Adding a 3rd NVME to a Dell Precision 7xxx mobile workstation
Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2023 4:46 pm
Hello,
here is a brief rundown on adding a 3rd NVMe slot to your Dell Precision 7710, or about any 7xxxx series workstaion (if there are other Dell laptops with these pins, please comment below). On these models there is a PCIe x2 slot hidden in the SATA port of the laptop. If you look carefully, you should see the extra pins.
Dell developed a connector part #0WPTND LS-C546P that plugs into the SATA port and connecting these pins to a NVMe connector. Please note this interface WILL NOT work on any SATA based system aside from the Precision 7xxx series. There is also a seprate caddy that needs to be installed as well. Ebay links will be at the bottom of this post.
Card mounted on optional M.2 caddy (Y1WJX). Low profile heatsink from Amazon
In the above picture, you can see the card (and the extra non-SATA pins on it) Bear in mind while will report as Gen3 it's only runs in PCIe x2 and not x4, but you're not limited on what size NVMe you can use and the NVMe is bootable as well.
So far the cheapest place I found (at least in the US) was Ebay for both the caddy and the adapter. There may be cheaper options available by the time you read this.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256002621579 0WPTND LS-C546P SATA to NVMe adapter for DELL Precision 7xxx Laptops, Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/362506380517 M.2 Caddy part Y1WJX, Ebay
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GP2QFFR M.2 low profile heatsink, Amazon
here is a brief rundown on adding a 3rd NVMe slot to your Dell Precision 7710, or about any 7xxxx series workstaion (if there are other Dell laptops with these pins, please comment below). On these models there is a PCIe x2 slot hidden in the SATA port of the laptop. If you look carefully, you should see the extra pins.
Dell developed a connector part #0WPTND LS-C546P that plugs into the SATA port and connecting these pins to a NVMe connector. Please note this interface WILL NOT work on any SATA based system aside from the Precision 7xxx series. There is also a seprate caddy that needs to be installed as well. Ebay links will be at the bottom of this post.
Card mounted on optional M.2 caddy (Y1WJX). Low profile heatsink from Amazon
In the above picture, you can see the card (and the extra non-SATA pins on it) Bear in mind while will report as Gen3 it's only runs in PCIe x2 and not x4, but you're not limited on what size NVMe you can use and the NVMe is bootable as well.
So far the cheapest place I found (at least in the US) was Ebay for both the caddy and the adapter. There may be cheaper options available by the time you read this.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256002621579 0WPTND LS-C546P SATA to NVMe adapter for DELL Precision 7xxx Laptops, Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/362506380517 M.2 Caddy part Y1WJX, Ebay
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09GP2QFFR M.2 low profile heatsink, Amazon