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EXLink MB308A

PCIe 4.0 x16 NVMe Adapter Card with 2 x SlimSAS 8i (SFF-8654) Ports & Redriver (PCIe Bifurcation Required)
Product Details
  • The ICY DOCK EXLink MB308A is a high-performance PCIe 4.0 x16 adapter card featuring two SlimSAS 8i (SFF-8654) ports for direct NVMe connectivity. Engineered with an integrated redriver IC and PCIe clock buffer, the MB308A maintains signal integrity across longer cable runs, ensuring stable PCIe Gen4 speed and reliability. Validated with ICY DOCK NVMe mobile racks and enclosures, the MB308A provides a dependable foundation for servers, workstations, and validation labs where consistent NVMe storage performance is mission critical.

    Please note: The MB308A requires the host motherboard to support PCIe bifurcation (x4, x4, x4, x4) in order to access up to four NVMe SSDs. This adapter does not provide bifurcation by itself.
  • Optimized PCIe 4.0 x16 Connectivity for NVMe Storage
    With a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface delivering up to 256Gbps of total bandwidth, the MB308A is designed to work with motherboards that support lane bifurcation (x4, x4, x4, x4). When enabled, this feature allows the adapter to connect up to four NVMe SSDs across its two SlimSAS 8i ports. If the motherboard does not provide bifurcation, only a single SSD may be recognized.
  • Redriver for Stable High-Speed Signals
    In high-speed NVMe environments, PCIe signals can degrade over longer PCB traces or external cables. The MB308A’s built-in redriver equalizes and amplifies signals, enabling SlimSAS connections to sustain full PCIe Gen4 speed even with qualified long-reach cables. This ensures reliable throughput for demanding workloads such as AI/ML training, data validation, and scientific simulations.
  • PCIe Clock Buffer & SMBus Management
    To maintain timing accuracy across connected devices, the MB308A integrates a 100MHz PCIe clock buffer for SlimSAS-based NVMe storage. Built-in SMBus switching and reset management enhance stability and provide out-of-band control, ensuring reliable operation in enterprise-grade applications.
  • Validated NVMe Compatibility with ICY DOCK Mobile Racks
    The MB308A has been validated with ICY DOCK NVMe mobile racks and enclosures, ensuring reliable interoperability for enterprise and workstation deployments. This reduces integration risk for system builders and provides customers with a fully tested solution for high-speed removable NVMe storage.

    To simplify cable and interface selection, ICY DOCK provides an NVMe Selection Tool, which helps you filter by connector type, host card, and enclosure to find the right combination:
    NVMe Storage Selection Guide

    You can also browse the full list of qualified NVMe cables here:
    ICY DOCK NVMe Cable Catalog
  • Universal PCIe Adapter Card Support (Gen2/3/4/5)
    The EXLink MB308A is designed to operate in any PCIe x16 slot, supporting PCIe 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 platforms (operating at PCIe Gen4 speed). Its universal compatibility makes it an excellent fit for diverse system environments, from enterprise servers to R&D labs.
Main Features
2 x SlimSAS 8i (SFF-8654) ports, compliant with SFF-9402 Rev 1.1
   
PCIe 4.0 x16 interface supporting up to 256Gbps total bandwidth
   
Integrated redriver IC for long-reach, high-integrity PCIe Gen4 NVMe signaling
   
100MHz PCIe clock buffer for stable enterprise timing
   
Requires motherboard PCIe bifurcation (x4, x4, x4, x4) to access four SSDs
(This adapter card itself does not perform bifurcation)
   
Validated compatibility with ICY DOCK NVMe mobile racks and cables
   
Universal PCIe slot support: PCIe 2.0 / 3.0 / 4.0 / 5.0 (runs at Gen4 speed)
   
Full-height bracket, CE/UKCA/RoHS/REACH compliant
   
2-year limited warranty
Specification
Model Number : MB308A
Compatible Drive Type : NVMe
Support Slots : Works with x16 PCIe 2.0/3.0/4.0 or 5.0 slots on motherboards,
(motherboard required PCIe x16 slots bifurcated into x4/x4/x4/x4)
Host Interface : 1 x PCIe x16 connector
Endpoint Interface : 2 x SlimSAS 8i(SFF-8654) , pin-out defined by SFF-9402 Rev 1.1
Transfer Rate : PCIe 4.0 x 16 up to 256Gbps
Supported Operating Systems : No limitation
Package Content : Device, mounting screws, user manual
Dimension (W x H x D) : 120.8 x 165.1 x 21.5mm
Product Net Weight: 66.8g
Package Gross Weight: 162g
Compliance: CE, UKCA, RoHS, REACH
Warranty: 2 years warranty

FAQ

Q: How can I ensure my motherboard is compatible with the MB308A and can detect and read the four NVMe SSDs installed in it?

A: Your motherboard must meet the following criteria to recognize and read four NVMe SSDs:


  1. The motherboard must support PCIe Bifurcation, which splits a single PCIe x16 slot into multiple channels. For example, to divide into four PCIe x4 lanes (x4/x4/x4/x4) to support four NVMe SSDs.
  2. The combination of your motherboard and CPU must provide enough PCIe lanes to support all PCIe devices installed on the motherboard (including M.2 NVMe SSDs in M.2 slots).
  3. The PCIe slot you use for installing the MB308A must have enough PCIe lanes and be correctly configured with PCIe Bifurcation.

Key Tip: The availability of PCIe lanes depends on your motherboard and CPU specifications, as well as how many PCIe SSDs and other devices you have installed. Therefore, we cannot guarantee compatibility with the MB308A based solely on a compatibility list. We strongly recommend consulting your motherboard supplier to confirm how many PCIe lanes are available in your system and whether any remaining empty PCIe slots can fully support the MB308A with four NVMe SSDs.


If you're unable to obtain this information from your motherboard supplier, you can follow the steps below to verify compatibility yourself (applies to Asus, ASRock, and AORUS motherboards only).



Step 1: Open the motherboard compatibility list and locate your motherboard model.



Step 2: Once you find your motherboard model, check the PCIe slot that can support the MB308A based on the CPU you are using. You need a PCIe slot that supports 4(x4+x4+x4+x4) to detect four NVMe SSDs. If your PCIEX16_1 slot is already occupied by another PCIe device, such as a GPU or RAID card, then PCIEX16_2 and PCIEX16_3 will only be able to utilize the remaining PCIe lanes. Refer to the PCIe lanes distribution for different configurations to identify the appropriate PCIe slot based on your motherboard model, CPU type, and current PCIe slot usage, and find the slot where you can install the MB308A. The example below uses the ASUS AMD CROSSHAIR VII HERO to help you better understand how to use this compatibility list.


Example:
For the ASUS AMD CROSSHAIR VII HERO, if you are using AMD Ryzen 1000 Series/ 2000 Series/ 3000 Series/5000 Series Processors CPUs, the PCIEX16_1 slot on the motherboard can support the MB308A and works four NVMe SSDs. However, if you are using an AMD Ryzen™ 5000 G-Series/ 4000 G-Series processors CPUs, the PCIEX16_1 slot on the motherboard can only works three NVMe SSDs in the MB308A. For AMD Ryzen 2000 G-Series/ 3000 G-Series/ 7th Generation A-Series/ Athlon X4 Series processors CPUs, the PCIEX16_1 slot on the motherboard can only works two NVMe SSDs in the MB308A.



Important Notes:

  1. The method to check compatibility with Intel motherboards follows the same steps as the AMD example above.
  2. PCIe slots share PCIe lanes, and the PCIe Bifurcation mode varies based on the PCIe slot's position. Not all empty PCIe slots have enough lanes for the MB308A. If you have already installed devices such as GPUs, RAID, or HBA adapter cards, please check whether the remaining PCIe slots can support the MB308A.
  3. If the motherboard’s CMOS battery (coin cell battery) is low on power, the BIOS may revert to default settings after a power loss or system reboot. If the PCIe slot used by the MB308A was previously manually configured for bifurcation, this setting may be lost, reverting the slot to single-lane (x16) mode. As a result, the system may only detect one SSD. To ensure all SSDs in the MB308A are consistently recognized, we recommend periodically checking and replacing the CMOS battery to maintain the required bifurcation configuration over time.

 

To report a compatible or incompatible motherboard, or to check the compatibility of a motherboard not listed, please click here

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