The Raspberry Pi 5 continues to expand its potential thanks to third-party solutions that seek to make the most of its renewed connectivity. One of the most striking additions comes from Waveshare, which offers an expansion board that allows you to add two SATA 3.0 drives directly to the mini-computer, without the usual limitations of a USB port. This new feature is especially interesting for applications such as home servers, multimedia workstations, or for those looking to build their own NAS system at a low cost.
The growth of popularity The Raspberry Pi as a platform for projects of all kinds has brought with it the need to expand storage and make it faster. While USB 3.0 has served as the gateway for external drives until now, it suffered from certain bottlenecks and power issues. Waveshare's new expansion, on the other hand, makes use of PCIe Gen 2 x1 bus debuted on the Raspberry Pi 5, opening the door to transfer speeds that easily exceed 350 MB/s in sustained read and write tests.
A HAT board that revolutionizes storage on the Pi
The accessory presented by Waveshare It is integrated as a HAT (Hardware Attached on Top), incorporating two SATA III ports (6 Gbps) and one JMicron JMS561 controller, already known for its reliability in adapters of this type. By connecting via the included FPC cable, communication is performed directly with the Raspberry Pi SoC, reducing latency and improving bandwidth compared to USB-based solutions.
The design of the HAT is especially compact and designed to fit right above the Pi 5. One of its key features is its active cooling system, thanks to the integrated fan and an external 12V power input, capable of providing power to both the Raspberry Pi itself and the connected drives. This prevents unwanted shutdowns or system crashes, even under intensive loads.
Another advantage of this solution is the support for software RAID configurations using tools like mdadm in Linux, allowing you to choose between higher speed (RAID 0), data security (RAID 1) or simply using both disks independently (JBOD).
Multiplicity of uses: from home NAS to test lab
By being able to connect two 2,5-inch SATA drives With speed and reliability, the Raspberry Pi 5 equipped with this expansion can become a professional file serverSystems like OpenMediaVault can be installed to enable common network services like SMB, NFS, or FTP, with access from any device in the home or even on the go. Learn more about advanced storage management on the Raspberry Pi at This disk partitioning and management guide.
In the multimedia environment, this system is ideal as a base for platforms like Plex or Jellyfin, taking advantage of the storage speed to manage large collections of movies, series, or music without delays and with low power consumption. It is also an attractive option for those working in software development, automated testing, or who need fast data caching, as SSDs can provide response times similar to those of conventional desktop systems.
Thanks to the energy efficiency of both the Pi and modern SSDs, keeping the server running 24/XNUMX is easy and very cost-effective. All this with the flexibility and ease of monitoring that modern SSDs provide. common tools in Linux distributions.
Key Power and Compatibility Points
One of the aspects that most concerns when mounting an advanced storage system on a compact plate is the stability of the power supplyHere, Waveshare has solved the problem by including an independent 12V supply capable of powering both the Pi and the drives, reducing the risk of overload failures and improving device security.
The integration is complete: power can pass through the HAT and power the Raspberry Pi via the USB-C port, reducing cable clutter and facilitating integration into compact cases or assemblies. In addition, the board is compatible without the need for additional drivers with any modern Linux distribution for the Pi 5, from the official Raspberry Pi OS to Ubuntu, Arch or Armbian. The disks are automatically detected as standard devices (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb), and the user can manage their status using utilities such as smartctl.
The arrival of the PCIe interface to the Raspberry Pi 5 has meant a radical change in the device's expansion possibilities. Companies like Waveshare are leading the launch of increasingly complete and professional modules: from high-speed network cards, to solutions for graphics acceleration or video capture. All without the need for external adapters or advanced modifications.
This new generation of extensions positions the Raspberry Pi as a powerful and modular alternative for those looking for a small home server, test lab, or customizable media center.
These storage and connectivity improvements solidify the Raspberry Pi 5 as a solid platform for advanced projects that previously only required larger or more expensive hardware. The ability to easily connect SATA drives allows projects requiring large capacity and transfer speeds to be realized with this compact device.
