Product overview
The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ Compact connects M.2 peripherals such as NVMe drives and PCIe accelerators to the Raspberry Pi 5. The single-lane PCI Express 2.0 interface of the Raspberry Pi 5 is exposed on a 16-pin FPC connector with 0.5 mm pitch; the adapter board converts this connector to an M.2 M key edge connector.
The compact variant differs from the standard model in its layout: it is shaped to fit around the fan built into the official Raspberry Pi 5 case, so the enclosure can be run fully closed. It accepts M.2 devices in the 2230 form factor only; the standard M.2 HAT+ also supports 2242.
The board conforms to the Raspberry Pi HAT+ specification. Current versions of Raspberry Pi OS and the Raspberry Pi firmware detect the board and the attached drive automatically, so manual configuration is normally not required. An attached NVMe drive appears under Raspberry Pi OS as /dev/nvme0n1 and can also be used as a boot device.
Technical specifications
- Interface: single-lane PCI Express 2.0, peak transfer rate up to 500 MB/s
- Connection to the Raspberry Pi 5: 16-pin FPC connector, 0.5 mm pitch
- Device connector: M.2 M key edge connector
- Supported form factor: 2230 only
- Supply to the attached M.2 device: up to 3 A
- Indicators: power and activity LEDs
- Specification: conforms to the Raspberry Pi HAT+ specification, automatically detected by current Raspberry Pi software and firmware
- Ambient operating temperature: 0 to 50 degrees Celsius
- Supplied with: ribbon cable, threaded spacers, screws and one knurled double-flanged screw to secure the M.2 device
- Manufacturer availability commitment: in production until at least January 2032
Notes
The board is intended for the Raspberry Pi 5 only and must be connected via its PCIe interface. The Raspberry Pi Active Cooler cannot be fitted underneath, because the supplied spacers are not tall enough. If you want to use the Active Cooler, choose the standard M.2 HAT+ instead.
The 16 mm stacking header supplied with the standard version is not included with the compact variant.
Before use, make sure the operating system and firmware of the Raspberry Pi 5 are up to date. The bootloader must be dated 6 December 2023 or later. For a stable supply to the M.2 device, the manufacturer recommends the official power supply. Always disconnect the Raspberry Pi from power before connecting or removing an M.2 device.
PCIe Gen 3 operation can be enabled in the configuration. The Raspberry Pi 5 is not certified for this speed, however, and the connection may become unstable in this mode.
Operate the board in a well-ventilated environment. If it is used inside a case, the case must not be covered. Raspberry Pi, M.2 device and case are not included.
Applications
The M.2 HAT+ Compact suits any build in which a Raspberry Pi 5 in the official case needs fast, continuously usable storage: NVMe boot instead of a microSD card, data logging and measurement, kiosk and digital signage systems, small server and edge applications, and development or test setups. Besides NVMe drives, the M key connector also accepts other PCIe devices in the 2230 form factor, such as AI accelerators.