Note: Starting January 1st, 2024, all capacities (512GB, 256GB, and 128GB) of the MakerDisk NVMe 2242 M-Key SSDs are shipped pre-loaded with the latest Raspberry Pi OS (64-bit) - Bookworm. We've successfully tested compatibility for all capacities with the official Raspberry Pi 5 and M.2 HAT+.

Note: The bootloader of Raspberry Pi 5 might need to be updated to enable the NVMe driver and boot sequence.  Please refer to this tutorial to update the bootloader of Raspberry Pi 5. Of course, you will need a microSD card to do that.

Note: To get the best performance from the NVMe SSD booting, a Power Delivery with a 5A@5V capable PSU is needed (else there will be a warning message). Please get the Cytron 27W PD PSU or Raspberry Pi 27W PD PSU, both are capable of 5A@5V.

Note: This page contains the Official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ and MakerDisk SSD bundle variants. Please select the preferred variant.

M.2 HAT+ with 512GB NVMe SSD	M.2 HAT+ with 256GB NVMe SSD	M.2 HAT+ with 128GB NVMe SSD	M.2 HAT+ Only

Unleash the Power of Your Raspberry Pi 5: The Official M.2 HAT+

The official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ unlocks the true potential of the Raspberry Pi 5 by leveraging its new PCIe interface. This innovative add-on board transforms your Raspberry Pi into a high-performance computing powerhouse, thanks to its compatibility with M.2 NVMe SSDs. The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ enables you to connect M.2 peripherals such as NVMe SSD and AI accelerators (if it is compatible) to Raspberry Pi 5's PCIe 2.0 interface, supporting fast (up to 500 MB/s) data transfer to and from the NVMe drives and other PCIe accessories.

Check out the reviews by Jeff Geerling about M.2 HAT+ and MakerDisk SSDs:
 

As many of us know, Raspberry Pi 5's single-lane PCIe 2.0 interface is exposed on a 16-pin, 0.5mm-pitch FPC connector: the M.2 HAT+ M-key is a mechanical adapter board that converts between this connector and a subset of the M.2 standard. It supports devices that have the M.2 M-key edge connector, in the 2230 and 2242 form factors. It is capable of supplying up to 3A to connected M.2 devices.

The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ conforms to the Raspberry Pi HAT+ specification and is autodetected by the latest Raspberry Pi software/firmware. It is supplied with a 16mm stacking header and threaded spacers, so it can be fitted to a Raspberry Pi 5 with the Raspberry Pi Active Cooler in place.

Fast booting and improved responsiveness: The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ paired with an NVMe SSD offers faster boot times, allowing your Raspberry Pi 5 to run in a flash. This translates to improved responsiveness across the entire system, whether launching applications, opening files, or multitasking between different tasks. Your Raspberry Pi will feel snappier and more efficient than ever before.

Fast data transfers: Ditch the sluggishness of traditional storage solutions. The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ harnesses the power of PCIe, offering significantly higher bandwidth than the Raspberry Pi's standard USB interface. This translates to dramatically faster data transfer speeds, ideal for large file transfers, and database management applications. NVMe M.2 SSDs, with their lightning-fast read and write speeds, further amplify the performance gains, making the Raspberry Pi a true contender for resource-intensive tasks. Using Raspberry Pi Diagnosis, we managed to get super fast speed on this HAT with 128GB MakerDisk NVMe SSD, across all three speeds: 

• Sequential Write Speed: ~368 MB/s, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 10 MB/s. That is > 36 times faster.
• Random Write Speed: ~88500 IOPS, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 500 IOPS. That is > 177 times faster.
• Random Read Speed: ~44100 IOPS, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 1500 IOPS. That is > 29 times faster.

Flexibility and expandability: The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ isn't just about speed. It also offers a level of flexibility and expandability that opens up a world of possibilities for your Raspberry Pi projects. The shield remains compatible with other HATs, allowing you to stack functionalities like cameras (CSI), sensors, and displays (DSI) on top of the storage boost.

Can you get PCIe Gen 3.0? That is possible! Do some tweaks, and we managed to get super fast speed on this HAT with 128GB MakerDisk NVMe SSD, across all three speeds: 

• Sequential Write Speed: ~728 MB/s, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 10 MB/s. That is > 72 times faster.
• Random Write Speed: ~109000 IOPS, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 500 IOPS. That is > 210 times faster.
• Random Read Speed: ~51800 IOPS, Raspberry Pi's requirement for the microSD card is only > 1500 IOPS. That is > 34 times faster.

Note: Raspberry Pi PCIe is Gen 2.0 certified. However, the Gen 3.0 is NOT certified.

Check out this video from leepspvideo on how to tweak the config.txt under the boot/firmware to enable the PCIe Gen 3.0:

Installation of the NVMe SSD and the M.2 HAT+ are quite straightforward. However, we strongly recommend getting the active cooler to cool the CPU properly. You can either get:

• Raspberry Pi 5 Heatsink and Active Cooler (official Raspberry Pi)
• Copper Active Cooler for Raspberry Pi 5
• Active Cooler for Raspberry Pi 5 - Black

Please install the active cooler first before proceeding with M.2 HAT+ Installation.

Note: Again, you should install the M.2 HAT+ with an active cooler and case. Here is the photo of M.2 HAT+ with MakerDisk 2242 NVMe SSD with the Raspberry Pi Active Cooler on Raspberry Pi 5. Another photo is with the Red and White case.

Compatibility:

So far we have tested the following MakerDisk NVMe SSD and they all boot up with this HAT on Raspberry Pi 5 (updated bootloader):

• MakerDisk NVMe M.2 2242 SSD - 512GB
• MakerDisk NVMe M.2 2242 SSD - 256GB
• MakerDisk NVMe M.2 2242 SSD - 128GB

• Official M.2 HAT+ from Raspberry Pi team
• Compliance with HAT+ specification
• Supports single-lane PCIe 2.0 interface (500MB/s peak transfer rate)
• Support devices that use the M.2 M-key edge connector
• Supports devices with the 2230 and 2242 form factor
• Capable of supplying up to 3A to connected M.2 devices
• Conforms to the Raspberry Pi HAT+ Specification
• FPC/FFC length is only 30mm.
• Supports installation of the official active cooler.
• Minimalist design, easy to install
• With LED indicator for:
  • Power
  • Activity
• No limit on NVME SSD capacity, which is dependent on the Raspberry Pi OS. We have tested up to 2TB of NVMe SSD and it works fine.
• Operating Temperature: 0ºC to 50ºC (ambient)
• Dimension: 65.1mm x 56.7mm x 5.6mm (max)

• M.2 HAT+ with 512GB NVMe 2242 MakerDisk SSD:
  • 1 x Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x PCIe FPC Cable (30mm), pre-assembled to the M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x 2x20 16mm stacking header
    • 4 x M2.5 Spacer and screw(short) set
    • 4 x M2.5 long screw
    • 1 x M.2 mount/locking screw
  • 1 x MakerDisk NVMe 2242 M-Key SSD- 512GB (Preloaded with Raspberry Pi OS)

• M.2 HAT+ with 256GB NVMe 2242 MakerDisk SSD:
  • 1 x Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x PCIe FPC Cable (30mm), pre-assembled to the M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x 2x20 16mm stacking header
    • 4 x M2.5 Spacer and screw(short) set
    • 4 x M2.5 long screw
    • 1 x M.2 mount/locking screw
  • 1 x MakerDisk NVMe 2242 M-Key SSD- 256GB (Preloaded with Raspberry Pi OS)

• M.2 HAT+ with 128GB NVMe 2242 MakerDisk SSD:
  • 1 x Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x PCIe FPC Cable (30mm), pre-assembled to the M.2 HAT+
    • 1 x 2x20 16mm stacking header
    • 4 x M2.5 Spacer and screw(short) set
    • 4 x M2.5 long screw
    • 1 x M.2 mount/locking screw
  • 1 x MakerDisk NVMe 2242 M-Key SSD- 128GB (Preloaded with Raspberry Pi OS)

• Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ Only
  • 1 x M.2 HAT+
  • 1 x PCIe FPC Cable (30mm), pre-assembled to the M.2 HAT+
  • 1 x 2x20 16mm stacking header
  • 4 x M2.5 Spacer and screw(short) set
  • 4 x M2.5 long screw
  • 1 x M.2 mount/locking screw

• M.2 HAT+ Product Brochure
• M.2 HAT+ Announcement by Raspberry Pi
• M.2 HAT+ Installation by Raspberry Pi
• Raspberry Pi 5 - Updating Bootloader and Boot from NVMe SSD, tutorial by Cytron
• Raspberry Pi 5 PCIe, datasheet by Raspberry Pi
• HAT + (Plus) Specification, by Raspberry Pi