I'm trying to swap out the SSD in my Dell OptiPlex 3050, but I can't seem to locate the M.2 NVMe slot on the motherboard. Just to clarify, I'm a total beginner with this stuff, so please explain as if I have no idea what I'm looking at. I've attached an image of my motherboard for reference: [https://imgur.com/WfboMpz](https://imgur.com/WfboMpz). Thank you!
1 Answer
Hey there! Unfortunately, your motherboard doesn’t actually have an M.2 slot. However, you can use a PCIe adapter to connect an NVMe drive if you want. Just a heads up though, the speeds might not be that great since it doesn’t look like a proper PCIe x16 slot, but it's a workaround if you're eager to upgrade! Here’s an adapter that might work for you: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-advanced-solution-Controller-Expansion/dp/B07JKH5VTL?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3F3TWMW51FQC7.
Actually, the manual for the OptiPlex 3050 SFF states that it does have an M.2 slot. I found images of this model without the optical drive and noticed that the M.2 slot is likely located beneath the drive. I had trouble taking the optical drive cage off though and couldn't check it myself.