.2-22110 slots, each with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring. There's no PCIe switch logic involved, so your motherboard is required to support PCIe lane segmentation (most HEDT motherboards since 2016 do). The card supports Intel VROC (virtual RAID on CPU), and is tested to work on AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. ASUS didn't change the thermal solution. You still get a chunky aluminium shroud covering the whole card, and lateral-flow fan pushing air across the drives, which can be turned off. The company didn't reveal pricing.



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[s3thra]

I put the original version of this board in my Broadwell Xeon Thinkstation at my work to use for extra M.2 storage (the motherboard doesn't have any, only SATA). Great for for putting my virtual machine images on.

I have just one M.2 drive in it at the moment, and I turned the fan off as the SSD just wasn't getting hot enough to warrant it.

 

[er557]

This roll out must be in certain regions, as I already installed the v2 two months ago from amazon.
If motherboard supports nvme boot, and pcie slot bifurcation, several nvme drives on the card can be added to any motherboard from recent years that meets these specs.

 

[bug]

Hm, requires HEDT, so no way you can stick this into a SFF to build your own NAS. But it's pretty expensive to get enough room for a NAS using SSDs.

 

[er557]

I wonder about the launch price,
as I payed 50$ when seemingly is wasn't launched yet....
great piece of future proofing hardware,
Also there is a similar card by supermicro, has only two slots, and no fan, a nice server grade product

Amazon.com: Supermicro AOC-SLG3-2M2 PCIe Add-On Card for up to Two NVMe SSDs : Electronics

Buy Supermicro AOC-SLG3-2M2 PCIe Add-On Card for up to Two NVMe SSDs: RAID Controllers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[mouacyk]

cute fan

 

[shockwaveriderz]

I'd like to have one of these:

HighPoint SSD7103 Ultimate NVMe Bootable RAID Solution

Simple upgrade solution for your Workstations & Servers.

www.highpoint-tech.com

 

[jesdals]

I wonder if it will be compatible with next generation ryzen since it has Threadripper compability?

 

[er557]

I'd like to have one of these:

yeah right, 350$ amazon used

Amazon.com

If investing so much in a dedicated controller, and such an extremely complex product, I would get the 7103 part already for 450$(same page selection available).

In the case of the asus card though, your motherboard does all the work(boot, port bifurcation), as there is no controller on board, hence cheaper.

I wonder if it will be compatible with next generation ryzen since it has Threadripper compability?

no reason it wont be, this is a generic m2 interface card, if compatible now, it wil be with future products.

 

[Hardware Geek]

They need to offer up a v3 that supports PCIe 4.0 for the next Ryzen.

 

[bug]

I wonder if it will be compatible with next generation ryzen since it has Threadripper compability?

What do you think would make it incompatible? It's a plain PCIe device, as far as connectivity is concerned.

 

[Tartaros]

Instead of that small fan that looks it will start to do whine coil after some monts they could have drilled some screw points and holes for airflow to add optional larger fans. Looks it could be easily modded though, a pair of slim fans and it's good to go.

 

[Flaky]

Hm, requires HEDT

It does not. Right now even cheap AM4 boards allow setting the main PCIe slot to 4+4+4+4, as long as the CPU is a gpu-less ryzen.

 

[bug]

It does not. Right now even cheap AM4 boards allow setting the main PCIe slot to 4+4+4+4, as long as the CPU is a gpu-less ryzen.

Oh, nice then.

 

[ypsylon]

As a owner of this card (it cost the same as previous model). Terrible fan, hopeless radiator. It looks like Asus releasing this card piecemeal in various regions, I have it for good 2 months which is astonishing not living in US.

Put naked M.2 drives and next to it 120mm fan for best results.

 

[CheapMeat]

I wish a version came out with the ASMedia switch that is affordable so it doesn't need motherboard bifurcation. I'd love to use it on an older board.

 

[b10n1c]

I agree with "Hardware Geek". Even though I have ordered one, I really want a PCIE 4.0 version, for obvious reasons.

I agree with "Hardware Geek". Even though I have ordered one, I really want a PCIE 4.0 version, for obvious reasons.

I'm on X570 with 3900X.

 

[er557]

it still will work slower than intel pcie 3, according to reviews

 

[Kapone33]

Ok I have the original of this product and can tell you it is one of the best inexpensive products that Asus has released. All of the major vendors have expansion cards but these ones are the only ones readily available for purchase. With the cost of NVME dropping products like these, at the price point you pay (50-100) seems academic to me.