Add super-fast storage to your Raspberry Pi 5 allowing for lightning fast boots, NAS use, and snappy applications!
NVMe Base is a PCIe extension board for Raspberry Pi 5. Simply populate it with an M-key NVMe SSD (2230 to 2280 sizes supported) and mount it under your Pi for a compact and fast storage solution - It even comes with rubber feet!
It's the perfect solution for turning your Raspberry Pi 5 into a file server, media centre, reverse proxy, etc. - really any task that benefits from large amounts of fast storage, especially with random high operations per second (IOPS) workloads. In short it's a game changer!
NVMe base follows the new "PIP" design guidelines provided by Raspberry Pi ensuring that it will be easy to use and be supported long term by updates to Raspberry Pi OS - though it is very early days and things are improving rapidly there!
Base Kit
- NVMe Base PCB with M.2 Slot (M-Key)
- 'PCIe Pipe' Flat Flex Cable
- 4x Rubber feet
- M2 bolt and 2x nuts for SSD mounting
- 4x 7mm M2.5 standoffs for base mounting
- 8x short M2.5 bolts for base mounting
- 4x long M2.5 bolts for 'pass-thru' mounting with a HAT
NVMe Base + SSD Bundle
We also offer the kit bundled with a 250GB+ or 500GB+ NVMe SSD (PCIe Gen 3 or better).
The Raspberry Pi 5 will run at PCIe 3.0 x 1 speeds at best, even though this mode is unsupported officially, so most drives are limited to around 700-800MB/s read and 350-450MB write at peak.
Due to the tides and vagaries of the SSD market, we will ship whichever drive offers the best value for decent specs. We can say that:
- It will have 250GB / 500GB (or better) capacity
- It will be rated by the manufacturer at PCIe Gen 3 or better speed
- We'll have personally tested the drive with the NVMe Base and it will be in the list below.
- It'll be backed by the usual Pimoroni guarantees and customer service.
Drive compatibility
We have tested NVMe Base with the following M.2 NVMe drives successfully. We have usually tested one drive from one batch, so this is not comprehensive, or an 'Approved' list, but it's a good guide for drives to seek out:
- AData Legend 700
- AData Legend 800
- AData XPG SX8200 Pro
- Axe Memory Generic Drive
- Crucial P2 M.2
- Crucial P3 M.2
- Crucial P3 Plus M.2
- Inland PCIe NVMe SSD
- Kingston KC3000
- Kioxia Exceria NVMe SSD
- Kioxia Exceria G2 NVMe SSD
- Lexar NM620
- Lexar NM710
- Netac NV2000 NVMe SSD
- Netac NV3000 NVMe SSD
- Origin Inception TLC830 Pro NVMe
- Sabrent Rocket 4.0
- Sabrent Rocket Nano
- Samsung 980
- Samsung 980 Pro (500GB/1TB)
- Team MP33
- Western Digital Black SN750 SE (Phison Controller
' Maybe' List. Works with quirks/not ideal.
These drives either needed extra power, were a bit quirky when we tested them or we've had reports of them being problematic. It may just be the drive we had, but they're probably best avoided.
- Kioxia BG4 2230. Performance very patchy. Runs at quite a high temp.
- Patriot P300 - These drives have various controllers, some of which seem to be incompatible at this time.
- Patriot P310 - These drives have various controllers, some of which seem to be incompatible at this time.
- PNY CS1030 (250GB). Reports of this size not working.
- Samsung 970 EVO Plus. Runs at a higher temp. Some user reports of problems under heavy load or not showing up on boot.
- Samsung 980 Pro (250GB). Reports of this size not working.
- WD Blue SN550. Our fresh unit could be used as storage but could not be booted from.
- WD Red SN700. Slow to boot first time, but worked and booted OK.
- WD SN740. Our fresh unit worked well. YMMV.
- WD Black SN770. Our fresh unit worked fine. YMMV.
'Avoid' List. We've had problems or reports of problems.
- Kingston OM8SEP4256Q-A0
- Transcend 110Q (TS500GMTE110Q)
- WD Green/Blue/Red/Black not in the above list. Variable results or not working because of quirks of a SanDisk controller/firmware. Our SN350 and SN570 prevented the RPi 5 from booting at all especially.
Otherwise most M.2 NVMe drive (Not SATA!) you have lying around should work fine.
Check out our benchmark results over at pibenchmarks.net!
Getting Started
- Video: Installing the Pimoroni NVMe Base on Raspberry Pi 5 📹
- Learn: Getting Started with NVMe Base for Raspberry Pi 5 💾
Firmware
For the most hassle-free experience, make sure your Raspberry Pi OS is up to date, and your RPi 5 firmware is updated to 2023-12-06 (Dec 6th) or newer. This supports all the features of the RPi PCIe spec and means you don't have to mess with config files to get started.
Software update on the RPi OS should do this for you, but to force it you can:
- open a Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-T)
- run sudo raspi-config and choose 'Latest' under Advanced Options > Bootloader Version.
Running sudo rpi-eeprom-update in the Terminal will tell you which version of firmware is running.
PCIe 3 Mode
To enable experimental and not-officially-supported PCIe 3 mode, add the follow line to the [all] section at the end of your Raspberry Pi /boot/firmware/config.txt file like this:
[all] dtparam=pciex1_gen=3
Save and reboot - your drive is ready to use!
Formatting the NVMe and booting from NVMe
If you want to boot from the NVMe drive, follow these extra steps:
- Make sure your firmware is updated as above!
- Format the drive using Raspberry Pi Imager
- You can do this with your NVMe Base installed by booting the RPi 5 from SD card and running Raspberry Pi Imager from the start menu.
- Open a Terminal (Ctrl-Alt-T).
- Run sudo raspi-config
- Choose NVMe/USB boot under Advanced Options > Boot Order.
- Reboot your RPi 5.
Notes
- Always power off your RPi and disconnect the power supply before installing or uninstalling the NVMe Base.
- NVMe Base offers a general purpose PCIe x1 connection - while we know most people want to add fast storage in theory you can use other devices with it, we just can't help you make them work! :-D What Would Jeff (Geerling) Do?
Resources
- Dimensional drawing
- 3D model (PNG / STEP)
Pi Australia is operated by Little Bird, and we go to great lengths to ship your orders, often within minutes.
You can view shipping options and pricing at checkout without logging in.
For orders over 500g (such as bulky items), shipping may cost more than the initial estimate.
We deliver across Australia, and here are the options (based on your location; view them on the cart page):
- Standard Post: Starting at $7 (6+ business days, with tracking)
- Express Post: Starting at $11 (2+ business days, with tracking)
- Same Day Delivery: Available for Sydney orders.
- Non-metro WA, NT, SA, and TAS: May take an additional 2+ days.
Note: Some items, such as LiPo batteries, cannot be shipped by air. Express Post and international shipping won’t be available if these are included in your cart.
For international orders, here are rates for shipping to New Zealand (rates differ for other countries):
- Pack and Track: Starting at $12 (3+ days, with tracking)
- Express International: Starting at $16 (2-5 days, with tracking)
Shipping for heavier orders will depend on their weight.
Our address:
Little Bird
Unit 13,
8-12 Leighton Place
Hornsby, NSW 2077,
Australia
1300 240 817
For queries like whether we accept purchase orders (yes we sure do!) or if our prices include GST (they all do!), please hit us up via phone on 1300 240 817 or email us team@littlebird.com.au . We’re happy to assist with any product questions!
Sherpa Delivery Estimates
| Location | Estimated Delivery Time |
|---|---|
| Sydney Metro | Same Day |
Auspost Express Post Delivery Estimates
| Location | Estimated Delivery Time |
|---|---|
| Canberra | 1 Day |
| Sydney Metro | 1 Day |
| NSW Outer Metro | 1 Day |
| NSW VIC Border | 2 Days |
| NSW Rural | 2-3 Days |
| Melbourne Metro | 1 Day |
| VIC Other | 2-3 Days |
| VIC Rural | 2-3 Days |
| Brisbane Metro | 1 Day |
| QLD Gold Coast | 1 Day |
| QLD Outer Metro | 1-2 Days |
| QLD Other | 2-3 Days |
| QLD Rural | 3-4 Days |
| Adelaide Metro | 1 Day |
| SA Other | 2-3 Days |
| SA Rural | 3-4 Days |
| Perth CBD | 1 Day |
| Perth Metro | 2 Days |
| WA Other | 3-4 Days |
| WA Rural | 4-6 Days |
| Tas Metro | 1 Day |
| Tas Devonport | 1-2 Days |
| Tas Country | 2-3 Days |
| Tas Remote | 4 Days |
| Darwin & Katherine | 3-4 Days |
| Alice Springs | 4 Days |
| NT Rural | 4-5 Days |
Auspost Parcel Post Delivery Estimates
| Location | Estimated Delivery Time |
|---|---|
| Sydney Metro | 2 Days |
| NSW Country | 3-4 Days |
| Canberra | 2 Days |
| Melbourne Metro | 2-3 Days |
| VIC Country | 3-5 Days |
| Brisbane Metro | 2-3 Days |
| QLD Near Country | 2-4 Days |
| QLD Far Country | 3-5 Days |
| Far North QLD | 5-7 Days |
| Far North QLD Remote | 7-12 Days |
| Adelaide Metro | 2-4 Days |
| SA Country | 2-5 Days |
| Perth Metro | 4-5 Days |
| WA Country | 5-8 Days |
| WA Country Far | 7-10 Days |
| Tasmania | 3-5 Days |
| Tasmania Remote | 4-8 Days |
| Darwin | 4-7 Days |
| Alice Springs | 6-9 Days |
| NT Other | 12-13 Days |
Buy with Confidence
We're Australia's only Raspberry Pi approved reseller in Sydney, Australia.
How do you Ship your Raspberry Pis?
We ship via Australia Post eParcel from our Sydney warehouse.
Australia Post picks up from us daily.
All shipping methods we use have tracking.
Do you ship from Sydney, Australia?
All our products ship from our warehouse in Sydney, Australia.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept all major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal.
We also accept purchase orders from educational and government institutions on 30-day terms.
You're automatically approved if you're a school, university, or state or federal government department or agency.
What is your return, exchange and warranty policy?
Returns
We accept returns for faulty products, but will first work with you to help get your Raspberry Pi working again.
99% of the time there it is not the Raspberry Pi that is faulty.
If you need help, reach out to us on help@littlebird.com.au.
Change of Mind
We are happy to accept a return for a "change of mind", however, you will need to cover the cost of any merchant fees associated with the return. Goods need to be in an "as new" state.
What's the warranty on your Raspberry Pis?
You can have peace of mind knowing that Raspberry Pi is backed by a 1-year warranty, and thanks to rigorous quality assurance testing in the UK factory, you can be sure that your Raspberry Pi will stay in good working condition.
How long does shipping and delivery take?
At our Sydney, Australia warehouse, we provide fast and reliable shipping. To go even further, we have created our own Raspberry Pi powered Robot called Bishop.
How long does delivery take?
Australia Post picks up from us daily. If you're within the Australia Post next day network you can usually expect your order to arrive the next day if ordered with Express Post before 2pm.
80% of Australian addresses covered and you probably already know if you're in the network.
How can I track my order?
When we ship your order (which we do daily), we send you a tracking link.
If you haven't received a tracking link, please email us on help@littlebird.com.au .
How do I contact customer service?
You can call us on 1300 240 817 or email help@littlebird.com.au .
Do you have a secure website?
Yes, our website is secure and we use the latest security features to ensure your data is always kept safe.
Can I get my order shipped to a PO Box or Parcel Locker?
If you want to ship to a PO Box, Parcel Locker or another otherwise anonymising delivery address, we need you to use Paypal at checkout.
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