Question *STABLE* NVMe - USB Adapter?

[cyberjedi]

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!

 

[Andalu]

The thanks should not be addressed to me but to Fideco and above all to @papapapapapapapababy who made the firmware available for download to all.
If to solve the problems with the JMS583 chipset we had to use a new firmware released by Orico, we would have waited uselessly and there would grow a long white beard

 

[manisshhh]

Hello everyone. Does anyone have an opinion on which enclosures are more likely to work and perform better on MacBooks? Has anyone tried using an enclosure with an NVMe drive with an iPad running on iOS 13?

 

[Mercx]

So what is the current consensus for the best solution for stability/features/speed?
ASM2362, JMS583 or RTL9210
and which brand/device that doesn't cost a bomb

 

[apoelistasaudi]

My understanding for Apple products and jms583 is

a) one could use standard firmware but customize standbyTimer to 0 (no standby)

b) Use latest firmware 2.0.9 for Apple (different firmware) which I did not test. (Download firmware and see that there are two firmwares with in the archive)

If product is advertised as.compatible With MacBook or iPad then that is your best bet.

You could test an inexpensive enclosure with jms583 and try both methods above and report your findings however note that jms583 without standbytimer=1 will be hot that is to say not recommended (even 10 mins as sold by orico with plastic enclosure temp rose to 69) and most of the time with OEM firmware standby would fail to activate.

For the second question it was answered by users who bought all of them e.g. @Andalu but on my eyes best would be one which performs cool enough, when stressed, has firmware support, is stable and goes into standby when idle.(1-2 mins). Jms583 does not perform cool when stressed though now does all the rest and gets cooler when on standby.

Not sure if RTL9210 still remains the best of all. Probably it does.

Regarding ASM2362 has similar heat dissipation as JMS583. BOTH JMS583 and ASM2362 have dual voltage in order to enter standby to cool off. Not sure which is better and why. I would choose one with an alum case with better fin design for heat dissippation. Seen ASM2362 enclosures with internal fan and holes for heat dissipation.

For users who have JMS583 I believe they should now be happy with their enclosure due to firmware 2.0.9.

@Andalu can you give a final verdict for the 3 enclosures??

 

[manisshhh]

My understanding for Apple products and jms583 is

a) one could use standard firmware but customize standbyTimer to 0 (no standby)

b) Use latest firmware 2.0.9 for Apple (different firmware) which I did not test. (Download firmware and see that there are two firmwares with in the archive)

If product is advertised as.compatible With MacBook or iPad then that is your best bet.

You could test an inexpensive enclosure with jms583 and try both methods above and report your findings however note that jms583 without standbytimer=1 will be hot that is to say not recommended (even 10 mins as sold by orico with plastic enclosure temp rose to 69) and most of the time with OEM firmware standby would fail to activate.

For the second question it was answered by users who bought all of them e.g. @Andalu but on my eyes best would be one which performs cool enough, when stressed, has firmware support, is stable and goes into standby when idle.(1-2 mins). Jms583 does not perform cool when stressed though now does all the rest and gets cooler when on standby.

Not sure if RTL9210 still remains the best of all. Probably it does.

Regarding ASM2362 has similar heat dissipation as JMS583. BOTH JMS583 and ASM2362 have dual voltage in order to enter standby to cool off. Not sure which is better and why. I would choose one with an alum case with better fin design for heat dissippation. Seen ASM2362 enclosures with internal fan and holes for heat dissipation.

For users who have JMS583 I believe they should now be happy with their enclosure due to firmware 2.0.9.

@Andalu can you give a final verdict for the 3 enclosures??

Hello. Thanks a lot for the breakdown. The Asus NVMe enclosure seems to advertise the support for both macOS and iOS 13. If I'm not wrong it seems to support ASM2362. I remember reading a review article about Samsung T7 having the same bridge chipset. It also seems like the Asus NVMe enclosure works well with heat dissipation, and has thermal pad on the ASM2362 chip along with NVMe drive. Not a fan of the gamer look on the enclosure.

Also, Sabrent's tool free enclosure seems promising when it comes to heat dissipation and looks good. It runs JMS583 chipset. It also advertises support for macOS. Not clear on iOS 13

Has anyone here tried any of the above enclosure on a Mac?

 

[apoelistasaudi]

I placed an order for an RTL9210 with metallic enclosure (unbranded I believe) in order to test it with a larger capacity M2 nvme. Price was cheaper than the plastic enclosure from oricio (jms583). Will test it once it arrives and report my findings.

 

[Andalu]

@apoelistasaudi
I think it's really difficult or almost impossible to make a definitive verdict on what the best enclosure is. First of all they should have been tested in the same optimal conditions (metal enclosure) and instead I haven't had this opportunity yet because the JMS583 enclosure is in polycarbonate with a bad heat dissipation and for the RTL9210, at the moment, I have only the pcb without case, I'm still waiting for the RTL9210B with the aluminum enclosure from (unfortunately) Orico where I hope to insert also the pcb of the JMS583.

You have already reported very well what are the essential requirements that an enclosure should meet to be used without too many problems, first of all the heat dissipation produced which, I think, is the Achilles heel of all the chipsets, as from the pics attached in my previous posts where the high temperatures are reached by all the chipsets. As far as performance is concerned, I believe that all chipsets are equivalent and that this can be considered important but still subordinate to a better heat dissipation.

It should also be considered that in the coming months the JMS583 rev.2 chipset will be increasingly used so also the heat dissipation could be improved. Anyhow, compared to when I bought it (eight months ago), the JMS583 chipset has got a real improvement with the new firmwares.

Unfortunately, I don't have a Mac, so I can't confirm the actual working on this platform.

 

[Ollivander]

So if you were a PC user purchasing an enclosure right now, are there a few you'd recommend personally? @Andalu

What's your opinion on the Sabrent vs the Plugable?

 

[apoelistasaudi]

To pick winner one also needs to add reliability, performance, temperature curves, firmware problems e.g. disconnect problems or capability to vary configuration settings, etc. We need to carry temp/diskmark tests of all 3 with same enclosure, same m.2 nvme same environment same PC same Usb 3.1 gen2 cable same standby timer and varied I.e. set at 1, 5 and 10mins for each chip and test their temp just before it reaches the custom standby timer. Can't pick a winner because I have not done the above exercise.
However if I would guess one exists that takes the lead that would be rtl9210.

 

[brshoemak]

What is the easiest way to tell in Windows 10 which chipset (JMicron vs Realtek) is being used by the adapter in an enclosure.

I purchased one from Plugable, connected it to USB, opened Device Manager, found the WD 750SN drive, opened Properties, and within Hardware ID (?) I found a reference to "JMICR"

Plugable said they would replace the JMicron-based device for a Realtek-based device, but I want to confirm 100% before moving forward with the exchange.

Thanks.

 

[razel]

The Device Manager properties area is where I'd start. The other way is to actually run the firmware tools in this thread. They do identify the exact controller type.

 

[Andalu]

What is the easiest way to tell in Windows 10 which chipset (JMicron vs Realtek) is being used by the adapter in an enclosure.

I purchased one from Plugable, connected it to USB, opened Device Manager, found the WD 750SN drive, opened Properties, and within Hardware ID (?) I found a reference to "JMICR"

Plugable said they would replace the JMicron-based device for a Realtek-based device, but I want to confirm 100% before moving forward with the exchange.

Thanks.

The reference Hardware ID for the JMS583 chipset from JMicron is:
VID_152D&PID_0583&REV_0209
where "VID_152D" identifies a JMicron product;
"PID_0583" is the generation chipset;
"REV_0209" is the firmware version installed.

In the same way, the reference Hardware ID for the RTL9210 from Realtek is:
VID_0BDA&PID_9210&REV_3100
"VID_0BDA" is for a Realtek product, "PID_9210" is referred to the chipset and "REV_3100" to the firmware.

The above can be reached from Control Panel > Device Manager > Storage controllers > USB attached SCSI (UAS) Mass Storage Device.

 

[Andalu]

So if you were a PC user purchasing an enclosure right now, are there a few you'd recommend personally? @Andalu

What's your opinion on the Sabrent vs the Plugable?

I don't have a Plugable enclosure so I can't comment. In any case, you can find excellent considerations in the very complete post of @apoelistasaudi. When I get a chance to try all chipsets in the same optimal conditions, I will post my comment.

 

[NewMaxx]

Wouldn't mind testing 2.0.9 myself (I'm using the M2X) but the WeTransfer expired a bit ago.

 

[apoelistasaudi]

2.0.9 was already tested, compatibility confirmed and all testers agreed that firmware is trouble free with all problems resolved that makes jms583 attractive for purchase again especially if after hardware revision there is a lower heat radiation when active (no standby). That is to say no disconnects and no problem with standby timer especially after crystal diskmark/temp programs are run which was a problem with firmware 2.0.8 and all previous fw versions.

Regarding availability not sure if it was uploaded in a site yet. Maybe you could ask original upload forum member first??

 

[NewMaxx]

Guessing you're GreekCypriot. Just asking for a 2.0.9 link since I provide for the SSD community.

 

[apoelistasaudi]

@papapapapapapapababy can you please provide a link??

 

[fantom3l]

Why it's so difficult to share a link to a hoster that does not expire. LINK 2.0.9 JMS583 for NewMaxx and all others.

 

[apoelistasaudi]

Because most would be on holidays I will bypass the original poster and post the file on his behalf as it was posted at the time.

M203CP,204CP- JM583(1).zip

1 file sent via WeTransfer, the simplest way to send your files around the world

we.tl

Remember to add the custom ini file for jms583 (I prefer the 1 min standby timer) on the app before flashing.

Flashed with JMS583_0209.bin filename.

The file provided is packed with other firmwares so becareful.

You take the risk of your actions as this was the original file posted.

 

[NewMaxx]

Why it's so difficult to share a link to a hoster that does not expire. LINK 2.0.9 JMS583 for NewMaxx and all others.

Thank you very much. I of course run a SSD-related sub and website so I have a stable location to host it myself (which is my intention) but I'm also in contact with several reviewers (e.g. at TH, LR, TSSR, etc) and have been coordinating testing on these things as well. It's appreciated.

Also, I appreciate the alternative file provided. I have been following this thread since the beginning so the experimentation has been more widely useful.

 

[BrallyO]

Hey everyone. I was just checking out the updates on this thread today. I don't check in very often because I've not had any problems since I switched all of my adapters to rtl9210s. The rtl9210 adapters continue to work perfectly for me.

It sounds like there has been some updated firmware for the JMicron jms483.

Has anyone tested the new 2.0.9 firmware with USB extension cables or front-panel extensions? A problem I commonly had was that the JMicron drives would drop off the USB bus or become unstable if I put them on a short USB 3.0 extension cable, and sometimes on front-panel ports which used internal extension cables. It seems like the increased resistance in the cable was enough to cause problems. Has anyone tested this? If not, I recommend doing so.

It would be awesome if JMicron was able to fix some of their stability problems in software.

 

[BrallyO]

especially if after hardware revision there is a lower heat radiation when active

Is that the A3 revision mentioned in the legitreviews article? Is it for sale yet? Does anyone know which adapters have it? Or is this just speculation?

 

[apoelistasaudi]

I say yes it is only firmware but others debate that A2 or A3 may also include hardware revisions for lower heat dissipation. Havent been confirmed by users who purchased the JMS583 with A2 on it.

Jmicron has revisiion 1 on their spec sheet.. Description of what A2 or A3 is, relates to firmwares revisions and their description for problems solved.

Also note that latest firmware has leaked from a forum member, who we should thank as well as the first tester who confirmed compatibility.

Has anyone tested the new 2.0.9 firmware with USB extension cables or front-panel extensions?

Checked on HP prodesk MT G5 600.
All front usb 3.1 SS gen 2 worked as intended. Try formatting you nvme. There are no known problems remaining with firmware 2.0.9.

Here are my 2.0.9 results on front usb 3.1 header (gen 2) with no performance degradation. Also note that after the benchmark results my nvme goes to standby in 1 min and becomes cool again (less than 45oC). Now you can say that JMS583 enclosures with latest firmware work great.

will do same test with rtl9210 once received.

 

[itazguru]

Hi guys, I'm new here.
I'm considering nvme enclosure and it seems like JMS583 latest firmware 2.0.9 has no issue.
I would like to buy Sabrent tool-free one but they have their own firmware update tool on the website.
Can I use JMicron M.P Tool as others tried? Curious!
Thx in advance.

 

[Van Flusen]

Hello,
it is a very interesting topic and I have a few questions for the experts.
I use 2 Sabrent EC-NVME - JMS583 A0 with FW 2.0.8 and 2 Raidsonic ICY BOX IB-1817M-C31 and IB-1824ML- C31 with RGB LED, both with JMS583 A2.
I have installed on the Sabrent EC-NVME and the ICY BOX IB-1817M-C31 each with a Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500 GB, a Windows to Go, 1. partition FAT32 - startup files, 2. partition NTFS, 125 Gb for VHD file. Both cases work on older Intel and AMD x370 / x470 machines without problems. I have tested both cases on a X570 machine and the Sabrent case cannot boot WIN_TO_GO, I have to disconnect the case and reboot the machine. The ICY BOX case with JMS583 A2 starts WIN_TO_GO fine. Maybe someone has the possibility to test JMS583 A0 with 2.0.9 on a X570 machine (BOOT).
Can anyone tell me what firmware version JMS583 A2 is (133.01.00.03)? Why does one ICY BOX use a PID 0580 and the other ICY BOX a PID 0583?
I will soon test the Sabrent EC_NVME with FW 2.0.9 on a X570 machine at a friend's place.
I've been talking to Sabrent about X570 problems. They said I should use the update. If I asked them again, they said that my email was blank and the ticket would be closed. Great support :-(
By the way, the same test works fine with an ELECGEAR case with VIA VLI716 and SATA 2242 M.2 SSD on the AMD X570 machine.