[SOLVED] What is this riser?

[joshua123033]

I found this riser online and I don't know exactly what it does. So can anyone help me? (https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32949852202.html )
So far, I believe these are 2 possible options (but I'm open to other options). It could be:
1) An actual DIMM to M.2 or SATA riser that can store/cache the data going to the RAM (similar to Optane DIMMs or NVDIMMs).
or
2) One of those SSDs that have a SATA cable to input data and just use the DIMM interface for power.

So which one could it be?

 

[Barty1884]

Looks to be very similar to this one, that was DDR3 to M.2
https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/innodisk-makes-ddr3-adapter-for-m-2-ssds.html

Except, it requires SATA power.... So I doubt will take much/anything from the DIMM slot.

Looks like it allows use of an M.2 (SATA only, almost certainly...I don't think it'll "convert") on a motherboard without an M.2 slot..... Or adds an additional M.2 slot to a board, which is more likely given it's DDR4 and there's not too-too many DDR4 boards without at least 1 M.2 slot.

 

[joshua123033]

Looks to be very similar to this one, that was DDR3 to M.2
https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/innodisk-makes-ddr3-adapter-for-m-2-ssds.html

Except, it requires SATA power.... So I doubt will take much/anything from the DIMM slot.

Looks like it allows use of an M.2 (SATA only, almost certainly...I don't think it'll "convert") on a motherboard without an M.2 slot..... Or adds an additional M.2 slot to a board, which is more likely given it's DDR4 and there's not too-too many DDR4 boards without at least 1 M.2 slot.

So we don't know what it does? (except that is it similar to that Innodisk adapter).

Well thanks for your help!

 

[COLGeek]

I wonder if this is a clever hoax for April Fools' Day.

If a real product, I don't understand the nature of including pins for a DDR4 interface AND the SATA data/power connections. Seems rather redundant.

 

[bignastyid]

Just like a passive dvi-d to vga adapter I see no reason why that adapter should exist.

 

[joshua123033]

I wonder if this is a clever hoax for April Fools' Day.

If a real product, I don't understand the nature of including pins for a DDR4 interface AND the SATA data/power connections. Seems rather redundant.

I don't think it is an April Fools joke to be honest.
Also, it could be something like this: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...e-on-your-ram-with-apacers-new-memory-sticks/ , where it just converts the SATA data to M.2 and just uses power from the DIMM slot. I've concluded this because the product page says the protocol is SATA, not PCIe or RAM.

 

[COLGeek]

I don't think it is an April Fools joke to be honest.
Also, it could be something like this: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...e-on-your-ram-with-apacers-new-memory-sticks/ , where it just converts the SATA data to M.2 and just uses power from the DIMM slot. I've concluded this because the product page says the protocol is SATA, not PCIe or RAM.

Aliexpress has multiple similar products. For example:

https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32931709348.html?spm=2114.12057483.0.0.604b5f6eET1n5o

Note the mounted product picture. That would imply that the memory pins are just to hold the adapter in the memory slot. Power is provided via the PSU with the data port is connected to a SATA port on the motherboard.

Seriously odd product.

 

[Barty1884]

So we don't know what it does? (except that is it similar to that Innodisk adapter).

Well thanks for your help!

Well, no, we don't "know" what it does. We're speculating, because at a glance, it's a pretty redundant product.

DDR3 at least makes a tiny bit of sense, as DDR3 era boards still had the lions share (all?) the market when M.2's first appeared.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

Those products are sometimes a sham.

 

[Math Geek]

never seen anything like that. appears to be a way to install a sata m.2 drive and have it sit in a memory slot to hold it still. it runs off the sata power and data cable and description says it is not compatible with pcie m.2

but why not just install a sata ssd instead which will run just as fast as this adapter would allow??

odd product, wonder if it works......

 

[Barty1884]

Interesting.....

View: https://youtu.be/swgNTR1jOvA