The problem solvers

Cooling M.2 drives

I’ve spent several weeks seeking advice on this topic, but haven’t found a spec for the recommended operating range for M.2 drives. All I’ve found are mixed messages suggesting they do need cooling and they don’t need cooling. People have asked the question because they were concerned after seeing high temperatures via monitoring software like Speedfan and CrystalDiskInfo.

There’s also a question over whether to purchase cooling with a fan or without. My first attempt was to mistakenly purchase an EZDIY=FAB 5V ARGB M.2 Heatsink for my Gigabyte Z370 HD3 motherboard, which doesn’t have a 5V location to plug it in. Instead, I’ve ordered a Sabrent M.2 2280 Heatsink that has no fan. One final question: do you recommend using thermal compound paste instead of the “thermal pads/tape” they come with?

Dean Johnson

Quite a bit to unpack here. The simple answer is: unless your drive is running consistently ‘hot’, there’s no point in fitting any cooling.