Question *STABLE* NVMe - USB Adapter?

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cyberjedi

Junior Member
Apr 4, 2010
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I'm looking to buy a *RELIABLE* NVME-USB external adapter, that doesn't disconnect randomly, can keep up the close to 1GB/s speed.
So far all adapter's reviews contain frighteningly high % of reports of malfunction, random disconnects, sub-par speeds, falling to even under USB 2.0 speeds, etc.
There are 3 main chipsets in the market: JMicron JMS583, Asmedia ASM2362, and Realtek RTL9210 (no product has surfaced with the latter yet, so no REAL reviews, experiences yet UPDATE: it is on the market already).
Also ASUS has a new product, ROG Strix Arion, but there isn't enough feedback about it yet, and I mean real life feedback not just being able to run a few benchmarks, but real stress test to see if the device (adapter) can keep it up, without disconnecting or slowing down hard.
I would really appreciate any feedback from those who have GOOD experiences during stress-tests, like tons of random 4k writes with a stable speed, cloning 100's of GB-s at a stable high speed close to 1GB/s.
I know SSD's very well, so please stick to the point and don't start to educate me on how their speed falls after some writes, etc. I'm aware and this is NOT the point.
You can help if you can point me to a STABLE and RELIABLE NVMe-USB-C adapter that WORKS as expected.
Thank you in advance!
 
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cyberjedi

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Apr 4, 2010
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VirtualLarry said:
You should look up the thread that we had here, complaining and asking about Stable USB3.0 external HDDs. I've come to the conclusion that USB 3.x itself is NOT STABLE.

Get a mechanical PCI-E slot internal adapter if you want stable.
Click to expand...
Dear VirtalLarry, I have already a PCI-E slot internal adapter, it works as expected. I need the external USB adapter for other purposes.
I do understand that you have found that USB 3.x is not stable - but I can't accept this as a fact or excuse from the manufacturers.
 
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Insert_Nickname

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May 6, 2012
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It seems there isn't a lot you can do right now. Most of this type of gear is clearly first generation, and probably needs at least a few firmware revisions before becoming truly stable.

If you need something right now, you may have to settle for 5Gbit USB3 for maximum compatibility. Fortunately it's not too bad, you can get very decent speeds (~450MB/s sequential) with a UASP compatible adaptor. For all practical purposes its completely indistinguishable from an internal SATA drive.

With a decent SATA SSD (Samsung 860EVO, Crucial MX500), I'd question whether anyone really -needs- a faster external drive for consumer applications. Of course, its quite alright to want the fastest gear on the market. No excuses needed.

cyberjedi said:
I do understand that you have found that USB 3.x is not stable - but I can't accept this as a fact or excuse from the manufacturers.
Click to expand...

This partly has to do with cable length and quality (shielding). 5Gbit USB3* is picky once you go much over 2m. 10Gbit USB3 is hellishly pickish over much more then 0.5m, you need a cable with really good signal integrity to get more then about a metre. Keep in mind this includes any internal cabling from mainboard to socket. Of course, you can use a powered hub or booster cable if you need longer reach. There are even a few 10Gbit ones slowly creeping onto the market.

*Referring to it that way is easier then trying to keep up with the USB Forums naming conventions... :(
 
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cyberjedi

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Okay, so far I've also seen that cables differ in quality. I'm willing to use an aapter that plugs in dierctly to an USB port, without cable (into a laptop, or backside USB port of a desktop, that is soldered onto the motherboard, so there is no cable involved, as in front-USB ports).

Like this one: 61O0e2yV23L._AC_SL1000_.jpg

Still, I'm looking for very stable ones that maintain high speed.
 
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cyberjedi

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Golgatha

Golgatha

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Jul 18, 2003
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I've got this one and it's served me well. I'm using it on a USB 3.0 port at 5 Gbps.

Amazon.com: MyDigitalSSD M2X Portable USB 3.1 Gen 2 M.2 PCI Express SSD External Enclosure Adapter w/USB-C and USB-A Cables (Fits ONLY NVMe PCIe 2242/2260/2280) - MDNVME-M2X-USB: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: MyDigitalSSD M2X Portable USB 3.1 Gen 2 M.2 PCI Express SSD External Enclosure Adapter w/USB-C and USB-A Cables (Fits ONLY NVMe PCIe 2242/2260/2280) - MDNVME-M2X-USB: Computers & Accessories
www.amazon.com
 
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cyberjedi

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Golgatha said:
I've got this one and it's served me well. I'm using it on a USB 3.0 port at 5 Gbps.

Amazon.com: MyDigitalSSD M2X Portable USB 3.1 Gen 2 M.2 PCI Express SSD External Enclosure Adapter w/USB-C and USB-A Cables (Fits ONLY NVMe PCIe 2242/2260/2280) - MDNVME-M2X-USB: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: MyDigitalSSD M2X Portable USB 3.1 Gen 2 M.2 PCI Express SSD External Enclosure Adapter w/USB-C and USB-A Cables (Fits ONLY NVMe PCIe 2242/2260/2280) - MDNVME-M2X-USB: Computers & Accessories
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Yes, this was my first candidate, as this company takes the effort to release Firmware updates for their product. Still, there are disconnection complaints, so I'm trying now the direct USB route, without any cables.
 
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waterboyd

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Nov 30, 2019
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I have bought Orico clear enclosure last month. it use JMS583, some laptop or mini PC (in my office) not detect the drive if I connect to 10Gbps port,
sometime it works but speed was USB2.0, sometime it disconnect when do transfer data.
I found Tom's Hardware news somewhere mention about JMS583 chipset power hungry. some USB port insufficient power to run 10Gpbs but the 5Gbps is OK.
now I buy a new one no brand use Asmedia2362, surprise it works 10Gbps so stable.
 
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cyberjedi

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Apr 4, 2010
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waterboyd said:
I have bought Orico clear enclosure last month. it use JMS583, some laptop or mini PC (in my office) not detect the drive if I connect to 10Gbps port,
sometime it works but speed was USB2.0, sometime it disconnect when do transfer data.
I found Tom's Hardware news somewhere mention about JMS583 chipset power hungry. some USB port insufficient power to run 10Gpbs but the 5Gbps is OK.
now I buy a new one no brand use Asmedia2362, surprise it works 10Gbps so stable.
Click to expand...
I had the same conclusion, that Asmedia2362 is preferred, and if my cable-less choice doesn't work, then that is the next step! :)
 
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samboy

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Aug 17, 2002
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I purchased a JMS583 based one from Amazon. It seemed to be reliable on an Intel based laptop (Thunderbolt port). However, gave intermittent trouble an an ASUS x570 MB/USB-C port; it would just drop out.

I've updated the x570 BIOS and chipset drivers since and it now seems stable; but the jury is still out...... I get around 880MB/Sec on a 2TB Inland NVMe SSD.

I've also ordered an Asmedia 2362 based adapter as well........ it's handy to have a spare one so that you can connect NVMe drives to your system without pulling everything apart. I may swap cases if the Asmedia controller is better than the JMicron one.

Reminds me of the early USB 3.0 docks that used JMicron controllers; which would overheat on large transfers and then drop out..........
 
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MrCommunistGen

MrCommunistGen

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Aug 4, 2009
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I picked up a no-name JMS583 based enclosure on Amazon for cheap. Similar to what others report, it seems to work fine on an Intel Thunderbolt port.
Attempts to use it with 2 different AMD boards, an ASUS PRIME X470 PRO and an ASUS ROG STRIX B450-I boards on the USB 3.1 G2 ports have been mostly unsuccessful. The enclosure usually doesn't even show up, but if it does I can only transfer a few GB of data before it randomly disconnects. I was able to upgrade the JMS583 firmware to v206 using the package from mydigitalssd, but it didn't really change anything.

If I plug the drive into one of the USB 3.1 G1 ports, the enclosure is perfectly stable, but it maxes out right around 400MB/s, even though it says it us using UASP.

I remember reading somewhere (another forum -- I don't remember which) where a member suggested it might be an implementation issue with ASUS AMD boards. They'd returned an ASUS board and swapped it for another brand... (MSI I think?) and then they were able to get USB 3.1 G2 to work... but I specifically have the B450-I to take advantage of dual M.2 slots on the motherboard, and there aren't currently any other brands offering that feature on an ITX board.

I commonly transfer ~40GB+ VMs from one machine to another and would really appreciate being able to take advantage of ~1GB/s transfers.

I'd like to try an ASM2362 based enclosure, but they're somewhat expensive, and hard to find. The ones that I do see are REALLY sketchy looking...

Edit:
FWIW, I've tried using a Toshiba BG4 and XG6 SSDs -- both of which are less power hungry NVMe drives, and still had no success with JMS583 on the AMD systems.
 
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waterboyd

Junior Member
Nov 30, 2019
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samboy said:
I purchased this ASM2362 enclosure......... but it will take 2-3 weeks to arrive. I couldn't find anything reasonably priced online in the US.
Click to expand...

I use that aluminum enclosure :)
last week just ordered Realtek9210 exactly the same body. should remain 1 week to arrive.

20191203-003739.jpg
 
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samboy

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waterboyd said:
I use that aluminum enclosure :)
last week just ordered Realtek9210 exactly the same body. should remain 1 week to arrive.
Click to expand...

We must think alike....... I even ordered the blue one.
Has this been fully reliable? Curious as you are ordering the Realtek9210 based one for your next one.......
 
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samboy

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Just a small update from my end........ I ended up with an external NVME for each chipset. The Realtek9210 is the most scarce but was able to order one from here

JMS583 - Seemed to work ok on Intel Laptop at first
However, Visual Studio started to give trouble where the .obj couldn't be read to build the library when building on the external SSD
The drive seemed to get fairly warm. No errors in event viewer; so may have been some other unrelated issue?
Full disclosure I did update the JMB583 firmware that *another* vendor provided (hopefully this was not a bad idea)

ASM2362 - Seems to run fine on an X570 MB and Intel
Haven't really done any exhaustive testing
The drive gets fairly warm (similar to JMS583)
Update: Using this with an AData 1TB SX8100 on a Ryzen x570 system
Copied several large multi-GB files using the USB 3.1 Gen 1 5Gbps port; no problem.
Left the drive plugged in and on two separate occasions Windows 10 received a USB device error; after a period of non activity (drive was noticeably warm as well). Cannot recommend ASM2362 for x570 systems; suspect the power management being an issue with this chipset/driver - a problem just having the drive drop out on a USB error!

RTL9210 - Only had for a few days; but seems to play well with both Intel Laptop (Thunderbolt port) and Ryzen x570
Runs a lot cooler than the above two (I have a heatsink tab applied to the NVME drive)
It also seems to stay cool if it is not being used (other two stay warm)
I have a suspicion that the RTL drive is handing power saving/modes correctly and other two may not?
I believe that the RTL controller is using a more advanced process and will also run cooler/use less energy.
This should also have the effect of allowing more power to the NVME drive when needed (USB has limited power)

Anyway, I'm planning on using the RTL drive for everyday use; so far it seems the best choice. My second choice would be the ASM2362.
I'll update the thread if anymore information comes to light.......... note that I'm not planning any detailed review/investigation; rather just looking for the best external enclosure like the OP. I'm using an Inland 2TB NVME SSD that is using the newer E12s controller (a die shrink that uses a bit less power).

For now my vote goes for the RTL9210 for anyone else in the same boat.........
 
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cyberjedi

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Samboy, thank you very much for your valuable contribution! RTL9210 looks promising!
I only had very limited time to test my sample (see post #8), it is a JMS583, and only with a 5Gb/s USB 3.0 Type-A port. "AS SSD" benchmark resulted in a typical SATA SSD speed, which makes me sad. CrystalDiskMark froze the system while running - this is unacceptable, but hey, at least it didn't crash the system. I had no access to 10Gbit/s USB 3 Type-A port, nor an USB-C, I'm still curious if through those, can a whole ~100GB disk image be cloned successfully and speedily. I will try this in the coming weeks, this is my main purpose and test in mind.
 
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waterboyd

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Nov 30, 2019
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got realtek 2weeks ago but bad luck I accidentally dropped PCB while remove. port type-c soldering cracked I need some mobile phone repair shop help.
but I do some test before accident happen. The RTL9210 read transfer rate for data 4K slightly lower than ASM2362, both are working 10gbps stable no random disconnect.
2019-12-16-16-59-50-Window.png

2019-12-16-17-13-24-Window.png

20191216-162640.jpg
 
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VirtualLarry

VirtualLarry

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Aug 25, 2001
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I just spent like 4-5 hours, trying to get these "USB3.0 to NGFF(M.2)" external SSD USB3.0 enclosures to work. They have an ASMT 2115 SCSI Disk Device, and use UASP (not BOT, I have no idea how to switch it back). Nothing but problems. I got in several Team MS30 128GB M.2 SATA SSDs, tried a couple of those, in a couple of the NGFF to USB3.0 boxes, nothing but extreme slowdown of the host system, errors galore, Disk Management "Format Volume" taking like 30 minutes (quick format! But I think that TRIMs the whole area too first), DISKPART "clean" erroring out "no such device" - it drops out during the clean.

I'm not sure if these are USB3.0 malware hardware, or just broken. The light was blinking rapidly, like it was being accessed, even after the main PC was shut down (front LED fans were OFF). Makes me think that all Chinese cheapo consumer electronics, especially gizmos and adapters that involve USB, are all trojaned.
 
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Spicedaddy

Spicedaddy

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Apr 18, 2002
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LOL, wish I'd seen this thread a few days ago. I ordered an Orico TCM2-C3 enclosure (JMicron chip), and can confirm it's flakiness. It works OK on USB 5Gbps, but connected to the 10Gbps port it hangs and is very buggy. Using a WD Blue SN550 500GB ssd, max speed I saw was 700MB/s read and 500MB/s write. The controller on the ssd gets burning hot as well. Oh well, should've remembered the USB to SATA days, JMicron was the worst back then as well.

I just ordered this (RTL9210 chip): https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Realtek-RTL9210-Compatible-Samsung/dp/B07Z976BVK/

Should work much better. I don't need an enclosure, just using it for file recovery and cloning.
 
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