Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe Card operation manual

®

Sonnet M.

Quick Start Guide

2 4

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4

PCIe

Card

Introduction, Compatibility Information, and Card Description

Congratulations on your purchase! The Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe
Card provides a handy way to install up to four M.2 format
PCIe SSDs into a PCIe slot. macOS
Thunderbolt

™

compatible, this card works in compatible

®

, Windows®, Linux®, and

computers and Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion systems.

Support Note: This document was up to date at the

time of printing. However, changes to the hardware or
software may have occurred since then. Please check the Sonnet
website for the latest documentation.

1. Go to www.sonnettech.com/support/kb/kb.php

2. Click the Computer Cards link.

3. Click the PCIe Cards link.

4. Click the Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe Card link, and then click the

Manual link.

5. Click the Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe Card Quick Start Guide [English]

link, and then check the Document Version information. If the
version listed is later than this document (revision F ), click the
Download Now button for the latest version.

Computer Compatibility

• Mac Pro® 5,1 (Mid 2010 & Mid 2012) with available full-length
x16 PCIe slot (also requires a recommended Metal-compatible
graphics card)

• Mac Pro 7,1 (2019) – Use x16 PCIe slot (slot 3, 4, or 5) for full
performance

• PC desktop or server with available full-length, full-height x16
PCIe slot (PCIe 3.0 slot is preferred for best performance)

OS Compatibility

• macOS 10.14.4+ (macOS Catalina compatible)

• macOS 10.13.6 compatible under specific circumstances; visit
https://www.sonnettech.com/product/m2-4x4-pcie-card.html
and view Technical Notes for information

• Windows 10 (64-bit Edition Version 1903 or greater)

• Linux Kernel 5.0+

M.2 SSD Compatibilty

Only single-sided (components on top side) SSDs are supported.
For a list of compatible SSDs, please visit the Sonnet website
at: https://sonnettech.com/support/downloads/manuals/M2_
compatiblity.pdf

Thunderbolt Compatibility

• Mac® or Linux computer with Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 2
ports via a Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion system with
available full-length x16 PCIe slot

• Windows computer with Thunderbolt 3 ports via a
Thunderbolt 3 to PCIe card expansion system with available
full-length x16 PCIe slot

Card Description

1 – M.2 SSD Sockets

The Sonnet M.2 4x4 PCIe Card supports the installation of
four single-sided M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe SSDs with “M” key
connectors. When configuring them as RAID volumes, Sonnet
recommends the use of identical SSDs.

2 – Smart Blower

This blower is temperature-controlled and spins only when
and as fast as needed, minimizing noise.

3 – SSD Heatsink

Backed with a thermal transfer pad that contacts the SSDs’
components, the heatsink conducts heat away from the SSDs.

4 – Cover

The cover directs airflow over the heatsink to provide proper
cooling for the SSDs. Always use the card with the cover
installed; this will help prevent thermal throttling of the SSDs’
performance, and may help extend the life of the SSDs.

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