# Important notice for installing double-sided SSDs and avoiding SSD heat-spreaders (Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3)

> On the Framework Laptop 13 Pro Mainboard Intel® Core Ultra Series 3 the Storage M2 2280 SSD is designed to be compatible with top side height of 15mm and 

Source: https://knowledgebase.frame.work/en_us/important-notice-for-installing-double-sided-ssds-and-avoiding-ssd-heat-spreaders-intel-core-ultra-series-3-HkiJisJBGe

Last updated: 2026-08-24T17:41:01.484Z

On the Framework Laptop 13 Pro Mainboard (Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3), the Storage M.2 2280 SSD is designed to be compatible with top side height of 1.5mm and bottom side height of 1.45mm. There is also an 18 x 21mm SSD thermal pad attached close to the M.2 connector, and in such a local area the bottom side height of components should be below 0.6mm.  
  

![](https://cdn.kustomerhostedcontent.com/media/6047cd84502177bce9fccae2/dd95b45ed623fdc2c6a387327d809c2a.png)

  

With these constraints, most double-sided PCIe® Gen 4.0 SSDs should be installed with the SSD thermal pad removed first (and stored somewhere else), and all kinds of SSD heat-spreaders should be avoided even if they’re included in the SSD boxes. This will not impact the SSD performance, since the SSD thermal pad is especially designed for PCIe® Gen 5.0 SSDs only, and the SSD heat-spreaders are especially designed for usage in desktop computers.

Please refer to the below compatibility chart of all the SSDs we’ve qualified and made available with Framework Laptop 13 Pro (Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3) so far:

**Storage Model**

**Installation Guide**

SANDISK SN7100 PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 500GB

Good to install directly

SANDISK SN7100 PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 1TB

Good to install directly

SANDISK SN7100 PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 2TB

Good to install directly

SANDISK SN7100 PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 4TB

Good to install directly

SANDISK 850X PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 1TB

Good to install directly

SANDISK 850X PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 2TB

Good to install directly

SANDISK 850X PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 4TB

Please remove the SSD thermal pad before installing it

SANDISK 850X PCIe® 4.0 M.2 2280 - 8TB

Please remove the SSD thermal pad before installing it

ADATA MARS 970 PLUS PCIe® 5.0 M.2 2280 - 1TB

Please avoid using the optional heat-spreader if included in the box

ADATA MARS 970 PLUS PCIe® 5.0 M.2 2280 - 2TB

Please avoid using the optional heat-spreader if included in the box

  
For step by step instructions on how to install or replace your SSD, you can refer to our guide here;

*   [Storage/ SSD Replacement for Framework Laptop 13 Pro](https://guides.frame.work/Guide/Storage-+SSD+Replacement+for+Framework+Laptop+13+Pro/763)