Raspberry Pi’s family of HAT boards just got a clever new addition, and this one is going to make storage upgrades far easier for tinkerers and builders. HAT, short for “Hardware on Top,” refers to small expansion boards designed to sit neatly on top of the Raspberry Pi’s compact computer. The newest release is an M.2 expansion board built specifically for the tiniest standard drives: the 2230 form factor, which measures just 30mm in length. If that size sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the same type of drive found in handheld PCs like the Steam Deck.
While Raspberry Pi already offered an M.2 HAT designed for larger 42mm drives, that version was bulkier and leaned toward being more of a full-on expansion card. The new compact model takes a different approach, sitting flush enough with the Pi 5’s body that it remains beneath the height of the USB, HDMI, and other I/O ports. This makes it possible to install the HAT within the official Raspberry Pi 5 case itself without needing additional modifications. Builders using third-party cases should find similar compatibility, especially those designed with airflow or expansion in mind.
According to Liliputing, the Compact HAT+ board makes use of the same FPC connector as other Pi 5 HATs, so installation is straightforward and requires no special adjustments. The only trade-off is cost: 30mm M.2 SSDs tend to be pricier and less widely available than their larger counterparts. Still, the benefit of blazing-fast storage in such a small, integrated package is hard to ignore, especially for projects where space and neatness are at a premium. The new M.2 Compact HAT is available now through official Raspberry Pi distributors and other electronics suppliers, giving enthusiasts an appealing way to add high-speed solid-state storage to their compact builds.
