tomsjim :
I am looking for a USB adapter/enclosure for my Samsung 960 NVMe drive, so that I can install it in the enclosure/adapter and access the contents of the drive by plugging it into my various computers' USB ports. Is there such a device? I can't seem to find one. Thanks!
I tried to post this answer after logging in and every time I clicked in the text box, it would disappear (you will see 2 answers below from username - IfIwasarichman, sorry, but I got frustrated and clicked answer twice - will not even let me edit the posts.). So I was forced to post it this way.
I have used a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure (Akito Node) with an NVME PCIe adapter card to transfer data, but not only did I have a TB3 eGPU handy, I had a TB3 port on my computer, so it was very straightforward and easy. If you ever thought you had seen data transfer fast, wait until you do it from an NVME SSD to an NVME SSD via TB3 - I pressed go and looked away for a tic and when I turned back it was finished - just over 60GB of data sent through almost as fast as I could blink. But it is a rather expensive way if you don't have access to a TB3 enclosure which has a PCIe slot.
There is another TB3 adapter to consider which is a bit cheaper than a TB3 eGPU device, it is from Nestor and can take 2x NVME SSD's (
http://www.netstor.com.tw/product_info.aspx?PID=PID_171026055872595 ). Again you will need access to a TB3 port.
Instead of a TB3 enclosure, there is a cheaper alternative which can be found on several sites (check out the eBay search link below) which are only about US$20, but you will still need a PCIe to NVME adapter and a USB 3 adapter to plug it in (they normally have either an MSATA style mini PCI plug or a PCMIA plug). Total cost for the three parts should only be about US$60. Never tried one myself (a few friends had and they worked fine for what they are), these were used a lot as eGPU adapters before we had TB3 devices and it also required a PSU connection to run the video card, but for a very low powered M.2 SSD, you should be able to just use a DC adapter.
Here is a link to a good youtube video showing one being put together to use as an eGPU -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=bP_8EYQ-2RA
If you are curious, here is an example of where to find the PCIe adapter from an eBay search -
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Mini+PCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3&_sop=15&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XPCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3.TRS0&_nkw=PCI-E+V8.0+EXP+GDC+to+USB+3&_sacat=0
So it is doable if you have the right bits. but no off the shelf NVME to USB device is available at the moment
Also watch out for the PCIe SSD to USB adapters because as far as I know at the moment, none work with NVME SSD's. For example, Microsata cables already have an M.2 PCI SSD (eg - XP941) to USB adapter/enclosure but it is not suitable for NVME SSD's I have talked to them and they are looking into what is possible to do for an NVME SSD to USB 3/3.1 enclosure. Other companies have these as well, like BPlus.
Beware of Chinese adapters advertising NVME to USB 3 like this one from Aliexpress as they don't work either.-
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/M-key-NVME-PCI-Express-M-2-SSD-HDD-Enclosure-USB3-0-to-PCI-e-3/32790143462.html