Question Motherboard selection and PCIe x16 ?

[That_Tech_Guy_Again]

It is a simple question. I am looking for a Motherboard that has 2 PCIe x16 slots with BOTH using x16 mode simultaneously. I want a GPU, and a NVME M.2 adapter to run 4 M.2 SSD's at the same time.

Since the M.2 SSD requires 4 PCIe lanes. that means 4 x 4 = 16 lanes. However, on PCPartPicker. I only seem to see motherboards that have 1 PCIe slot at x16/16 and a second or even a third PCIe slot, all in x4 or x1 mode only.



EDIT: My bad. I forgot to add the CPU. I am planning on getting the 9950X3D, with the 9070 XT. It will be an AM5 Motherboard.

 

[USAFRet]

It is a simple question. I am looking for a Motherboard that has 2 PCIE x16 slots with BOTH using x16 mode simultaneously. I want a GPU, and a NVME M.2 adapter to run 4 M.2 SSD's at the same time.

Since the M.2 SSD requires 4 PCIE lanes. That means 4 x 4 = 16 lanes. However, on pcpartspicker. I only seem to see Motherboards that have 1 PCIE slot at x16/16 and a second or even a third PCIE slot, all in x4 or x1 mode only.

A simple question, and apparently a simple answer.

That does not yet exist.

 

[Math Geek]

if it does exist, it WILL be a top end very expensive model. since the cpu does not have enough lanes to do this, the mobo will have to have an extra chip providing those lanes.

so start at the most expensive models for whatever cpu you have/want to buy and work your way down. you might find one, though it is gonna cost if you do.

we'll need to know what cpu and chipset you are looking at to even pretend to offer some possible models.

 

[Lutfij]

I only seem to see Motherboards that have 1 PCIE slot at x16/16 and a second or even a third PCIE slot, all in x4 or x1 mode only.
Which platform are you looking at, Intel or AMD?

Even on a high end board like this;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X870E-AORUS-MASTER
you don't exactly get more than 2x PCIex16 slot with x16 lanes at your disposal.

I want a GPU, and a NVME M.2 adapter to run 4 M.2 SSD's at the same time.
In fact, if you do need that many M.2 drives, why not use the M.2 slots native to the motherboard?

This is even more expensive but grants you a second PCIex16 slot wired to 8 lanes;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X870E-AORUS-XTREME-AI-TOP-rev-1x
but the slot gets negated with the use of a M.2 drives.

 

[USAFRet]

What might such a system be used for?

 

[That_Tech_Guy_Again]

I only seem to see Motherboards that have 1 PCIE slot at x16/16 and a second or even a third PCIE slot, all in x4 or x1 mode only.
Which platform are you looking at, Intel or AMD?

Even on a high end board like this;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X870E-AORUS-MASTER
you don't exactly get more than 2x PCIex16 slot with x16 lanes at your disposal.

I want a GPU, and a NVME M.2 adapter to run 4 M.2 SSD's at the same time.
In fact, if you do need that many M.2 drives, why not use the M.2 slots native to the motherboard?

This is even more expensive but grants you a second PCIex16 slot wired to 8 lanes;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/X870E-AORUS-XTREME-AI-TOP-rev-1x
but the slot gets negated with the use of a M.2 drives.

I just edited the post. Forgot to add relevant information. My bad. Planning on getting the 9950X3D, and AM5 Motherboard. I was looking at boards that had 2 PCIE slots and 3 M.2 slots. I plan to get 4tb M.2 SSD's, and over time just add more when i need them. Since games are LITERALLY like 100 gigs or more now, filling up a 4tb SSD will not be difficult.

So in total i am hoping for a Motherboard that can have 7 M.2 SSD's. 4 slots on the PCIE x16, and 3 slots on the Motherboard itself.

 

[That_Tech_Guy_Again]

What might such a system be used for?

Well, you see..... I have like 300 games on Steam, which i have bought over the years and like hundreds more free (even free SSS games), on the Epic Game Store, that i have NEVER downloaded / installed before. And i do NOT like having to delete things after they have been downloaded.

Also, i am learning C++ and then i plan on learning Unreal Engine 5 and creating my own game. Which will probably need some space too.


For reference. I bought a new 2tb SSD, and i filled it up in like 6 months or less. 🙁

 

[USAFRet]

Well, you see..... I have like 300 games on Steam, which i have bought over the years and like hundreds more free (even free SSS games), on the Epic Game Store, that i have NEVER downloaded / installed before. And i do NOT like having to delete things after they have been downloaded.

Also, i am learning C++ and then i plan on learning Unreal Engine 5 and creating my own game. Which will probably need some space too.


For reference. I bought a new 2tb SSD, and i filled it up in like 6 months or less. 🙁

A game system?

That absolutely does not need that level of PCIe ports or whatever.

In playing games from Steam, there is literally zero difference playing from a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 drive, or a SATA III SSD.

More space is one thing.
But it does NOT need to be uberfast across the whole platform.

 

[That_Tech_Guy_Again]

A game system?

That absolutely does not need that level of PCIe ports or whatever.

In playing games from Steam, there is literally zero difference playing from a PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 drive, or a SATA III SSD.

More space is one thing.
But it does NOT need to be uberfast across the whole platform.

Maybe i am misunderstanding exactly how PCIE lanes work. But i am pretty sure that if a PCIE x16 slot ONLY has x8 lanes. Then it can ONLY have / recognize 2 M.2 x4 drives?


I am not referencing speed. I am referencing the number of possible M.2 SSD's that can be operational on the Motherboard simultaneously.

Also, i am not quite sure how "fast" is considered fast. Nor do i know in what sort of way such a thing could be measured in a practical way.

 

[USAFRet]

Maybe i am misunderstanding exactly how PCIE lanes work. But i am pretty sure that if a PCIE x16 slot ONLY has x8 lanes. Then it can ONLY have / recognize 2 M.2 x4 drives?


I am not referencing speed. I am referencing the number of possible M.2 SSD's that can be operational on the Motherboard simultaneously.

Also, i am not quite sure how "fast" is considered fast. Nor do i know in what sort of way such a thing could be measured in a practical way.

In benchmarks, an NVMe drive (PCie 3/4/5) is miles faster than a SATA III SSD.
In actual user facing performance, in the game realm, not so much.

Often, people who purport to know, can't tell the difference in a blind test.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YoRKQy-UO4

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DKLA7w9eeA

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ9LyNXpsOo

 

[thestryker]

It doesn't sound like you'd need all of the bandwidth all of the time so you could get something along these lines: https://sabrent.com/collections/adapters-nvme-adapters/products/ec-p3x4

You'd be limited to PCIe 3.0 x4, but realistically this isn't a particular problem if you're using it for games.

The only choice you have if you want 32+ PCIe lanes is buying a workstation processor and platform either Intel Xeon W or AMD Threadripper. Both of which would be worse at gaming, cost a lot more and use more power.

 

[CountMike]

It's not motherboard problem but consumer CPUs have only 24 PCIe lanes of which only 20 are usable because other 4 are reserved for communication with chipset. If you want more you need a Xeon or Threadripper processor with 48 lanes. for instance
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Gen 5, 48 Lanes
(CPU only)
and

Secondary PCIe:	Gen 4, 32 Lane

 

[cruisetung]

As suggested above, you likely will need workstation or server level or very expensive consumer cpu and motherboard. You will need a x16 slot that supports bifurcation which can split into 4 x 4 pcie lanes to support 4 m.2 nvme.

here is some suggestions for consumer level stuff (not including onboard nvme support) modify or refine the question and submit your own
https://chatgpt.com/share/68721a2d-4cac-800b-8914-eb1170228862

The fact is that you need every thing from cpu, chipset, motherboard, bios, pcie slot to adapter to make it work. Consumer level stuff very likely not able to satisfy your goal
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pcie+bifurcation

 

[Flayed]

My motherboard (Asrock X670E Steel Legend) has 4 NVMe that I think will work at full speed with all of them filled. Only one is PCIe 5, although I don't see that as an issue.

It takes a while to install a large game onto a SATA SSD, which can be annoying if you're eager to play right away.

 

[USAFRet]

It takes a while to install a large game onto a SATA SSD

I'd wager almost none of that time is related to the drive.
Rather, the rest of the system....CPU and RAM.