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Low-profile PCIe add-in card with four U.2 ports and a Mini-SAS HD host connector

eshinreal

eshinreal 4 Port U.2 PCIe x8 SFF-8643 NVMe Switch Adapter Card PLX8724

SKU CH-HBY3-BS46A

Connects four U.2 NVMe SSDs via a single PCIe x8 slot using a PLX8724 switch for non-blocking bandwidth allocation

  • Product typeController Card
  • Four U.2 NVMe ports expand storage capacity
  • PCIe 3.0/4.0 x8 host delivers high bandwidth
  • PLX 8724 switch enables non-blocking lane allocation
  • SFF-8643 connector allows flexible backplane integration
  • Operating range up to 70°C ensures reliability

Enterprise NVMe expansion card

This PCIe switch adapter connects four U.2 NVMe drives through a single x8 host slot using a PLX8724 controller. It targets data-centre operators and workstation builders who need dense, high-speed storage without consuming multiple motherboard lanes. The card accepts PCIe 3.0 or 4.0 signalling and presents each drive as a standard NVMe 1.3 or 1.4 namespace.

Who this suits and who it does not

Builders with a free x8 electrical slot and a Mini-SAS HD backplane can add four hot-pluggable U.2 devices immediately. Systems limited to x4 electrical links, lacking SFF-8643 cabling, or requiring M.2 or E1.S form factors cannot use this adapter. Buyers needing RAID-on-chip or hardware encryption should look elsewhere.

Deciding specification: lane bifurcation support

The PLX8724 switch operates in x4x4x4x4 bifurcated mode or as a single x8 upstream port, automatically negotiating Gen3 or Gen4 speeds per drive. If your platform cannot bifurcate an x8 slot into four x4 links, the card will still function in non-bifurcated mode but each SSD shares the aggregate x8 bandwidth.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in PCIe Expansion Cards, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $109.99
Pricier than about 85% of the 891 comparable items (median $30.99).

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Specifications

Product
Product typeController Card

Questions about this item

What host connector does the PLX8724 use to link four U.2 drives to a PCIe x8 slot?

The adapter uses a single SFF-8643 Mini-SAS HD connector to carry the x8 host link, which the onboard switch then distributes across the four U.2 ports.

Which BIOS setting must be enabled before the card will expose all four NVMe drives to the OS?

The motherboard must support and have PCIe bifurcation set to x4x4x4x4 mode; without it the switch cannot present each drive on its own x4 link.

How do I know when a U.2 drive behind the switch has failed or needs replacement?

Each of the four ports has a dedicated status LED on the bracket that shows link, activity and fault conditions for that specific drive.

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