Raspberry Pi brings its own SSD

The Raspi Foundation is launching its own M.2 SSD on the market. The specifications don't sound particularly exciting at first: the SSD is available with 256 and 512 GB of storage space and is connected via PCI Express 3.0. The board is 30 millimetres short (M.2-2230). Which controller is used and who manufactures the NAND flash components is currently unknown. What is certain, however, is that there is no space for a DRAM module on the small 2230 board, so the SSD uses some memory from the operating system via the NVMe driver (Host Memory Buffer, HMB).

The special feature: The SSD is to be produced in this form until at least January 2032. This is important for projects that must always be built with the same parts, for example because they require certification for operation.

Maximum 1 GByte/s?

The Raspi only provides one PCIe lane, which is officially only approved for PCIe 2.0 speed, but unofficially also supports PCIe 3.0. This means that transfer rates of up to one gigabyte per second are possible. Whether the Raspi SSD is faster in environments with more PCIe lanes is still unknown, as the manufacturer has not yet said.

The Raspi Foundation charges 30 US dollars for the 256 GB version, the larger version with 512 GB is expected to cost 45 US dollars. The packages with a circuit board for connecting the SSD to the Raspi cost 10 US dollars more in each case. The 256 GB versions are available from today, while the larger versions are currently only available for pre-order – and are due to be delivered at the end of November. German stores should be adding the models to their range soon.

The maximum capacity of 2230 SSDs is now 2 TByte (starting from 171,87 €) – which are significantly cheaper per gigabyte of capacity than the Raspi SSD, at least if you go by the recommended retail price. With other add-on boards, the more common 2280 SSDs can also be connected to the Raspi, with prices for a 256 GByte model starting at around 20 euros.

(ll)