Description
Speed :-
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- Sequential Read: 7000 MB/s
- Sequential Write: 6500MB/s
(1TB)
Common Names: NVMe Gen4, PCIe 4.0 SSD, M.2 SSD, U.2 Drive
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) Gen4 drives are high-performance storage devices primarily used in modern servers, gaming computers, and enterprise data centers. As these high-speed drives reach the end of their lifecycle or are decommissioned from corporate IT environments, they become a high-value commodity in the e-scrap recycling stream.
Physical Characteristics & Sorting Form Factors
NVMe Gen4 drives come in a few distinct physical shapes, which is critical for intake sorting and mechanical shredding preparation:
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M.2 2280 (Most Common): Looks like a stick of gum. Measures 22mm wide and 80mm long. Features an exposed Printed Circuit Board (PCB) with visible silicon NAND flash chips and a controller.
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M.2 2230 / 2242 / 22110: Shorter or longer variations of the standard M.2 drive, often found in compact laptops or specialized enterprise servers.
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U.2 / U.3 (Enterprise Grade): Looks similar to a traditional 2.5-inch hard drive. Enclosed in a thick metal casing (usually aluminum or steel) designed for server bays.
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Add-in Cards (AIC): Plugs directly into motherboards like a graphics card. Features larger PCBs and significant metal mounting brackets.
Material Composition & Scrap Value
NVMe Gen4 drives are considered high-grade e-scrap due to the dense concentration of precious and semi-precious metals relative to their light weight.
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Gold (Au): The edge connectors (pins) on M.2 and AIC form factors are heavily gold-plated for maximum conductivity. Internal bonding wires within the silicon chips may also contain trace gold.
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Copper (Cu): High concentration of copper within the multi-layered PCB traces and microscopic interconnects.
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Palladium (Pd) & Silver (Ag): Present in the Surface Mount Technology (SMT) capacitors and microscopic solder joints.
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Aluminum (Al) & Copper (Cu) Heatsinks: Many Gen4 NVMe drives (especially gaming or enterprise models) come with large, pre-attached metal heatsinks for thermal management. These must be manually or mechanically separated for base metal recovery.
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Silicon (Si): The NAND flash memory and controller chips are predominantly silicon.
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Fiberglass/Epoxy (FR-4): The structural base of the PCB.
