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@borscht9 wrote:

Great!

Is it safe to assume I can use the older SSD as an extra storage drive (after I've cloned the System onto the newer drive)?

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You can, but it will have to be in some sort of an external enclosure since there's only one PCIe M.2 slot on Dell's motherboard.  Something like this perhaps:

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817256198&Description=m.2%20external%20enclosure&cm_re=m.2_external_enclosure-_-17-256-198-_-Product

Note that with an external M.2 enclosure, transfer and read/write speeds won't be as quick as if the drive was connected directly to the motherboard.

If you want to simply add extra storage space, you can do so by purchasing a 2.5" SATA SSD drive and data cable, and installing it into one of the free lower drive bays.  That way you keep the stock M.2 NVMe drive in place. You can also had a 3.5" mechanical HDD to the single 3.5" drive bay at the front of the chassis.

M2 to USB does not work if the device is PCI-E X4.  It only works if the device is "B" keyed SATA AHCI.

USB to NVME works with B Key and B+M Key, but absolutely will not support M Key only aka PCI-E.

https://www.amazon.com/External-Converter-Adapter-Enclosure-Support/dp/B07FY8PJ61/

How to tell

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln301626/en

This one works with PCI-E Only and requires USB3.

https://www.amazon.com/QNINE-Enclosure-Adapter-Included-Samsung/dp/B07J9WNN9H/

 

 

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln306629/optiplex-3050-support-for-pcie-m2-ssd-hard-drives?lang=en

 

OptiPlex 3050 support for PCIe M.2 SSD hard drives

Frequently asked questions regarding NVMe Solid State Drives (SSDs)

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