After a long wait, the Raspberry Pi Foundation has finally announced the general availability of the Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT for the latest Raspberry Pi 5 single-board computer.
The Raspberry Pi 5 was released in October 2023 with powerful components such as the Broadcom BCM2712 2.4GHz Quad-Core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A76 processor with 512KB L2 cache per core and 2MB shared L3 cache, and a VideoCore VII graphics card capable of supporting OpenGL ES 3.1 and Vulkan 1.2 graphics technology.
While these upgraded components are quite attractive to Raspberry Pi enthusiasts who want a faster computer, the Raspberry Pi 5 includes another exciting feature, which is support for installing M.2 M-key peripherals directly on the board through what is called the M.2 HAT, which will dramatically improve performance.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation tempted us with two M.2 HATs, one designed to mount larger devices and the other in an L-factor form factor that supports mounting 2230 and 2242 format devices inside the Raspberry Pi 5 case.
Some third-party hardware manufacturers quickly released M.2 HAT adapter boards for the Raspberry Pi 5, but true enthusiasts like me prefer to wait for the official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT, which has finally arrived and allows Raspberry Pi 5 owners to install M.2 M-key peripherals such as NVMe drives and AI accelerators.
Called the Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+, this adapter board promises data transfers of up to 500 MB/s to and from these peripherals. To support high-speed peripherals, the Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ connects to the Raspberry Pi 5's single-lane PCI Express 2.0 interface exposed on the 16-pin, 0.5mm pitch FPC connector on the left side of the board.
The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ supports devices with M.2 M-key edge connectors in 2230 and 2242 form factors, supplying them with power up to 3A. The board is equipped with a 16mm stacking header and a threaded spacer that can be mounted on the Raspberry Pi 5 board using the official Raspberry Pi Active Cooler.
“We wanted to make sure our product was truly HAT+, which in turn meant we had to finalize some last details in the Raspberry Pi HAT+ specifications,” said James Adams. “If your Raspberry Pi 5 has the latest firmware, and a Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ is attached, any installed PCIe device will be probed at power-on and, if it's an NVMe drive, the drive will be available as a boot source.”
The official Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ is priced at just $12 USD and can now be purchased from the Raspberry Pi Foundation's network of Authorized Resellers worldwide. I can't wait to buy it from my local reseller and I will try to report my experience with it as soon as possible.
Key Features of Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+:
- Supports M.2 M-key peripherals
- Data transfer speeds up to 500 MB/s
- Supports 2230 and 2242 form factors
- Supplies power up to 3A
- 16mm stacking header
- Threaded spacer for Raspberry Pi Active Cooler
- Low price of $12 USD
Conclusion:
The Raspberry Pi M.2 HAT+ is a welcome addition to the Raspberry Pi ecosystem, providing a high-performance and affordable way to add M.2 M-key peripherals to the Raspberry Pi 5. With its ease of use, wide range of supported devices, and low price, it is a must-have for any Raspberry Pi 5 owner.
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