Icy Dock has launched the ToughArmor MB842MP-B, a PCIe card with removable bays for two M.2 SSDs. The MB842MP-B is an upgrade to his MB840M2P-B from Icy Dock that was launched three years ago.
Many motherboards come with two or three M.2 slots. The ToughArmor MB842MP-B is useful when you need more M.2 slots than your motherboard can provide. It is also a valid option for a legacy motherboard owner to add one, in this case he two, M.2 slots to their old system. Interestingly, with the card installed I can add or remove his SSD without opening the PC case.
Other options on the market, such as ASRock’s Blazing Quad M.2 cards and PCIe riser cards included in premium motherboards, offer housing for more SSDs. However, one of the ToughArmor MB842MP-B’s selling points is its tool-free design that allows a user to install or replace his SSD without opening the computer’s case.
The SSD is housed in a small aluminum enclosure, or M.2 locker, as Icy Dock calls it. Installation consists of removing the lid, sliding the drive in, and replacing the cover. The M.2 locker accepts M.2 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110 SSDs. However, the maximum allowable width is 3.8mm. The M.2 rocker is a giant heatsink and the included thermal pad helps dissipate heat.
The ToughArmor MB842MP-B comes with LED indicators to show drive activity. Icy Dock also sells an optional 2-pin HDD activity cable to connect the ToughArmor MB842MP-B to the motherboard or front panel.
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M.2 SSDs are hot-swappable, depending on whether the motherboard and firmware support it. This feature is not very common on mainstream motherboards. Unless your system has that feature, Icy Dock recommends that owners power down their system before replacing or installing her SSD into the ToughArmor MB842MP-B.
The ToughArmor MB842MP-B is compatible with PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 expansion slots running at x8 or x16. The only requirement is that the motherboard must support PCIe bifurcation for the ToughArmor MB842MP-B to work properly. PCIe bifurcation means dividing an expansion slot into smaller interfaces. For example, a x8 expansion slot is split into x4/x4 and a x16 expansion slot is split into x4/x4/x4/x4 configurations. PCIe bifurcation is a feature found on most modern motherboards.But if you’re not sure it’s yours, go to Icy Dock useful list We can consult.
Icy Dock uses the ToughArmor MB842MP-B $249.99 (opens in new tab)The ToughArmor MB840M2P-B only has room for a single M.2 SSD. $105.50 (opens in new tab)The dual-bay variant costs more than double the original.
