07-08-2025, 03:24 PM
In my experience anything over 1TB will generate heat .
In my experience, 1TB generates heat, even idling.
I have a couple of 1M2 OWC boxes, which are heat sinks that hold an m.2 stick.
They get very, very warm.
A box with a fan could be a big help, but what happens if the fan dies?
Maybe it'll just run warmer.
And no, no support for 20Gbps.
The physical bit of rolling your own is pretty easy.
A box and stick with the m.2 protocol is the start.
I like boxes that have lids, not sleeves.
Just push the stick into the m.2 connector and use an included screw to secure the other end of the stick to the circuit board.
Most boxes have some room for a silicone heat sink strip, which may be included with the stick.
Some include a metal heat sink.
There may not be room for both and allow the lid to fit without undo pressure on the stick and board.
Basically, that's it.
Most boxes include a cable that won't impede the boxes maximum throughput, but I don't know that's a given.
And the boxes rated throughput often applies to PCs, and not Macs, so you may see numbers that Macs won't achieve.
In my experience, 1TB generates heat, even idling.
I have a couple of 1M2 OWC boxes, which are heat sinks that hold an m.2 stick.
They get very, very warm.
A box with a fan could be a big help, but what happens if the fan dies?
Maybe it'll just run warmer.
And no, no support for 20Gbps.
The physical bit of rolling your own is pretty easy.
A box and stick with the m.2 protocol is the start.
I like boxes that have lids, not sleeves.
Just push the stick into the m.2 connector and use an included screw to secure the other end of the stick to the circuit board.
Most boxes have some room for a silicone heat sink strip, which may be included with the stick.
Some include a metal heat sink.
There may not be room for both and allow the lid to fit without undo pressure on the stick and board.
Basically, that's it.
Most boxes include a cable that won't impede the boxes maximum throughput, but I don't know that's a given.
And the boxes rated throughput often applies to PCs, and not Macs, so you may see numbers that Macs won't achieve.