# Why do External Nvme M.2 drives run hot >70c



## toomanynotes (Nov 18, 2021)

Hi I just wondered why do External SSD's run so hot when idling?
The enclosure is too hot to pick up. Doesn't matter if it's a single enclosure or a Dual one. I have both.
The Nvme in the Laptop is a cool temp. 
Do i need to place the enclosure near a fan? or is it not a problem?
Never asked before - so just wondered.
Thanks


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## Double Helix (Nov 18, 2021)

Too hot to handle doesn't seem right--mine (SanDisk Extreme Pros) do get somewhat warm, but not THAT hot (all three are running off a basic 4-connection hub)


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## robo3000 (Nov 18, 2021)

Maybe it's an evo970 issue.. I had the same problem when I installed it in an external enclosure. Even when only using a usb2 cable it got almost to hot to touch. I ended up returning it. Also since usb 3.2 gen 2 can only handle 10Gbps (about 1200 MB/s) an evo970 capable of 3700 MB/s is a bit of pricey overkill since the usb interface will be the bottleneck. For a external dual drive via one usb interface even more so.


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## toomanynotes (Nov 18, 2021)

So are you saying I should return my 2 Samsung NVME's and settle for 2.5 inch SSD III's instead?


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## thevisi0nary (Nov 18, 2021)

A lot of it probably has to do with the enclosure, especially if it doesn't have a heatsink. Which ones have you tried?


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## toomanynotes (Nov 19, 2021)

thevisi0nary said:


> A lot of it probably has to do with the enclosure, especially if it doesn't have a heatsink. Which ones have you tried?


Hi this





and


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## robo3000 (Nov 19, 2021)

Regardless of the presence of a heatsink, +70C when idling is already above the max operating temperature of the drive. This means that the drive starts throttling (which is not a big issue since you wont be able to use its top speed anyway). But more importantly prolonged temperatures above 50C will affect the lifetime of the drives. Most NVME drives will idle about 45C and will reach about 70-80C when used at max speed. A good heatsink can lower this to the sub 50C range. As suggested in the thread you started earlier, a budget NVME drive (i.e. a Crucial P2 or a Kingston NV1) will give you best bang for buck and probably won't cause any heat issues, even without heatsink, while still utilizing the max bandwidth of a USB 3.1 gen 2 port.


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## toomanynotes (Nov 19, 2021)

I see! Thanks man!
Luckily I had Uncle - Marcellus Wallace's number and he sent the 'Wolf' to take care of my Ssd's
So because I'm stuck with these Samsung Nvme M.2 drives ; Winston Wolf dropped off cooling fan tray to chill these Mofkers out. Now everything is tip top.. the enclosure is now operating @ 47 degrees
Just an interesting additional note - my system Nvme ssd that came with the Laptop runs @ 31 temp...that's a nice temp...if only they all did that!
Thanks for everyones help!!


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## toomanynotes (Nov 21, 2021)

Ok it's crude and ugly but I got the Dual Nvme Enclosure down to Temps Mid 30's!!


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## colony nofi (Nov 23, 2021)

Yeah - those temps are high, but not unusual for nvme.
I have a single rocket 8TB in a sabrent enclosure, but even in heavy use its not much above 45-50deg (just checked now and the enclosure - which is entirely a heat sing - is at 42 degrees and doing nothing. But it was left on all night!)


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## Abjection (Dec 3, 2022)

colony nofi said:


> Yeah - those temps are high, but not unusual for nvme.
> I have a single rocket 8TB in a sabrent enclosure, but even in heavy use its not much above 45-50deg (just checked now and the enclosure - which is entirely a heat sing - is at 42 degrees and doing nothing. But it was left on all night!)





colony nofi said:


> Yeah - those temps are high, but not unusual for nvme.
> I have a single rocket 8TB in a sabrent enclosure, but even in heavy use its not much above 45-50deg (just checked now and the enclosure - which is entirely a heat sing - is at 42 degrees and doing nothing. But it was left on all night!)


Hey Colony,

Could you tell me by chance what enclosure/s you’ve used with your sabrent rocket, and what speeds you get on average / whether you experience extreme throttling?

Thanks!


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## kitekrazy (Dec 3, 2022)

Do they make drive docks for these? Use one and a fan. BTW I like that creative cooling solution.


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## colony nofi (Dec 4, 2022)

Abjection said:


> Hey Colony,
> 
> Could you tell me by chance what enclosure/s you’ve used with your sabrent rocket, and what speeds you get on average / whether you experience extreme throttling?
> 
> Thanks!


Never get throttling that I've seen.
The enclosure I have here right now is model EC-T3NS.
Also used their usb3 enclosure once, and have one of their non-upgradable SSD's (just sealed) - 2TB - which works like a champion (use it for quickly storing / retrieving disk images)


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## HCMarkus (Dec 5, 2022)




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## GtrString (Dec 5, 2022)

I did not know the NVMEs rut hot. I have a couple 2.5s and they don’t. I have been thinking to try the NVMEs, but this put me off as running hot most likely will shortcut their lifespan..


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## Technostica (Dec 5, 2022)

GtrString said:


> I did not know the NVMEs rut hot. I have a couple 2.5s and they don’t. I have been thinking to try the NVMEs, but this put me off as running hot most likely will shortcut their lifespan..


SSDs, like CPUs, monitor their temperature and reduce their performance if they reach a certain temperature. 
This reduces their temperature to a safer level. 
In typical usage they won't hit this limit at all unless you are using a particularly power hungry drive in an installation with poor cooling. 

There are plenty of cheap external enclosures with poor cooling and that is the main problem. 
Plus, larger capacity and faster drives tend to consume more power than slower and smaller ones. 
But, there is a lot of variation in power consumption as there are a wide range of controllers and NAND used in drives. 
Some newer controllers use a more efficient manufacturing process which helps. 
So you need to read the reviews to find out which drives are power efficient and cool running. 

There might well be an issue in using PCIe drives in USB enclosures, as they may not enter the lowest idle states which will lead to higher idle temperatures. 
This may not be an issue in natively external drives depending on their hardware design, as they can implement support for low power states.

Keep in mind that almost any half decent drive will come with a five year warranty. 
Unless you are using a hot drive for long periods of video editing, I doubt you will see it thermally throttle to a significant degree. 
But you do need to be aware of the potential pitfalls of heat, especially in external enclosures.


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