Which Storage Options Does the M.2 NVME Support Offer?
Helorpc’s M.2 2280 slot supports PCIe Gen3 x4 NVME SSDs up to 2TB, delivering 3,500MB/s read speeds. Users can install high-performance drives like Samsung 970 EVO or budget-friendly Kingston NV2. The absence of SATA slots prioritizes speed over expandability, making it optimal for OS boot drives and frequently accessed applications.
Top 5 Mini PCs in 2025
| Rank | Model | Processor | RAM | Storage | Price | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GEEKOM Mini IT12 (Best Performance) | Intel i5-12450H (8C/12T) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD | $379.00 | Check Price |
| 2 | GMKtec N150 (1TB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD | $191.99 | Check Price |
| 3 | KAMRUI GK3Plus (Budget Pick) | Intel N95 (3.4GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB M.2 SSD | $169.99 | Check Price |
| 4 | ACEMAGICIAN N150 (Cheapest 16GB) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 256GB SSD | $139.99 | Check Price |
| 5 | GMKtec N150 (512GB SSD) | Intel N150 (3.6GHz) | 16GB DDR4 | 512GB PCIe SSD | $168.99 | Check Price |
For creative professionals working with large 4K video files, the NVME interface reduces project load times by up to 60% compared to SATA SSDs. The slot’s Gen3 x4 bandwidth (3,940MB/s theoretical maximum) ensures minimal bottlenecking even with premium drives like WD Black SN750. Thermal management is handled through a dedicated aluminum heatsink included in the package, maintaining drive temperatures below 50°C during sustained writes. Users can leverage the storage configuration for RAID 0 setups when connecting multiple Helorpc units via LAN for distributed computing tasks.
| Drive Model | Sequential Read | Sequential Write | Endurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 970 EVO Plus | 3,500MB/s | 3,300MB/s | 600TBW |
| Kingston NV2 | 3,500MB/s | 2,800MB/s | 320TBW |
What Cooling System Prevents Thermal Throttling?
The passive cooling solution uses a copper heat spreader and graphene-coated aluminum chassis to dissipate 6W TDP. Stress tests showed CPU temperatures peaking at 78°C after 1 hour of Prime95, maintaining 2.8GHz all-core speed. Ambient noise remains 0dB, making it suitable for recording studios or quiet offices.
Advanced thermal interface materials play a crucial role in this design. The 1.5mm-thick graphene layer on the chassis provides 5,300W/m·K lateral thermal conductivity, distributing heat evenly across the surface. In vertical orientation tests, natural convection cooling proved 18% more effective than horizontal placement due to optimized airflow channels. For users in tropical climates (35°C ambient), third-party tests show the system maintains stable performance with less than 4% clock speed reduction during extended workloads. The chassis surface temperature never exceeds 43°C in normal operation, adhering to international safety standards for consumer electronics.
FAQs
- Q: Can RAM be upgraded beyond 12GB?
- A: No – LPDDR5 is soldered to the motherboard for space efficiency.
- Q: Does it support Windows 11?
- A: Yes, though official drivers may require manual installation.
- Q: What’s the maximum storage capacity?
- A: 2TB via M.2 NVME; external SSDs can expand further via USB3.