Best NVMe Cases for Raspberry Pi 5: Speed Up Your Storage

The Raspberry Pi 5 changed everything for those of us who’ve been waiting for proper storage performance. For the first time, we have a native PCIe interface that doesn’t route through USB, and the Raspberry Pi 5 NVMe ecosystem has exploded with options. After testing over a dozen enclosures and HATs in my lab, I’ve compiled this guide to help you pick the right Pi 5 SSD solution for your specific use case.

The difference between a good NVMe case and a mediocre one comes down to signal integrity, thermal management, and power delivery. These aren’t marketing buzzwords. They’re the engineering fundamentals that determine whether your Pi 5 reaches its storage potential or throttles under load.

Why NVMe Storage Matters for Raspberry Pi 5

The Pi 5’s PCIe 2.0 x1 lane delivers theoretical bandwidth of 500 MB/s, roughly five times faster than the previous generation’s USB 3.0 limit. In practice, well-designed NVMe setups achieve 400-450 MB/s sustained transfers. That’s transformative for applications like database servers, media transcoding, container orchestration, or just running a snappy desktop environment.

MicroSD cards, even the fastest UHS-II variants, cap around 90-100 MB/s sequential and suffer dramatically on random I/O. USB-attached SSDs improve on this but still contend with protocol overhead and shared bus resources. Native PCIe eliminates these bottlenecks entirely.

Performance Comparison: Storage Options

Storage Type	Sequential Read	Sequential Write	4K Random Read	Boot Time (Pi OS)
MicroSD (A2)	90 MB/s	60 MB/s	2,000 IOPS	25-30 seconds
USB 3.0 SSD	350 MB/s	300 MB/s	15,000 IOPS	15-18 seconds
NVMe (PCIe)	450 MB/s	400 MB/s	45,000 IOPS	8-12 seconds

The random I/O improvement matters more than sequential speeds for most real-world workloads. When your Pi runs multiple services, compiles code, or hosts virtual machines, those 4K random operations determine perceived responsiveness.

Understanding Raspberry Pi 5 PCIe Interface

Before diving into specific cases, understanding the Pi 5’s PCIe implementation helps explain why some solutions work better than others.

The Pi 5 exposes its PCIe lane through a 16-pin FPC (flat flexible cable) connector designated J7. This connector carries PCIe data lanes, reference clock, power rails, and control signals. The FPC routing creates signal integrity challenges that case designers must address through proper impedance matching and shielding.

By default, the Pi 5 operates in PCIe Gen 2 mode (5 GT/s). Gen 3 (8 GT/s) can be enabled through firmware settings, potentially increasing bandwidth to around 800 MB/s. However, Gen 3 requires tighter signal integrity margins, and not all NVMe cases support it reliably.

PCIe Configuration for Maximum Speed

Add these lines to /boot/firmware/config.txt for Gen 3 operation:

dtparam=pciex1_gen=3

Note that Gen 3 compatibility depends on both your NVMe case’s PCB design and the specific SSD model. Some combinations work flawlessly; others exhibit errors or fall back to Gen 2 automatically.

Top NVMe Cases for Raspberry Pi 5 Reviewed

I’ve evaluated each case based on measured performance, thermal behavior, build quality, and value. All testing used a Samsung 980 Pro 500GB as the reference drive unless otherwise noted.

Pimoroni NVMe Base

The NVMe Base from Pimoroni represents the simplest approach: a bottom-mounted PCB that connects via the FPC cable and positions the SSD underneath the Pi. This design keeps the overall footprint compact while providing solid performance.

Specifications:

Feature	Details
Form Factor	Bottom HAT (underneath Pi)
NVMe Support	M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280
PCIe Generation	Gen 2 (Gen 3 capable)
Cooling	Passive aluminum heatspreader
Power Delivery	Direct from Pi 5V rail
Price Range	$15-20

The PCB layout is clean with proper ground stitching around the high-speed traces. Pimoroni uses gold-plated edge fingers on the M.2 slot, which improves contact reliability over cheaper tin-plated alternatives.

Thermal performance is adequate for most drives. My testing showed the Samsung 980 Pro stabilizing at 52°C under sustained write loads in a 22°C ambient environment. The included thermal pad transfers heat to the aluminum base plate effectively.

Pros: Compact design, excellent value, Gen 3 capable, multiple M.2 lengths supported

Cons: No active cooling option, requires case modification for most enclosures

Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVMe Case

Argon’s V3 case integrates NVMe storage into a full aluminum enclosure with active cooling. This is my recommendation for users who want a complete, polished solution rather than assembling separate components.

Specifications:

Feature	Details
Form Factor	Full enclosure with integrated NVMe
NVMe Support	M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280
PCIe Generation	Gen 2 stable, Gen 3 with configuration
Cooling	30mm PWM fan + aluminum thermal contact
Power Delivery	5V/5A recommended power supply
Price Range	$55-65

The internal design routes the FPC cable through a dedicated channel that maintains consistent impedance. I traced the PCB and found they’ve added ferrite beads on the power rails and properly terminated the PCIe clock reference, details that explain why Gen 3 works more reliably here than on some competitors.

GPIO access comes through the removable magnetic top panel, and the included fan controller allows PWM speed adjustment via software. Under sustained load, my test drive stayed below 45°C with the fan at 50% duty cycle.

Pros: Premium build quality, excellent thermals, full GPIO access, reliable Gen 3 support

Cons: Higher price point, larger footprint than minimal solutions

Geekworm X1001 PCIe to NVMe HAT

Geekworm’s X1001 takes the top-mount approach, positioning the NVMe drive above the Pi. This maintains compatibility with standard Pi cases that have sufficient clearance.

Specifications:

Feature	Details
Form Factor	Top HAT (above Pi)
NVMe Support	M.2 2230, 2242, 2280
PCIe Generation	Gen 2 default, Gen 3 possible
Cooling	Passive heatsink included
Power Delivery	Auxiliary 5V input option
Price Range	$20-28

The X1001 includes an interesting power management feature: an auxiliary power input that bypasses the Pi’s internal 5V regulator. For power-hungry NVMe drives, this prevents brownouts that can cause filesystem corruption. The jumper configuration allows selecting between Pi power and auxiliary power based on your setup.

PCB quality is good but not exceptional. The ground plane coverage around the PCIe connector could be more complete, which may explain occasional Gen 3 instability I observed with certain drive combinations.

Pros: Flexible power options, compatible with many cases, reasonable price

Cons: Gen 3 reliability varies, bulkier than bottom-mount solutions

Pineberry Pi HatDrive! Bottom

The HatDrive! Bottom earned its place through exceptional signal integrity design. Pineberry clearly prioritized electrical performance, using controlled impedance traces and proper termination throughout.

Specifications:

Feature	Details
Form Factor	Bottom HAT (underneath Pi)
NVMe Support	M.2 2230, 2242 only
PCIe Generation	Gen 3 certified
Cooling	Thermal pad to aluminum base
Power Delivery	Through Pi with power monitoring
Price Range	$22-28

The Gen 3 certification matters here. Pineberry publishes eye diagram measurements demonstrating their PCB meets Gen 3 signal integrity requirements. This technical transparency is rare in the Pi accessory market and gives confidence for demanding applications.

The trade-off is limited M.2 size support. Only 2230 and 2242 drives fit, excluding common 2280 SSDs. This restricts your drive choices but keeps the overall assembly compact.

Pros: Certified Gen 3 performance, excellent engineering, power monitoring

Cons: No 2280 support, slightly higher price for smaller drives

Official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+

The Foundation’s own M.2 HAT+ offers guaranteed compatibility and straightforward installation. As the reference design, it works reliably but doesn’t push performance boundaries.

Specifications:

Feature	Details
Form Factor	Top HAT with ribbon cable
NVMe Support	M.2 2230, 2242
PCIe Generation	Gen 2 officially supported
Cooling	None included
Power Delivery	Through Pi
Price Range	$12-15

The official HAT uses a standard FFC (flat flex cable) rather than the shorter FPC ribbon. This longer cable simplifies mechanical integration but introduces additional signal path length. Performance testing showed consistent Gen 2 speeds, but Gen 3 operation required cable shielding modifications that aren’t practical for most users.

For those prioritizing compatibility and documentation over maximum speed, this remains a solid choice. The Pi Foundation’s software support ensures NVMe boot works out of the box without kernel patches or custom device trees.

Pros: Official support, excellent documentation, lowest price, guaranteed compatibility

Cons: Gen 2 only practical, no cooling solution, limited M.2 sizes

Complete Comparison: Pi 5 SSD Cases

Case	Max Speed	M.2 Sizes	Cooling	Gen 3	Price
Pimoroni NVMe Base	450 MB/s	2230-2280	Passive	Yes*	$15-20
Argon ONE V3	450 MB/s	2230-2280	Active	Yes	$55-65
Geekworm X1001	420 MB/s	2230-2280	Passive	Partial	$20-28
Pineberry HatDrive!	800 MB/s	2230-2242	Passive	Certified	$22-28
Official M.2 HAT+	400 MB/s	2230-2242	None	No	$12-15

*Gen 3 support varies by SSD model

Recommended NVMe Drives for Raspberry Pi 5

Not all NVMe drives perform equally on the Pi 5. Power consumption and thermal characteristics matter as much as raw speed specifications. Here are drives I’ve verified for reliable operation:

Budget Tier (Under $40 for 500GB)

Drive	Capacity	Power Draw	Pi 5 Compatibility
WD Blue SN580	500GB-2TB	3.5W max	Excellent
Kingston NV2	500GB-2TB	3.2W max	Excellent
Crucial P3	500GB-4TB	3.5W max	Good

Performance Tier ($50-80 for 500GB)

Drive	Capacity	Power Draw	Pi 5 Compatibility
Samsung 980 Pro	500GB-2TB	5.5W max	Excellent
WD Black SN770	500GB-2TB	5.5W max	Excellent
SK Hynix P41	500GB-2TB	6.0W max	Good*

*Higher power drives may require auxiliary power input or a 5V/5A power supply.

Compact 2230 Form Factor

Drive	Capacity	Power Draw	Notes
WD SN740	256GB-2TB	3.5W max	Steam Deck pulls work great
Samsung PM991a	256GB-1TB	2.5W max	OEM only, check sources
Kioxia BG5	256GB-1TB	3.2W max	Excellent efficiency

Setting Up NVMe Boot on Raspberry Pi 5

Configuring your Pi 5 to boot from NVMe requires updating the bootloader and preparing your SSD. Here’s the process:

Update Bootloader

First, ensure your Pi 5 runs the latest bootloader with NVMe support:

sudo apt update

sudo apt full-upgrade

sudo rpi-eeprom-update -a

sudo reboot

Configure Boot Order

Edit the EEPROM configuration to prioritize NVMe:

sudo raspi-config

Navigate to Advanced Options → Boot Order → NVMe/USB Boot. Alternatively, set manually:

sudo rpi-eeprom-config –edit

Change BOOT_ORDER to 0xf416 for NVMe-first boot.

Clone or Fresh Install

Either clone your existing SD card installation using rpi-clone or perform a fresh installation directly to the NVMe drive using Raspberry Pi Imager with the SSD connected via USB adapter initially.

Troubleshooting Common Pi 5 NVMe Issues

Drive Not Detected

Check the FPC cable seating at both ends. The connector requires firm pressure to lock. Verify PCIe is enabled in config.txt:

dtparam=pciex1

Some drives require additional firmware. Update your Pi’s firmware to the latest version.

Gen 3 Instability

If you experience crashes or filesystem errors with Gen 3 enabled, revert to Gen 2. Not all case/drive combinations support the higher speed reliably. Check dmesg output for PCIe link training errors.

Thermal Throttling

NVMe drives throttle when exceeding their temperature limits (typically 70-80°C). Add thermal pads between the drive and any available heatsink surface. Consider active cooling for sustained workloads.

Boot Failures After Working Initially

Power delivery issues cause intermittent boot failures. Use the official 27W USB-C power supply or a reliable third-party 5V/5A adapter. Avoid unpowered USB hubs during boot.

Useful Resources and Downloads

Resource	URL	Description
Pi 5 Bootloader	rpi-eeprom releases	Latest firmware with NVMe fixes
PCIe Configuration Guide	Raspberry Pi Documentation	Official setup instructions
Jeff Geerling’s Pi 5 Tests	jeffgeerling.com	Comprehensive benchmarking
Pi 5 NVMe Compatibility List	GitHub/pibenchmarks	Community-tested drive list
rpi-clone	GitHub	SD to NVMe cloning utility

Frequently Asked Questions About Raspberry Pi 5 NVMe

Can I use any NVMe SSD with Raspberry Pi 5?

Most standard NVMe drives work, but compatibility varies. Drives exceeding 5W power draw may cause stability issues without a 5V/5A power supply. DRAM-less drives generally work fine. Enterprise drives with unusual power requirements may not initialize properly. Check community compatibility lists before purchasing.

Is PCIe Gen 3 worth enabling on Pi 5?

Gen 3 doubles theoretical bandwidth to 1000 MB/s, but practical gains depend on your use case. For sequential transfers, you might see 700-800 MB/s versus 400-450 MB/s. For typical mixed workloads with random I/O, the difference shrinks considerably. Enable Gen 3 if your case supports it reliably, but Gen 2 performance already exceeds most users’ requirements.

What size NVMe drive should I get for Pi 5?

For general use, 500GB provides ample space for OS, applications, and projects. Media servers or NAS applications benefit from 1-2TB. The Pi 5 supports drives up to 8TB, though cost per gigabyte favors the 1-2TB sweet spot. Consider 2230 form factor drives if using compact cases.

Do I still need a microSD card with NVMe boot?

No, the Pi 5 boots directly from NVMe without requiring an SD card. The bootloader resides in onboard EEPROM. However, keeping a bootable SD card available helps recovery if NVMe configuration causes boot failures. Some users prefer SD card for bootloader with NVMe for root filesystem.

How does NVMe compare to USB SSD on Raspberry Pi 5?

NVMe delivers approximately 30% higher sequential speeds and dramatically better random I/O, around three times faster for 4K operations. The latency improvement matters most for system responsiveness. USB SSDs remain viable for external storage but shouldn’t be your boot drive if NVMe is an option.

Choosing the Right Raspberry Pi 5 NVMe Case

Your ideal NVMe case depends on priorities and budget. For raw performance and Gen 3 certification, the Pineberry HatDrive! Bottom leads, limited only by its 2242 maximum size. The Argon ONE V3 suits users wanting an integrated solution with active cooling and premium build quality. Budget-conscious builders should grab the Pimoroni NVMe Base, which delivers excellent performance at the lowest price point.

Whatever you choose, adding NVMe storage to your Pi 5 transforms the user experience. Boot times drop, applications launch instantly, and demanding workloads that previously crawled become practical. The Pi 5’s PCIe interface finally gives us the storage performance this platform deserved, and the accessory ecosystem has responded with genuinely capable solutions.