M.2 HAT+ for Raspberry Pi 5

The official solution to boost the performance of your Raspberry Pi 5!

For high-speed data transfers and optimal responsiveness!

The Raspberry Pi 5 presents a significant advantage over its predecessor, being not only more powerful but also integrating the renowned PCIe port. This innovation brings the Raspberry Pi closer to a desktop computer, offering real possibilities in terms of storage!

Ever since the announcement of the Raspberry Pi 5 in September 2024, Raspberry Pi enthusiasts have been excited about the new PCIe port options.

The long-awaited official M.2 HAT+ is now available!

The M.2 HAT+ ensures optimal performance and fast communication with the host system. The PCIe 2.0 interface at 4 Gbps provides fast data transfer (~500 MB/s) to and from NVMe SSDs as well as other PCIe devices.

This increased data transfer capacity opens up new possibilities in storage and processing, allowing you to experience smoother and more responsive access to your data and applications.

The main difference between using an NVMe SSD and an SD card on a Raspberry Pi 5 lies in performance and reliability.

Performance: NVMe SSDs offer significantly higher read and write speeds than SD cards, resulting in faster boot times, quicker application loads, and overall system responsiveness. While SD cards may suffice for light tasks, they are generally much slower than NVMe SSDs, which can lead to longer boot times and less smooth overall performance, especially when executing intensive read/write tasks.

Reliability: NVMe SSDs are typically more reliable in the long term due to their robust construction and flash memory technology. They are designed to handle a much higher number of write cycles than SD cards, making them more suitable for extended use. In contrast, SD cards tend to have a limited lifespan when subjected to intensive read/write operations. They can also be more prone to errors and data corruption.

Assembling the M.2 HAT+ at Raspberry Pi 5

The M.2 HAT+ easily attaches to the PCIe connector of your Raspberry Pi 5 via the included FPC connector ribbon cable. All necessary mounting components are included with the M.2 HAT+ for easy installation on the Raspberry Pi 5 (GPIO header, set of screws).

Measuring 65.1 x 56.7 x 5.6mm and weighing 13g, the M.2 HAT+ can be mounted with the official fan.

The M.2 HAT+ supports NVMe (M-Key) drives in 2230 or 2242 format. It accommodates various devices and components such as expansion cards, fast storage devices, additional network cards, etc...

Looking for a compatible NVMe SSD?

We recommend the MakerDisk Cytron NVMe SSD, available in either the 2242 format with a capacity of 128GB. These SSDs come pre-installed with the Raspberry Pi OS operating system.

First boot

As the PCIe port is not enabled by default on Raspberry Pi 5, you'll need to activate it by following this procedure: 

Contents

• M.2 HAT+

• 16 mm GPIO connector

• Set of spacers and screws