Enclosure for 1x NVMe

Enclosure for 1x NVMe
with USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C® and Type-A interface

IB-1816M-C31

Ask Question

Cardreader

Enclosure for M.2 NVMe SSD

USB-C

Interface to host computer USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C™ - up to 10 Gbit/s

Heatsink

Passive cooling due to high-grade aluminum

Hotswap

Plug & Play

LED

LED for power and access

Fast on the move

With USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C™ even higher data transfer rates can be achieved. The high transfer rate of up to 10 Gbit/s is ensured by the supplied USB 3.1 Type-C™ cable and only needs a matching end device in the form of a PC, tablet or similar with Windows® or macOS®.

USB Type-C™ controller based on NVMe

If you wanted to connect an external case with an M.2 SSD via USB Type-C™ in the past, you were limited to SATA models. The new chipset allows NVMe M.2 SSDs to be connected to a USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C™ host computer and enables the full data transfer rate of up to 1000 MB per second.

Lightweight aluminum

Weighing less than 40 g, the IB-1816M-C31 features a sleek, compact, and crush-resistant aluminium enclosure that safeguards the M.2 SSD against shock and vibration. Its grooved finned heatsink design supports heat dissipation for an excellent cooling effect and protects the SSD from overheating and thermal throttling even under heavy use.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Technical Data

Model	IB-1816M-C31
Article No.	60482
EAN Code	4250078168638
Brand	ICY BOX
Category	M.2 housing M-Key
Color	Black
Material	Aluminum
Internal interface	1x M.2 NVMe SSD
Host connector	USB 3.1 (Gen 2) Type-C™
Transfer rate	USB 3.1 up to 10 Gbit/s
M.2 SSD size	22x30/42/60/80 mm
SSD capacity	Unlimited
Power connector	Bus-powered
LED	Power and access
Operating system:	Windows®, macOS®
Chip set	JMS583

Logistical Data

Packing unit	50 pcs./carton
Total weight	10 kg/carton
Gross weight (incl. packing)	0,125 kg
Net weight	0,075 kg
Dimension/carton	536x451x156 mm
Dimension of packing box	200x100x25mm
Dimension of article	105x36x15 mm
Country of origin	China

DOCUMENTS

Data Sheet

IB-1816M-C31

DOWNLOAD

Manual

IB-1816M-C31

DOWNLOAD

FAQ

What is M.2?

M.2 is a specification for internal expansion cards and was introduced under the name NGFF (Next Generation Form Factor), then officially renamed M.2. This standard is especially useful for compact and mobile devices such as notebooks and tablets due to its small size and different dimensions. M.2 SSDs are available in different versions. On the one hand there are different lengths of the SSDs and on the other hand two different protocols and interfaces which are used with M.2 SSDs. On the one hand the M.2 SSDs can be connected via PCIe and on the other hand with SATA.

What form factors are available?

The size of an M.2 card is given by width x length in millimeters. If there is a form factor of 2280 (22x80), the card is 22 mm wide and 80 mm long. M.2 allows widths of 12, 16, 22, or 30 mm and lengths of 30, 42, 60, 80, or 110 mm. Mainly widths of 22 mm are used. The most common M.2 SSDs are offered in lengths of 42, 60, and 80 mm.

M.2 SSDs are rectangular and have a male connector on each short side and a small recess on the other side to fix the SSD to the corresponding slot with a screw. Depending on the storage capacity, the SSDs are available with single-sided or double-sided PCBs.

What are M.2 Keys?

There are one or two notches at specific points on the connector (male). The M.2 connections are different according to these recesses and therefore also according to the transmission standard used. This special arrangement of the recess then defines the corresponding key. The most common keys for M.2 SSDs are the B-Key, M-Key, and the B+M-Key. The B-Key is used for SATA (AHCI) SSDs, but can also use PCIe 3.0 with two lanes. The M-Key supports PCIe 3.0 SSDs with NVMe and four PCIe 3.0 lanes. The B+M key supports both standards, similar to the B key. Here either SATA (AHCI) or PCIe 3.0 x2 with NVMe are possible.

Compatibility to the host computer?

Make sure that your SSD supports the same connector/key (male) as the socket (female) supplied by ICY BOX in the case or expansion card. For example, if you are using an M-Key PCIe SSD, make sure that the case also has an M-Key socket. Please refer to the product description, data sheet or manual for more information.

Is a M.2 PCIe SSD with NVMe protocol faster than a M.2 SATA SSD with AHCI protocol?

Yes, the SATA interface theoretically achieves a data transfer rate of up to 6 Gbps. The PCIe 3.0 x2 interface achieves a data transfer rate of up to 16 Gbps, PCIe 3.0 x4 up to 32 Gbps.

How do I know which M.2 drives work in this device?

Although M.2 SSDs are available in similar form factors, only an M.2 PCIe drive with an M-Key connector will work with this enclosure. M.2 drives that support SATA or use a different key are not compatible with this enclosure. Check the specification of your M.2 SSD. If the key and interface match, the combination of enclosure and SSD will work.

Is a special driver required?

No, because SATA and PCIe M.2 SSDs use the standard integrated AHCI drivers in the operating system. Also the NVMe protocol is supported from Windows® 8.1 and Windows 10®. Please check nonetheless that your drivers are up to date.

How do I install the SSD correctly?

•Make sure that the socket and your SSD are compatible. (e.g. M.2 M-Key socket and M.2 M-Key PCIe NVMe SSD) Carefully insert the SSD into the socket at an angle of about 30 degrees.
•Make sure that the socket and the SSD fit together perfectly and without resistance (tongue and groove principle).
•Now carefully push the SSD down onto the PCB and fix the SSD with the included screw.
•If you use a heat sink, place the heat pad on the heat sink and place both now on the SSD.
•Make sure that the heat pad and the heat sink do not protrude over the SSD.

How do I activate write protection? (Not all enclosures are equipped with a write protection switch.)

• Disconnect the enclosure from the host computer.
• Use the supplied tool to slide the write protection switch to the left, in direction of the closed lock.
• Then reconnect the enclosure to your host computer.
• The write protection is now activated. This is indicated by the red status LED.

Can the enclosure also be connected to USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports?

Yes, this is possible. Please note however, that the data transfer rates are much lower in this case.

The enclosure becomes warm during use.

A slight heating up of the enclosure, especially when writing and reading data, is completely normal. The enclosure is designed for passive cooling of the SSD. Especially PCIe NVMe SSD enclosures can get higher temperatures.

How to cool my SSD?

Basically, all ICY BOX enclosures are able to transfer heat passively to the outside via the enclosure. Both via the material (aluminium), which is very heat conductive, as well as via integrated cooling fins on the enclosure, which increase the surface area of the enclosure and thus achieve improved heat dissipation. If your SSD is used internally, it is possible to mount the ICY BOX heat sinks on the SSD to improve heat dissipation and cool the SSD. Note, that the heat sink requires space that may be limited in your system.

What happens if I plug an M.2 SSD PCIe 3.0 x4/NVMe into a port that only supports PCIe x2?

Basically the M.2 SSD will still work, but only with the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0 x2 with a maximum of 16 Gbit/s instead of 32 Gbit/s.

Everything is connected, but no function.

To avoid possible problems, there are some quick tests that you can use. You can test if the following components work correctly and are not the cause of the problem:
Cables
SSD
Enclosure

To test your components, follow the steps below:
-Use the cables, SSD, and enclosures in a different configuration to see if the problem is with the components or the configuration In your setup.
-Use a different cable, SSD, and enclosure to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in a different setup.

The SSD is not recognized by the operating system.

-Drives must be initialized and have active partitions so that they are immediately recognized as data media in the operating system. If this is not the case, initialize the drives in the disk management of your operating system.
-Please check if the driver software is installed (USB).
-Sometimes it can be possible that the M.2-SSD slot has to share the PCIe lanes with other devices. In this case one of the interfaces may be deactivated. Please refer to the documentation of your motherboard and activate the M.2 SSD in BIOS mode.

My Samsung 970 EVO Plus is not recognized.

It is possible that the Samsung 970 EVO Plus has an outdated firmware and therefore cannot be recognized by the device. In this case, please update the firmware of the Samsung 970 EVO Plus first. After successfully updating the firmware, please test again whether the SSD is recognized.
You can update the firmware using the Samsung "Samsung Magician" tool.

WHERE TO BUY

Languages