UGREEN 15976 USB4 40 Gbps M.2 NVMe Enclosure with Fan

Overview

The UGREEN 15976 is an external case that turns an M.2 NVMe solid state drive (SSD) into a very fast portable drive, with a small fan to keep it cool during long transfers. It connects to USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 or 4 computers at up to 40 Gbps, and comes with USB-C and USB-A cables for other computers at their lower speeds. It suits video editors, photographers and IT staff who move large files and want the fastest link a laptop can offer.

Is it right for you?

• Suits computers with a USB4 or Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port if you want the 40 Gbps link. On a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port it runs at 10 Gbps class, and USB-A cannot provide the USB4 path.
• Takes M.2 PCIe NVMe drives only: not M.2 SATA (NGFF), mSATA, 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch SATA drives, or an SSD with a permanently fitted oversized heatsink.
• Choose it over a fanless case if you run sustained transfers that make a passive enclosure throttle.

Key features

• Holds one M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, M-key or NVMe B+M-key, in 2230, 2242, 2260 or 2280 length.
• USB4 link up to 40 Gbps with a compatible host and a full-featured cable.
• Internal PWM fan, silicone thermal pad and aluminium alloy body, with an outer silicone sleeve.
• Tested with 2 TB drives.
• UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol), TRIM, drive health reporting (S.M.A.R.T.) and auto-sleep, where the operating system and utilities support them.
• About 12 × 4.8 × 1.9 cm and 118 g.

What else you need

An M.2 NVMe SSD and a computer with a USB-C port. Use the USB-C to USB-C cable for the fastest compatible path and the USB-C to USB-A cable as a slower fallback. Windows, macOS, Linux and Android are listed; USB4 and Thunderbolt capability varies by host.

Installation

Open the case with the screwdriver supplied, fit the SSD, apply the thermal pad, close the case and slip on the sleeve. Initialise and format a new drive before first use.

Before you buy

• The SSD is not included.
• 40 Gbps is the theoretical USB4 link rate, not a file-copy speed. The SSD, thermal state, host and workload all matter.
• It does not bypass passwords, BitLocker or FileVault encryption, or unsupported file systems, and it does not repair a failing drive, replace a backup, provide RAID or clone drives offline.