Storage Solutions

Expert Analysis of SSDs/Internal NVMe SSDs, Hard Drives, NAS Devices, and Backup Systems

Harddrives

SSDs

NAS Storage

Internal NVMe SSDs

Backup Solutions

external storage devices

The SSD recommendations in this guide are based on published benchmark results, manufacturer specifications, professional storage reviews, and real-world feedback from the Mini PC and homelab communities. Factors such as performance, thermal efficiency, endurance ratings (TBW), reliability, and overall value were considered when selecting suitable SSDs for compact systems.

Storage Expansion on the Beelink EQ14

Storage Expansion & Upgrade Options

The Beelink EQ14 comes pre-installed with an M.2 SATA III SSD, which provides reliable storage performance for everyday tasks. However, one of the lesser-known advantages of this mini PC is that its motherboard also supports faster NVMe storage upgrades.

The system includes two M.2 2280 storage slots, each with different capabilities:

Primary M.2 Slot (PCIe 3.0 x4)(4 Lanes)

The factory-installed SATA SSD occupies this slot.

While it ships with a SATA drive, the slot itself supports both SATA and NVMe SSDs. If you replace the included SATA SSD with an NVMe drive, the slot can deliver PCIe 3.0 x4 performance, allowing read speeds of up to approximately 3,400 MB/s.

Secondary M.2 Slot (PCIe 3.0 x1) ( 1 Lane)

The second slot is designed exclusively for NVMe SSDs and does not support SATA drives. Because it is limited to a single PCIe lane (x1), maximum transfer speeds are significantly lower, typically reaching around 800–1,000 MB/s depending on the SSD used.

In practical terms, this means the EQ14 can be upgraded with a high-speed NVMe boot drive while still providing a second storage slot for additional capacity, making it a flexible option for home servers, Proxmox deployments, media libraries, and other homelab applications.

Protocol Warning: This slot is incompatible with SATA III M.2 SSDs. If you try to take the factory drive out of Slot 1 and move it to Slot 2, it will not be detected.

Tip: Choosing the Right NVMe SSD

Do not buy an “M.2 SATA” drive for the upgrade. You want “NVMe” or “PCIe”. Also, make sure the size is 2280 (which is the standard physical length of the stick).

Selecting the proper NVMe SSD for your Beelink EQ14 is crucial for ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and lasting stability.

Below, you’ll find a comparison of the most popular SSDs for mini PCs and homelab setups, highlighting key differences in speed, endurance, and how well they perform for virtual machines, Docker containers, and daily tasks.

Beelink EQ14 Storage Upgrade Recommendations

Slot Assignment	Recommended SSD Models (Requested)	Best Use Case & Speed Expectation	Max Capacity Supported
Primary Slot (OS & Main Apps)	Crucial P3, Teamgroup MP44L, Lexar NM790	High-performance system drive utilizing full slot speeds (~2,100 to 3,500 MB/s).	Up to 4TB
Secondary Slot (Secondary Storage)	Kingston NV3, Silicon Power A60, Teamgroup MP33	Secondary bulk data storage bottlenecked by the slot lane restriction (~850 to 900 MB/s max).	Up to 4TB

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👉 Compatibility Tip: Can't Find a PCIe 3.0 SSD for Your Beelink EQ14?

Don’t worry if you can only find PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs in stores — you can still use them without any issues.

The Beelink EQ14 supports PCIe 3.0 speeds, but it is fully compatible with modern PCIe 4.0 SSDs. These drives will work perfectly in the primary M.2 slot and automatically adjust to the system’s maximum supported speed of around 3,000–3,500 MB/s.

This means you can safely install newer SSDs such as the Crucial P310 or Samsung 990 EVO, even though the mini PC cannot fully utilize their top-end speeds.

Bonus: Future-Proofing Your Upgrade

Choosing a PCIe 4.0 SSD can still be a smart investment. If you later upgrade to a more powerful mini PC or desktop system, you can reuse the same SSD and benefit from its full performance potential.

Which Drive Capacity Should You Choose for the Beelink EQ14?

Primary Slot (Boot Drive) — 500GB to 1TB Recommended

This slot is used for the operating system, apps, and daily software. For the Beelink EQ14, a 500GB or 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD offers the best balance of speed, smooth performance, and value for everyday tasks like browsing, office work, and media streaming.

Secondary Slot (Storage Expansion) — 1TB to 2TB Recommended

This slot is ideal for extra storage such as files, backups, media libraries, and local servers. A 1TB or 2TB NVMe SSD provides plenty of capacity while staying fully compatible with the EQ14’s compact design.

Drives above 2TB are often physically thicker (double-sided), which may not fit reliably in the limited internal space, making 2TB the practical upper limit for most users.

Recommended NVMe SSDs for the Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro

Storage & SSD Upgrade Options

The Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro are high-performance mini PCs designed for demanding users such as gamers, developers, and homelab enthusiasts. One of its biggest strengths is its dual M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slots, which allow fast and flexible storage upgrades.

This makes it possible to separate your system drive from your data, improving both performance and organization.

The UM790 Pro and Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum includes two identical M.2 NVMe slots, both supporting PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds.

The Specs: Understanding the Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro Storage Slots

Form Factor Type: Standard M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs – When buying, always make sure the SSD form factor is exactly “M.2 2280”.
Interface Protocol: 2 × Native PCIe 4.0 x4 Slots
Maximum Theoretical Speed: Up to 7,500 MB/s per slot.
- - What does it mean?
    - - you can copy the entire high-quality 4K movie file (around 15 GB) from one folder to another in just 2 seconds.
      - Windows will load all its files and be completely ready to use in about 4 to 6 seconds from the moment you press the power button.
Maximum Supported Capacity: Officially up to 4 TB per slot

Two Essential Installation Rules for Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro

Before purchasing any NVMe SSD for your upgrade, make sure you follow these two important physical compatibility rules to avoid installation issues or hardware damage.

Rule 1: Avoid SSDs with Built-In Heatsinks
- Do not choose NVMe SSDs that come with pre-installed, oversized metal heatsinks (often labeled “PS5 compatible”).
  The UM790 Pro already uses its own integrated Cold Wave 2.0 cooling system, which includes a spring-loaded contact bracket and thermal pads built into the chassis.
  Adding a drive with a factory-mounted heatsink will prevent proper installation due to lack of clearance and may risk damaging internal components if forced.
Rule 2: Use Slot 2 for Thicker Double-Sided 4TB Drives
- High-capacity SSDs (typically 4TB and above) often use double-sided NAND layouts, meaning memory chips are installed on both sides of the PCB (Printed Circuit Board).
- For these drives:
  - - Always install them in Slot 2
    - Slot 2 provides additional clearance for thicker SSD designs
    - This prevents pressure against nearby components, especially the Wi-Fi module located under the primary slot area

Single-sided SSDs (usually 1TB and 2TB models) can safely be used in either slot without restrictions.

Recommendation: It is highly recommemed to use a single-sided SSD for both the primary and secondary slots in these devices.

NVMe Upgrade Strategy for Beelink SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro

The Beelink SER8 features two PCIe 4.0 ×4 M.2 2280 slots, meaning both drives can deliver high-end NVMe performance. The key decision is not speed, but workload placement—matching the right SSD to the right task.

Recommended SSDs:

SK hynix Platinum P41 → best efficiency, thermals, homelab/VMs
Samsung 990 Pro → highest peak performance, workstation OS
Samsung 990 EVO Plus→ high-speed daily gaming, cool-running secondary storage
WD Black SN850X → gaming-focused, higher power draw
Crucial T500 4TB → Large-capacity high-performance SSD (creator + VM storage)
Crucial P310 4TB → Budget mass storage (slower QLC, archival use)

Case 1: Slot 1 for Windows (OS) + Slot 2 for Light/Passive Storage

In this setup, Slot 1 absorbs all background system wear, cache files, and OS indexing.
Slot 2 is simply a static storage library (e.g., storing single-player games, movies, or archive files).
- Slot 1 (The OS Drive): WD Black SN850X, Samsung 990 Pro or Crucial T500 4TB.
- Why: These flagships feature dedicated DRAM caches and TLC NAND, which handle chaotic daily Windows background tasks effortlessly without micro-stutters.
Slot 2 (The Passive Storage): Crucial P310 4TB or Samsung 990 EVO Plus.
- Why: Since this drive only reads data when launching games or opening archives, a DRAM-less QLC drive like the P3 Plus is perfect. It gives you a massive 4TB space footprint cheaply, and its performance won’t drop because it isn’t fighting an OS load.

Case 2: Slot 2 Used as the Primary Boot Drive

If you decide to leave the factory-installed drive untouched in Slot 1 and install a brand-new primary OS onto a drive in Slot 2, the workloads flip completely.

Slot 1 (Now the Passive Storage): Keep the factory-installed drive here (which is often a Crucial P3 Plus or similar mid-tier drive). It will act as your secondary storage bank.
Slot 2 (Now the OS Drive): Upgrade this slot with the WD Black SN850X or Samsung 990 Pro.

Case 3: Ultimate Powerhouse (Dual-Boot or Multi-VM Proxmox Environment)

his is the most grueling workload you can put a mini PC through. You have a standard bare-metal OS running on Slot 1, while Slot 2 runs a Proxmox VE hypervisor handling multiple virtualized Windows/Linux environments simultaneously. Both slots are high-stress zones.

Slot 1 (Bare-Metal Desktop / Gaming): Samsung 990 Pro or Crucial T500. Top-tier sustained performance for your daily desktop environment.
Slot 2 (Proxmox + Virtual Machine Array): WD Black SN850X (4TB or higher) (Up to 8 TB)
- The Multi-VM Traffic Trap: Virtual machines continuously bombard an SSD with conflicting, simultaneous random 4K read/write cycles. DRAM-less drives like the Crucial P310 or Samsung 990 EVO Plus will completely choke and freeze up your virtual machines.
- The Endurance Factor: Proxmox aggressively eats an SSD’s lifeforce through continuous background logging. The Crucial P310 4TB only gives you 800 TBW (Total Bytes Written) of endurance and will wear out quickly. The WD Black SN850X 4TB boasts a massive 2,400 TBW rating and TLC flash, giving it the rugged durability required to survive multiple VMs running all at once.

Why The WD Black SN850X and not Samsung 990 Pro:

1. 1. 1. The Maximum Capacity Advantage (The Ultimate Multi-VM Factor)
      - The WD Black SN850X Advantage: The SN850X is available in massive 4TB and 8TB capacities. This gives you the enormous storage headroom necessary to host a large cluster of virtual machines comfortably without worrying about running out of disk space.
    2. Sustained Direct-to-TLC Write Speeds (Samsung 990 Pro also shares this advantage)
      - The T500 Bottleneck: While the Crucial T500 is an incredibly fast burst drive, it is a 4-channel controller drive that uses an ultra-aggressive, massive pseudo-SLC cache strategy to hit its high speeds. When writing giant files continuously (like virtual disk allocations), once that cache fills up, its processing behavior drops down heavily as it scrambles to clear the cache
      - The SN850X Win: The SN850X features a powerful 8-channel controller and heavy raw sustained TLC speed. It handles continuous, relentless massive data streams better than the T500 under brute-force datacenter-style conditions.
    3. Firmware Stability & System Virtualization Profiles
      - The Samsung 990 Pro Drawback: Samsung flagships rely heavily on their proprietary Windows software (Samsung Magician) and custom Windows drivers to handle background cache cleanup and maintain peak algorithmic efficiency over time. Because Proxmox is a bare-metal Linux environment, you cannot install this software.
      - The WD Black SN850X Win: Proxmox is a Linux-based bare-metal environment that cannot run Windows software. The WD Black SN850X features incredibly stable, predictable hardware-level garbage collection and controller execution natively out of the box, requiring zero OS-level software optimization to perform flawlessly in a continuous Linux virtualization machine environment.

Compare prices and availability across trusted retailers:

Disclaimer: This site is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my page, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

Click below to check current pricing, specs, and availability for this NVMe SSD expansion option for SER8 (8745HS / 8845HS) and Minisforum UM790 Pro on Amazon.

Detailed SSD Blueprint Matrix (Beelink SER8 and Minisforum UM790 Pro)

Drive Model	Target Slot Assignment	Max Capacity	Cache & Flash Architecture	Endurance (TBW)	Peak Read / Write Speed	Optimal Role & Workload Recommendation
WD_BLACK SN850X Elite Pick	Slot 1 (Primary) Beelink SER8 UM790 Pro	8TB	Physical DRAM Cache 3D TLC Flash	2,400 TBW (At 4TB / 8TB)	7,300 MB/s Read 6,600 MB/s Write	The Ultimate Heavy Lifter: Best choice to occupy your main boot slot as the primary operating system drive. Handles 24/7 unmanaged virtualization environments or intensive, continuous file transfers without breaking a sweat.
Samsung 990 Pro Elite Pick	Slot 1 (Primary) Beelink SER8 UM790 Pro	4TB	Physical DRAM Cache 3D TLC Flash	2,400 TBW (At 4TB version)	7,450 MB/s Read 6,900 MB/s Write	The Workstation King: Tailor-made for Slot 1 configurations running intensive multitasking pipelines. Provides top-tier random read execution performance, ideal for video rendering timelines and primary OS apps.
Crucial T500 Great Fit	Slot 1 or Slot 2 Beelink SER8 UM790 Pro	4TB	Physical DRAM Cache 3D TLC Flash	2,400 TBW (At 4TB version)	7,400 MB/s Read 7,000 MB/s Write	The Flexible Performer: A premium, highly efficient drive that runs beautifully as a primary boot drive or as a premium fast-access scratch disk in Slot 2. May slightly throttle write speeds during massive, multi-terabyte data dumps.
Samsung 990 EVO Plus Storage	Slot 2 (Storage) Beelink SER8 UM790 Pro	4TB	DRAM-less Structure HMB • 3D TLC Flash	2,400 TBW (At 4TB version)	7,250 MB/s Read 6,300 MB/s Write	High-Speed Secondary Storage: Direct replacement for the standard 990 EVO. Excellent price-to-performance ratio for secondary game libraries, media storage, and daily apps with cool-running 5nm architecture.
Crucial P310 Storage	Slot 2 (Storage) Beelink SER8 UM790 Pro	2TB / 4TB	DRAM-less Structure HMB • 3D QLC Flash	800 TBW (At 4TB version)	7,100 MB/s Read 6,000 MB/s Write	Budget Warehouse Dump: Replaces the discontinued P3 Plus. Ideal secondary option for massive static collections (games, media, ISOs). Avoid using as a Proxmox boot drive due to low QLC endurance.

The Ultimate Minisforum MS-01 Storage Upgrade Guide: Homelab Reality vs. Consumer Expectations

The Minisforum MS-01 is frequently marketed as a “Mini Workstation,” but the global homelab and sysadmin community know its true identity: it is a pocket-sized enterprise blade server.

Don’t treat the MS-01 like a standard desktop mini PC. If you blindly buy the fastest consumer SSDs for it, you will run into three major problems:

They won’t fit: The slots are too tight for thick or double-sided drives.
They will overheat: Without the right setup, the drives will instantly thermal throttle and slow down.
They will drop in speed: The motherboard will automatically choke the speed of your second and third drives anyway.

This guide breaks down the complex physical and architectural constraints under the hood of the MS-01, detailing how to engineer your storage array correctly.

The Onboard “Speed Hierarchy”: Lane Routing Demystified
- Standard mini PCs like the Beelink SER8 or Minisforum UM790 Pro are built for pure storage speed—every M.2 slot connects directly to the CPU at full throttle. The MS-01 handles things differently. Because it packs huge enterprise features like dual 10Gb network ports and a physical expansion card slot, it has to share its data tracks, which slows down its secondary storage slots.
- The three internal M.2 slots sit side-by-side on the motherboard(from left to right), but they are not created equal. From left to right, each slot runs at a completely different speed level.

- - - Slot 1 (Left / CPU-Bound): PCIe 4.0 x4
      - Throughput: $\approx 7,500 \text{ MB/s}$ maximum.
        If using an M.2 SSD: Natively supports up to 4TB. (2280 only)
        If using a U.2/U.3 Enterprise SSD (via the included adapter): Natively supports up to 15.36TB (and theoretically higher, like 30.72TB) as long as you use a slim 7mm-thick drive. (Slot 1 is the only slot that can natively support the U.2/U.3 upgrade. )
        Architecture: Wired directly to the processor. It suffers zero performance penalties from other hardware. (That slot does not share its data tracks with anything else. It has its own private, dedicated lane straight to the CPU.)
    - Slot 2 (Middle / Chipset-Bound): PCIe 3.0 x4
      - Throughput: $\approx 3,500 \text{ MB/s}$ mximum
        This slot can accept either standard consumer 2280 sizes or the longer 22110 enterprise M.2 sticks.
        Maximum Capacity: 4TB (or up to 8TB if you can find a rare single-sided 8TB M.2 drive).
        Architecture: Routes data through the Intel PCH Chipset hub, down-throttling any premium Gen 4 drive to Gen 3 speeds.
    - Slot 3 (Right / Chipset-Bound): PCIe 3.0 x2
      - Throughput: $\approx 1,750 \text{ MB/s}$ maximum
        Maximum Capacity: 4TB (or up to 8TB single-sided).
        Also this slot can accept either standard consumer 2280 sizes or the longer 22110 enterprise M.2 sticks.

🚫 The Heatsink Ban:

Never purchase an SSD labeled “With Heatsink.” The MS-01 relies on custom-molded, factory-installed structural thermal pads attached to its main internal blower shroud. Third-party structural metal heatsinks or copper plates will block the main fan assembly from seating properly, rendering the chassis unclosable.

THE ENTERPRISE Secret: U.2/U.3 Interoperability

The defining “Enterprise-Grade” characteristic of the MS-01’s storage setup is its multi-protocol pinout architecture. Included in the box is a specialized M.2-to-U.2 conversion adapter board.

Plugging this adapter board into Slot 1 alters the physical hardware communication layers. It transitions from a standard M.2 terminal to a server-ready interface, linking via a SlimSAS cable to 2.5-inch U.2 or U.3 data-center enterprise SSDs (such as the Solidigm D5 series or Samsung PM9A3).

Installation Rules:

The Space Rule: You can mix M.2 SSDs and U.2/U.3 on a motherboard, but you lose one slot
- You cannot run three M.2 drives and a U.2 drive at the same time. The physical U.2 drive is too wide and blocks part of the board. Instead, the maximum simultaneous configuration allows:
  - - 2× M.2 SSDs (installed inside Slots 2 and 3)
    - 1× U.2/U.3 Enterprise SSD (installed via the adapter cabled into Slot 1)
The Strict Drive Height Limit (The 7mm Rule):
- This is the most important issue for your content: Standard 2.5-inch enterprise U.2/U.3 drives come in two different physical thicknesses: 7mm and 15mm.
- 7mm Thick Drives: These fit perfectly inside the MS-01 case alongside your other M.2 drives. You can close the metal lid without any issues.
- 15mm Thick Drives: These are too fat. If you try to put a 15mm enterprise drive inside the MS-01, the computer case will not close

The primary advantages of choosing a U.2 or U.3 drive over a traditional M.2 stick:

Astronomical Endurance (Lifespan and Reliability)
- Consumer M.2 drives are designed for standard daily workloads like loading apps, gaming, or booting up an OS. Enterprise U.2/U.3 drives, however, are built to handle non-stop, intensive write operations 24/7/365 without breaking a sweat.
  - - Consumer M.2 Drives: These typically have a low rating of about 0.3 DWPD (meaning you can safely write to only 30% of the drive’s total capacity per day). If subjected to heavy, continuous enterprise server workloads, a consumer M.2 drive will rapidly degrade and can burn through its entire operational lifespan in just 1 to 2 years.
    - Enterprise U.2/U.3 Drives: These carry massive ratings of 1.0 to 3.0 DWPD. This means you can completely overwrite the entire capacity of the drive up to three times a day, every single day. Even under this relentless abuse, these enterprise drives are fully guaranteed to last at least 5 years, and frequently run reliably for 7 to 10 years in production environments.
Massive Capacities per Slot
- - - M.2 drives typically max out around 4TB or 8TB
    - U.2/U.3 drives in massive 7.68TB, 15.36TB, or even 30.72TB configurations.
Professional Power Loss Protection (PLP):
- - If power suddenly cuts out:
    - M.2 drives run a high risk of data corruption or bricking entirely.
    - U.2 and U.3 enterprise drives feature physical tantalum capacitors that act like an immediate mini-battery pack, supplying just enough residual electricity for a fraction of a second so the drive can safely commit any flying data directly into the permanent flash storage.

Minisforum MS-01: The U.2 vs. M.2 Storage Trade-Off

If you are planning to use a U.2 or U.3 enterprise SSD in your Minisforum MS-01, it is important to understand the physical installation rules:

The “Either/Or” Rule: You must choose between one internal U.2/U.3 drive OR up to three M.2 NVMe drives. You cannot run both configurations simultaneously.
Why? The U.2 conversion tray (included in the box) plugs into Slot 1 and physically hovers over Slots 2 and 3. Once installed, it completely blocks access to the other two internal slots.
Setup Requirements: To run a U.2 drive, you must use the provided adapter tray and manually toggle the small physical switch on the motherboard from M.2 to U.2.
Expansion Strategy: If you need more storage capacity, your best route is to utilize the rear PCIe expansion slot or the high-speed USB4 ports for external NVMe arrays.

Feature	Slot 1 (Far Left)	Slot 2 (Middle)	Slot 3 (Far Right)
Interface Speed	PCIe 4.0 x4 (Full Speed)	PCIe 3.0 x4 (Half Speed)	PCIe 3.0 x2 (Quarter Speed)
Max Real-World Speed	~7,500 MB/s	~3,500 MB/s	~1,750 MB/s
Supported M.2 Lengths	2280 only	2280 and 22110	2280 and 22110
M.2 Upgrade Option	Up to 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD. Must be single-sided	Up to 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD. Must be single-sided	Up to 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD. Must be single-sided
U.2 / U.3 Upgrade Option	YES Supports up to 15.36TB+ via included adapter. Must be slim (7mm) thick.	NO Adapter will not fit or power up.	NO Adapter will not fit or power up.
Best Upgrade Strategy	Install your high-performance OS drive, heavy Virtual Machines, or a massive 7mm Enterprise U.2 server SSD here.	Install a budget-friendly Gen 4 or Gen 3 SSD. Do not buy a premium 7,500 MB/s drive; it will be cut down to ~3,500 MB/s.	Install a cheap, high-capacity QLC drive. Perfect for secondary bulk storage, ISO image files, music, movies, or backups.

Maxing Out MS-01 Storage: Exactly Which M.2 or U.2 Drives You Should Buy

Path 1: The Triple M.2 Strategy (Recommended Picks per Slot)

Because the MS-01 motherboard has components underneath the SSD area and tight vertical clearance, you must use single-sided M.2 drives (drives with memory chips soldered only on the top side).

Slot 1: The Performance Champion (PCIe 4.0 x4)

This slot runs at full speed and handles your Operating System (Proxmox, TrueNAS, Windows Server) or heavy virtualization databases.

Top Pick: Samsung 990 Pro (2TB or 4TB)
- Why: It is strictly single-sided (even the massive 4TB model is entirely flat on the bottom). It delivers the fastest real-world $7,500\text{ MB/s}$ read speeds and runs incredibly cool.
Alternative: WD Black SN850X (2TB or 4TB)
- Why: Another top-tier, single-sided drive that maxes out the Gen 4 bus with exceptional reliability.

Slot 2: The Value Workhorse (PCIe 3.0 x4)

This slot handles half-speed bandwidth ( $\approx 3,500\text{ MB/s}$ ). Installing an expensive $7,500\text{ MB/s}$ drive here is a waste of money because the slot will bottleneck it.

Top Pick: Crucial P310 or Kingston NV3 (2TB or 4TB)
- Why: These are highly affordable, single-sided Gen 4 drives. While they are built for entry-level speeds, they perfectly saturate the maximum limit of this PCIe 3.0 slot without overspending.

Slot 3: The Bulk Storage Vault (PCIe 3.0 x2)

This slot runs at quarter-speed ( $\approx 1,750\text{ MB/s}$ ). It is best reserved for bulk storage, media libraries, ISO files, or secondary backups.

Top Pick: Crucial P3 (2TB or 4TB)
- Why: A strictly single-sided PCIe 3.0 drive that offers high capacity for a rock-bottom price, aligning perfectly with the slot’s restricted speeds.

Path 2: The U.2 / U.3 Strategy (Enterprise Mode)

If you drop down the included conversion tray into Slot 1, you can only install one enterprise drive.

⚠️ Critical Buyer Warning: 90% of enterprise server U.2 drives on the market are 15mm thick (designed for massive server racks). These will not fit inside the MS-01. You must strictly buy 7mm thick (slim) U.2/U.3 form factors.

The Best 7mm Enterprise Picks:

Samsung PM9A3 (7mm Variant)
- Why: This is the gold standard for the MS-01 homelab community. Samsung manufactures the PM9A3 in a slim 7mm casing for capacities ranging from 960GB up to 7.68TB. It features full hardware Power Loss Protection (PLP) and incredible endurance.
Micron 7450 PRO (7mm Variant)
- Why: Micron explicitly manufactures specific models of the 7450 Pro series in the 7mm form factor. It offers enterprise-grade read-intensive security features and flawless compatibility with the MS-01’s internal U.2 adapter card.

M.2 vs. U.2: Which Should You Choose?

While the MS-01’s built-in U.2 tray is a standout feature, standard M.2 drives are all 95% of homelabbers need.

Go with M.2 (Recommended): M.2 NVMe SSDs (like the Samsung 990 Pro or WD_BLACK SN850X) are affordable, easy to buy on Amazon, run cooler, and effortlessly handle Proxmox, Docker, Plex, and everyday VM workloads.
Go with U.2 (Enthusiast Only): Choose U.2 only if you specifically require enterprise Power Loss Protection (PLP) to shield ZFS storage pools from sudden power outages, or run 24/7 heavy database writes.

Minisforum MS-01 SSD Deployment Matrix

Setup Path & Slot	Slot Speed	Max Real-World Speed	Critical Physical Requirement	Top Recommended Drive	Why This Specific Drive?
Path 1: M.2 Slot 1 Far Left	PCIe 4.0 x4	~7,500 MB/s	Single-sided only Storage chips on top side only	Samsung 990 Pro or WD_BLACK SN850X (up to 4TB)	Maxes out the full speed of the slot. Ideal for primary OS, heavy databases, or Virtual Machines. Both brands remain strictly single-sided at up to 4TB capacities (Note: 8TB SN850X is double-sided).
Path 1: M.2 Slot 2 Middle	PCIe 3.0 x4	~3,500 MB/s	Single-sided only Storage chips on top side only	Samsung 990 EVO Plus or Kingston NV3	High-speed, cool-running TLC drives that perfectly saturate the half-speed limit of this slot (~3,500 MB/s) without overheating or wasting money on unused speed.
Path 1: M.2 Slot 3 Far Right	PCIe 3.0 x2	~1,750 MB/s	Single-sided only Storage chips on top side only	Crucial P310 Secondary Storage	Replaces the discontinued P3 / P3 Plus. Best for high-capacity, low-cost bulk storage (ISOs, media, game libraries). Perfectly matches the quarter-speed limit of this slot (~1,750 MB/s).
Path 2: U.2 / U.3 Using included tray	PCIe 4.0 x4	~7,500 MB/s	Must be 7mm thin Standard 15mm enterprise server drives will NOT fit.	Samsung PM9A3 (7mm) or Micron 7450 PRO (7mm)	Unbeatable enterprise endurance and Power Loss Protection (PLP). Important: Installing a U.2 drive physically blocks M.2 Slots 2 and 3 completely.

Compare prices and availability across trusted retailers:

Disclaimer: This site is reader-supported. When you buy through links on my page, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

Click below to check current pricing, specs, and availability for this NVMe SSD expansion option for Minisforum MS-01 on Amazon.