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Minisforum UM690S Compatibility Guide
The UM690S is the storage-focused variant of the UM690, with one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slot plus a 2.5-inch SATA bay and WiFi 6E. This guide covers RAM, NVMe and SATA storage, power, and connectivity upgrades.
Quick Specs Summary
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX (8-core, 16-thread, up to 4.9 GHz boost) |
| RAM | DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM x2 (up to 64GB, upgradeable) |
| Storage | M.2 2280 NVMe (PCIe 4.0) + 2.5-inch SATA bay |
| Connectivity | WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, 2.5GbE Ethernet |
| Display | HDMI 2.1 (4K@60Hz), USB-C DP 1.4, USB-C video out |
| Power | External DC adapter (19V) |
| Form Factor | 156 × 139 × 67mm, 620g |
RAM Upgrade Compatibility
The UM690S has two DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM slots with a maximum capacity of 64GB. Both slots are user-replaceable by accessing the bottom panel.
| Capacity | Speed | Price per Module* | Total (2 sticks) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16GB DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM | 4800 MHz | £40–55 | 32GB total | View on Amazon |
| 32GB DDR5-4800 SO-DIMM | 4800 MHz | £75–105 | 64GB total | View on Amazon |
Recommended Configurations:
- Light Use / Gaming: 1x32GB single-channel — 32GB total, cost-effective.
- Content Creation / Development: 2x32GB dual-channel — 64GB total, optimal performance.
- Video Editing / Virtualisation: 2x32GB (64GB maximum) with M.2 NVMe plus a 2.5-inch SATA drive for project storage.
Compatible Brands: Kingston FURY Beast, Corsair DOMINATOR, SK Hynix, Samsung, Crucial—all verified DDR5-4800 SO-DIMs.
M.2 2280 NVMe + 2.5-inch SATA Storage
The UM690S features one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 NVMe slot and one 2.5-inch SATA bay. This is ideal for RAID configurations, dual-drive gaming setups, or OS + data separation.
| Product | Capacity | Speed (Seq. Read) | Price* | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 980 | 250GB–1TB | 5,150 MB/s | £40–80 | View on Amazon |
| WD Blue SN580 | 256GB–1TB | 4,150 MB/s | £35–75 | View on Amazon |
| Kingston A3000 | 480GB–1TB | 3,500 MB/s | £30–60 | View on Amazon |
| Sabrent Rocket Q4 | 500GB–1TB | 4,800 MB/s | £35–70 | View on Amazon |
Storage Configurations:
- OS + Games: 256GB NVMe (OS) + 1TB 2.5-inch SATA SSD (games/projects).
- RAID 0 (Striping): 1TB NVMe + 1TB 2.5-inch SATA SSD (gaming assets, video editing).
- RAID 1 (Mirroring): 2x1TB for data redundancy and backup.
- Single Drive: 1x2TB NVMe (maximum single drive capacity).
Note: The M.2 slot is PCIe 4.0, so PCIe 4.0 drives run at full speed; PCIe 3.0 drives also work.
Power Supply
The UM690S ships with a External DC power input adapter (USB PD 3.1 certified). This is excellent for portable use and docking.
- Universal USB-C Charging: Use the supplied DC adapter, or a replacement that matches its voltage and wattage. Do not rely on a USB-C charger to power this machine.
- Power Draw: 15–20W idle, 45–65W office/web, 70W+ sustained gaming.
- Docking: 90W USB-C dock supplies full power + peripherals simultaneously.
- Dual Drive Impact: A second drive adds minimal power (< 2W extra at idle).
Display & Docking Options
The UM690S supports dual independent displays:
- HDMI 2.1: 4K@60Hz (gaming, video playback).
- USB-C DP 1.4: 4K@60Hz (alternative or extended display).
- USB-C Video: Additional video out (requires DP Alt Mode hub).
Docking Recommendations:
- Premium USB-C Dock: CalDigit TS3 Plus (90W PD, 15 ports, dual HDMI/DP support).
- Budget Multi-Display Hub: UGREEN 10-in-1 (HDMI, DP, USB 3.0, SD, 90W PD).
- Simple USB-C Hub: Anker PowerExpand+ (7 USB 3.0, HDMI, SD, 60W PD).
WiFi 6E & Networking
WiFi 6E (802.11ax+): Upgraded from WiFi 6, offering ~1.2Gbps peak throughput in lab conditions. Real-world: 300–600 Mbps depending on router and interference.
- Bluetooth 5.2: Low-latency, stable wireless peripherals (mice, keyboards, headphones).
- 2.5GbE Ethernet: For maximum stability on networks, use wired connection instead of WiFi.
- 6 GHz Band Support: WiFi 6E opens a less-congested frequency band for faster, less interference-prone connections (if your router supports 6 GHz).
Thermal Performance
The UM690S runs cool due to the Ryzen 9 6900HX’s efficiency:
- Idle: 30–35°C, fanless operation possible.
- Office Use: 45–55°C, quiet fan.
- Sustained Gaming: 70–75°C, noticeable fan noise.
- NVMe Thermal: The M.2 slot dissipates minimal heat; no thermal throttling expected.
Upgradeability Score
9/10 — Exceptional. User-upgradeable RAM (up to 64GB), M.2 2280 NVMe plus 2.5-inch SATA storage, WiFi 6E, USB4 for modern docking, and quiet thermal performance make the UM690S one of the most flexible mini PCs available.
FAQ
What’s the advantage of UM690S over UM690?
The UM690S keeps one M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 slot plus a 2.5-inch SATA bay and upgrades WiFi to 6E. Perfect for users needing multiple fast drives and better wireless connectivity.
Can I run an M.2 and a SATA drive simultaneously?
Yes. There is one M.2 2280 NVMe slot plus a 2.5-inch SATA bay, and both can be used together. Install OS on one drive and applications/data on the other, or use RAID configurations.
What PCIe drives are compatible?
The UM690S supports PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives. Both work (PCIe 4.0 is backward-compatible), and the slot runs PCIe 4.0 drives at full speed.
Can I run RAID 0 with dual M.2 drives?
Yes. BIOS supports RAID 0 (striping) for combined capacity and throughput, or RAID 1 (mirroring) for redundancy. Check Minisforum’s BIOS settings documentation.
Is WiFi 6E worth the upgrade?
WiFi 6E adds support for the less-congested 6 GHz band, improving speeds if your router supports it. For 2.4/5 GHz only, the upgrade is marginal—use 2.5GbE wired instead.
Recommended Products
These are the products we recommend based on this guide. All links go to Amazon where you can check current prices and availability.
| Product | Why We Recommend It | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Corsair Vengeance DDR5 SO-DIMM 32GB (2×16GB) 5600MHz | Top-rated DDR5 kit for gaming & productivity | View on Amazon |
| Kingston Fury Impact DDR5 SO-DIMM 32GB (2×16GB) 5600MHz | Excellent DDR5 alternative with XMP support | View on Amazon |
| Crucial DDR5 SO-DIMM 16GB 5600MHz | Affordable single-stick DDR5 | View on Amazon |
| G.Skill Ripjaws DDR5 SO-DIMM 32GB 5600MHz | High performance DDR5 for enthusiasts | View on Amazon |
| Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe M.2 2280 | Fastest consumer NVMe — ideal for gaming & editing | View on Amazon |
| WD Black SN850X 2TB NVMe | Excellent Gen4 speed with heatsink option | View on Amazon |
| Crucial P5 Plus 1TB NVMe | Great value Gen4 SSD | View on Amazon |
| Kingston NV2 1TB NVMe | Budget-friendly with solid reliability | View on Amazon |
Prices and availability may vary. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Related Minisforum Upgrade Guides
- Minisforum Mini PC Upgrade Guide
- Minisforum AtomMan X7 Ti Compatibility Guide – RAM, SSD, Docking & Upgrades
- Minisforum BD790i Compatibility Guide – Ryzen 9 7945HX, eGPU, DDR5, OCuLink
- Minisforum EliteMini HM90 Compatibility Guide – Ryzen 9 4900H, DDR4, M.2 & SATA
- Minisforum MS-01 Compatibility Guide – Intel i9-13900H, NAS/Server, Multi-GbE, DDR5
- Minisforum Upgrade Guide
Not sure what fits? Use our free Compatibility Checker covering 3,195+ models.
Helpful Guides
Upgrades that fit the Minisforum UM690S
What fits: Memory: DDR5 SO-DIMM, 2 user slots · Storage: M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0; 2.5in SATA drive supported
Spec source: store.minisforum.com (checked 26 Sep 2026).
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices & availability shown on Amazon.
DDR5 SO-DIMM memory that fits
M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs that fit
2.5in SATA SSDs for the drive bay
*Indicative UK street prices, shown for guidance only. These are not live Amazon prices and change frequently — check the current price on Amazon before buying.
