Product ID: SM21BMU31C3
This compact M.2 SATA SSD enclosure lets you add highly portable data storage to any laptop or computer with a USB-C™ port - such as MacBook, Chromebook Pixel™, Dell™ XPS laptops, and many others. It turns your SATA M.2 drive into a high-speed storage solution over a USB 3.1 Gen 2 connection, at up to 10Gbps throughput.
This slim, pocket-sized enclosure for M.2 NGFF SATA SSDs has been specially designed for mobility, with a small form factor design that fits easily into your laptop bag. Its lightweight yet durable aluminum housing helps to ensure your drive won’t be damaged while you’re on the move.
Ventilation holes help to dissipate heat and help ensure an optimum operating temperature.
Leverage the speed of your M.2 NGFF SATA drive with this external enclosure. It delivers USB 3.1 Gen 2 data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps as well as UASP support, so you can achieve higher transfer speeds when you connect it to a UASP-enabled host computer.
The enclosure works with tablets, laptops and desktop computers and is compatible with hosts equipped with Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports.
The enclosure is compatible with all of the common M.2 SATA SSDs, and enables you to mount multiple drive lengths, including: 30mm (2230), 42mm (2242), 60mm (2260), and 80mm (2280).
The SM21BMU31C3 is backed by a 2-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.
Warranty Information | Warranty | 2 Years |
---|---|---|
Connector(s) | 1 - Drive Connectors | M.2 (SATA, B-Key, NGFF) |
1 - Host Connectors | USB 3.1 USB Type Micro-B (10 pin, Gen 2, 10 Gbps) | |
Environmental | Operating Temperature | 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) |
Storage Temperature | -10°C to 65°C (14°F to 149°F) | |
Humidity | Operation Humidity: 10% ~ 90% RH
Storage Humidity: 5% ~ 95% RH |
|
Hardware | Interface | USB 3.1 Gen 2 |
Bus Type | USB 3.1 Gen 2 | |
Number of Drives | 1 | |
Compatible Drive Types | M.2 (SATA, B-Key, NGFF) | |
Drive Installation | Fixed | |
Compatible Drive Types | M.2 SATA (NGFF, B+M-Key) | |
Chipset ID | ASMedia - ASM1351 | |
Indicators | 1 - LED Indicators | Power & Activity |
Packaging Information | Package Height | 1.3 in [32 mm] |
Package Length | 5.2 in [13.1 cm] | |
Shipping (Package) Weight | 4.9 oz [139 g] | |
Package Width | 6.3 in [16.1 cm] | |
Performance | Maximum Data Transfer Rate | 10 Gbps |
Type and Rate | USB 3.1 Gen 2 - 10 Gbit/s | |
UASP Support | Yes | |
4Kn Support | Yes | |
Type and Rate | SATA III (6 Gbps) | |
TRIM Support | Yes | |
MTBF | 1,000,000 hours | |
General Specifications | Not compatible with M.2 NVMe or AHCI PCI-Express SSDs | |
Physical Characteristics | Weight of Product | 2.2 oz [61 g] |
Color | Black & Silver | |
Material | Aluminum | |
Max Drive Height | 3.1 in [80 mm] | |
Product Length | 3.9 in [99 mm] | |
Product Width | 1.7 in [42 mm] | |
Product Height | 0.5 in [13 mm] | |
Power | Power Source | USB-Powered |
Software | OS Compatibility | OS independent; No software or drivers required |
Special Notes / Requirements | Note | Windows 7 and earlier Windows versions do not support TRIM with USB to SATA devices. |
What's in the Box | 1 - Included in Package | M.2 NGFF SATA Enclosure - USB 3.1 |
USB-C to Micro B cable - 18.5 inches | ||
M.2 screw kit | ||
screwdriver | ||
quick install guide |
We are always ready to assist you with any questions you may have.
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Live Chat (opens in new window)When you troubleshoot issues with a hard drive enclosure, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:
To test your setup components, try the following:
When you test the hard drive and hard drive enclosure, it is recommended that you do the following:
Note: Formatting a hard drive erases all of the data on it. Make sure that you back up all of your data before you reformat the hard drive.
Note: A formatted hard drive will not show up in Computer or My Computer until it has a drive letter assigned to it.
If your setup components support USB 3.1 but you are experiencing slower transfer speeds than you expected, consider the following:
To confirm the functionality of your USB host connection, its ports, and any other devices in your setup, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer.
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
You should not upgrade your device's firmware if you do not have any issues with the functionality of your device. The only time you should consider an upgrade is if you are experiencing a problem with the device, and you have confirmed that the firmware addresses this problem. You can confirm this is the case by reviewing the documentation included with the firmware or by consulting with our Technical Support team. Incorrectly upgrading firmware can result in diminished performance so it is best to contact StarTech.com if you would like to perform this operation.
To confirm that Windows detects your USB device, complete the following:
Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
To confirm that the Mac OS detects your USB device, complete the following:
You may need to refresh the System Information page after you plug in your device. To do so, press Command + R with the System Information page open.
Your USB device is listed according to the name of the chipset. To determine the name of the chipset of your USB device, navigate to www.StarTech.com and look on the Technical Specifications tab for your product.
Although M.2 SSDs come in similar form factors, only an M.2 SATA drive with an NGFF B key will operate with this device. M.2 drives that are PCIe or have a different key position are not compatible with this device.
This device can adapt an M.2 SATA drive to standard SATA connections, which is not possible for a PCIe based M.2 drive. The key type refers to the connector type on the M.2 SATA drive. B key can be M.2 PCIe x2 or SATA, so it is important that you check the specifications of the drive to see if it supports SATA.
Yes, this device supports the TRIM command. If the OS issues a TRIM command, the command will be passed to the connected device.
To determine if your hard drive will work in this enclosure, on the product page, click the Technical Specifications tab, and do the following:
USB 3.1 is the most recent version of the USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. It is capable of data transfer speeds up to 10Gbps, and while it can use the USB-C connector type, it can also use a variety of other connector types. To achieve USB 3.1 transfer speeds, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support USB 3.1. USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps).
USB 3.0 is capable of data transfer speeds up to 5Gbps. USB 3.0 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps).
USB 3.1 is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, except in the following scenarios:
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To transfer data at speeds of 10Gbps, you need to confirm that the following components in your setup support USB 3.1:
Note: USB 3.1 is also known as USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10Gbps). Devices that support USB 3.1 should have the USB 3.1 symbol on them. If the USB 3.1 symbol does not appear on your USB source or device, refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm whether the USB source or device support USB 3.1.
The included USB cable for this USB 3.1 Gen 2 device has been tested and verified to perform at USB 3.1 Gen 2 speeds of 10Gbps.
USB-C is a type of USB connector that is capable of supporting the following:
If using Thunderbolt 3 over USB-C, the connection is capable of additional features. For example, Thunderbolt 3 is capable of 40Gbps of total bandwidth. For more information, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-port-capabilities.
Not all USB-C ports or devices are capable of supporting all of the features listed above, or all of the features at the maximum capabilities. If you require a specific USB-C feature, your USB host connection, cables, and device must all support the feature that you require. For more information about whether your components support specific USB-C features, refer to the information provided by the manufacturers.
Before you can access a new or formatted drive in your operating system, you need to initialize it first and then create a partition on the drive. A partition defines an area of the drive to use for storing data. The partition uses a file system (for example, ex-FAT, NTFS, and so on).
Note: You typically only need to initialize a drive if the drive is new. If you cannot find an uninitialized drive in Disk Management, skip the following steps and try to partition your device.
Press the Windows key + R, type compmgmt.msc, and click Run to open Computer Management.
Navigate to Disk Management.
When prompted to, initialize your disk(s). If you are running Windows® 7 or later and are using a drive larger than 2TB, initialize the disk(s) with GPT. If you are running an earlier version of Windows, initialize the disk(s) with MBR. For more information, visit the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/support/faqs/technical-support?topic=hard-drives#mbr-vs-gpt.
Click OK.
Note: The following steps create an NTFS partition that uses the entire drive space. To use a different file system, select a different option in step 6.
Right-click Unallocated or RAW volume, and select New Simple Volume.
In the New Partition Wizard, click Next.
Select Primary partition.
Leave the partition size set to default, and click Next.
Assign a drive letter or leave it set to the default, and click Next.
Enter the following settings to format the partition:
The new drive should appear in Windows Explorer.
Before you can access a new or formatted drive in your operating system, you need to initialize it first and then create a partition on the drive. A partition defines an area of the drive to use for storing data. The partition uses a file system (for example, HFS+, ex-FAT, NTFS, and so on).
Mac OSX detects a drive that needs to be initialized and automatically prompts you to initialize the drive. If you are prompted to initialize the drive, click Initialize. If you are not prompted to initialize the drive and you cannot find the drive in Finder, you will need to create a partition on the drive.
Note: The following steps create an HFS+ (Mac OS Extended (Journaled)) partition that uses the entire drive space.
To create a partition on a new drive, complete the following:
Open Finder.
Navigate to Applications and click Utilities.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the new drive and click the Partition tab.
Click Options and verify that it is set to GUID Partition Table.
Enter a name for the partition.
Click Partition.
The drive should now be accessible in Finder.
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