Optiplex 3060 SFF M.2 PCIe SSD Thermal Pad

The Samsung 980 has a heat spreader label underneath.  Apply a 5mm thermal pad onto PCB board will help transferring some of the heat and keeping the Samsung SSD within operating temperature.

This is the compatible thermal pad that should work with Dell OptiPlex Small Form Factor.

Hi, Chino de Oro

Many thanks for your very instructive reply. I have ordered the pads you suggested.

All the best.

@Chino de Oro​ 

Hi, Chino de Oro.

Back again because I am still confused as follows:

1. There are various YouTube videos about installing an NVMe M2 in the Optiplex 3060 SFF. But none of them used a thermal pad.

2. The Dell Owner's Manual doesn't specify a screw size for the NVMe M2.  Just M2x3.5 for the WLAN and SSD card.

The M.2 SSD screws I found in stores are obviously much too small, and don't account for the 5mm thick thermal pad.

Could you kindly tell me the screw size I need: i.e. metric diameter, thread length (including fiber washer thickness) and screw head diameter.

Many thanks for your time and help.

Sorry for late reply, email notification is off.

For the confused questions you have, I hope these info may help to answer some of them:

1.  Only Dell shipped out OEM SSD with pads.  Users are unlikely to find OEM pads or are going to spend $10 USD or more to install thermal pad unless they are running into overheating problem.  Here is one example of a latest post regarding NVMe heat issue (the post by Narpa).

2.  The M.2 screw for NVMe SSD is M2x3.5 just the same as for the wireless card.  See the installation process which mentioned the screw size below.

1. Place the SSD thermal pad into the slot on the system board [1] .
2. Insert the M.2 PCIe SSD to the connector on the system board [2].
3. Replace the single (M2x3.5) screw that secures the M.2 PCIe SSD to the system board [3]

After reread and reread your post again, I think you may have issue with a missing M.2 standoff screw.  A standoff screw would be mounting on the system board chassis and is having the same height with the M.2 slot.  The NVMe SSD M.2 screw would be mounted on top of the standoff screw.

If that was the case, review this ad link for visual of the item and the standoff screw size (scroll down for listing description).  Or, moving the wireless card standoff screw over (because it's the same size) if you don't use onboard wireless.

Hi, Chino de Oro.

Many thanks for your continued support.

I just received my thermal pads from Amazon. There are two pads in the box, each has a blue cellophane cover over the adhesive side.

1. Do I use both thermal pads or just one pad like shown in the Dell Owner's Manual?

2. The adhesive side of the thermal pad attaches to the system board or the underside of the NVMe SSD?

Sorry for the maybe dumb questions but I couldn't find any instructions or videos on the Internet.

Best regards.

1.  Use only one pad.

2.  If I remember correctly, mine has both sides with sticky gel like surfaces and they are covered with thin, clear plastic films.  They were Laird Technology pad and were not really adhesive.  If yours only has one side being covered, set that to the PCB board surface.  The pad itself is made by soft thermal conductive material and the gel like surface will be depressed and shaped with the SSD for more surface contact and better heat transfer.

@Chino de Oro​ 

Many thanks for your great support.  You were right about the thermal pad having adhesive on both sides.  I ordered the standoff and screws from the eBay link you gave me, and they will arrive in about three weeks.

All the best