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Green circuit board with two M.2 slots and a PCIe x8 edge connector

STARTECH

STARTECH PEX8M2E2 dual M.2 PCIe 3.0 expansion card

SKU CH-MNMB-QV58W MPN PEX8M2E2

Adds two PCIe M.2 SSDs to a desktop or server through a single x8 slot with a high-speed switch

  • External connectors2 x M.2 (PCIe, M-Key, AHCI/NVMe, NGFF)
  • Internal ports1 x PCI Express x8 Male 2 x IDC (2 pin, Motherboard Header)
  • Transfer speedPCI Express 3.0 (8 Gbit/s)
  • Supported operating systemsOS independent; No software or drivers required
  • Product typePCI Express to M.2 Card
  • Compatible withM.2 (PCIe, AHCI, M-Key, NGFF) M.2 (PCIe, NVMe, M-Key, NGFF)
  • Add two PCIe M.2 SSDs to a single x8 slot
  • High-speed switch enables simultaneous access to both drives
  • Supports NVMe and AHCI M.2 drives in 2242, 2260, 2280 sizes
  • Full-profile and low-profile brackets included for flexible installation
  • OS independent operation requires no drivers or software

Dual M.2 NVMe expansion card

The StarTech PEX8M2E2 adds two M.2 PCIe slots to a desktop or server through a single PCI Express x8 slot. It accepts NVMe or AHCI drives in 2242, 2260 and 2280 lengths. No drivers are required and the card works with any operating system.

Passive cooling and low power draw

The adapter uses an ASMedia ASM2824 switch and has no fan, so it runs silently. Power comes from the PCIe slot and the two 2-pin IDC headers, keeping total draw modest. The MTBF is rated at 3336103 hours.

Full-height and low-profile brackets included

Both brackets ship in the box, letting the card fit standard towers or slim cases. Each M.2 socket uses fixed standoffs and screws supplied in the kit. The card does not support hot-swap and the IDC cables must reach a motherboard header.

How it compares

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

Price $167.99
Pricier than about 90% of the 891 comparable items (median $30.99).

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameStarTech.com
Model namePEX8M2E2
Product typePCI Express to M.2 Card
Performance
Transfer speedPCI Express 3.0 (8 Gbit/s)
Ports & slots
External connectors2 x M.2 (PCIe, M-Key, AHCI/NVMe, NGFF)
Internal ports1 x PCI Express x8 Male
2 x IDC (2 pin, Motherboard Header)
Size & build
Product dimensions0.87 in × 4.8 in × 6.9 in
Product weight0.19 lb (0.09 kg)
Shipping weight0.20 kg
Package size215 × 155 × 45 mm
Compatibility
Supported operating systemsOS independent; No software or drivers required
Compatible withM.2 (PCIe, AHCI, M-Key, NGFF)
M.2 (PCIe, NVMe, M-Key, NGFF)

Questions about this item

How do I install the PEX8M2E2 in a low-profile case, and which bracket step do people miss?

Fit the included low-profile bracket before inserting the card into an x8 or larger PCIe 3.0 slot, then secure each M.2 SSD (2242, 2260 or 2280) with the supplied standoff and screw; the step most often missed is swapping the pre-installed full-height bracket for the low-profile one.

What maintenance or replacement will the PEX8M2E2 need over time?

The card has no moving parts and its M.2 slots are rated for 60 insertion cycles; with an MTBF of 3336103 hours it rarely requires replacement, but if an SSD fails you simply swap that drive — the adapter itself stays in place.

What limit appears first when both SSDs run sustained heavy I/O on the PEX8M2E2?

The PCIe 3.0 x8 host link caps combined throughput at 8 Gbps, so simultaneous heavy loads on both NVMe drives will hit that bus ceiling before the ASM2824 switch or the drives reach their own limits.

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