Overview
The GLOTRENDS PA21 adapter lets you run two M.2 NVMe SSDs from a single PCIe x8 or x16 slot, doubling the storage capacity of a single expansion slot without sacrificing speed. Each drive receives its own dedicated PCIe 4.0 x4 link, so both SSDs can operate at full bandwidth simultaneously.
This is a passive adapter with no onboard bifurcation chip. Your motherboard must support PCIe bifurcation and it must be enabled in the BIOS. When bifurcation is not available, only the first NVMe port will be recognized. It is not compatible with X8X4X4 mode and is not designed for Mac Pro 5.1.
Available in a 2-slot or 4-slot version. Please select the option you need from the drop-down menu before checkout.
Key Features
- Brand: GLOTRENDS
- Model: PA21
- Interface: PCIe x8
- Supported Drives: M.2 NVMe SSDs in 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110 sizes
- Bandwidth: Up to 64 Gbps per drive with PCIe 4.0
- Operating Systems: Windows, Linux and macOS (not compatible with Windows 7 or Mac Pro 5.1)
- Brackets: Regular and low-profile brackets included
Highlights
- ✓ Run two NVMe SSDs from one x8 slot and expand your storage without adding cards
- ✓ Dedicated PCIe 4.0 x4 link per drive for full-speed performance
- ✓ Backward compatible with PCIe 3.0 and 2.0 at their respective speeds
- ✓ Build RAID 0 or RAID 1 with your operating system tools, no extra hardware needed
- ✓ Bootable OS drive support when BIOS or UEFI is configured accordingly
Usage
Ideal for workstations, gaming rigs and home servers that need fast, high-capacity NVMe storage. Install the adapter in a compatible PCIe slot, enable PCIe bifurcation in the BIOS, then create software RAID 0 or 1 through Windows Disk Management, Storage Spaces or Linux mdadm on Intel and AMD platforms. Note that Intel VROC requires a separate license.
Full PCIe 4.0 speed requires a PCIe 4.0 CPU such as Intel 11th generation or newer, a PCIe 4.0 slot and a PCIe 4.0 SSD.
In the Box
- GLOTRENDS PA21 M.2 NVMe adapter card
- Regular mounting bracket
- Low-profile mounting bracket
