[SOLVED] Can a PCI-e 3.0 x4 plug into a PCI-e 4.0 x 4 slot?

[Hxrdy256]

I have got a Samsung 970 EVO PLUS M.2 and I know that it is PCI-e 3.0 and my motherboard (Asus B560M Plus Wifi) has a PCI-e 4.0 M.2 slot but it also has a PCI-e 3.0 one as well. I'm not sure which slot to use?

Are both slots compatible with my M.2 or will only the PCI-e 3.0 slot work?

 

[rgd1101]

backward compatible

 

[USAFRet]

What CPU do you have?

TUF GAMING B560M-PLUS WIFI - Tech Specs｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

TUF GAMING B560M-PLUS WIFI is an mATX motherboard for gamers, equipped with digital VRM with 8+1 Power stages, PCIe 4.0 support, DDR4 5000 MHz (OC) ,dual M.2 slots with flexible heatsink, Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet, Intel® Wi-Fi 6, rear USB 3.2 Gen 2, front USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C®, Thunderboltâ¢...

www.asus.com

M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
- Only Intel® 11th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, this slot will be disabled for other CPUs

 

[GoofyOne]

According to the motherboard specs, you should be able to use it in the PCIe 4 slot, although it is only enabled if you have a 11th gen processor on it.

I just got that from reading this: Motherboard Specs


{GoofyOne's 2c worth}

 

[GoofyOne]

So it depends what cpu you have on the motherboard. If it's a 11th generation cpu, then you can use the first M.2 slot otherwise you will only be able to use the 2nd M.2 socket. Seems very odd to me they do it like that.

I have a x570 board with only a single M.2 socket and it works in PCIe3, or PCIe4 ... but will only work at faster speed if you put faster cpu in.


{GoofyOne}

 

[Hxrdy256]

What CPU do you have?

TUF GAMING B560M-PLUS WIFI - Tech Specs｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

TUF GAMING B560M-PLUS WIFI is an mATX motherboard for gamers, equipped with digital VRM with 8+1 Power stages, PCIe 4.0 support, DDR4 5000 MHz (OC) ,dual M.2 slots with flexible heatsink, Realtek 2.5Gb Ethernet, Intel® Wi-Fi 6, rear USB 3.2 Gen 2, front USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C®, Thunderboltâ¢...

www.asus.com

M.2_1 slot (Key M), type 2242/2260/2280
- Only Intel® 11th Gen processors support PCIe 4.0 x4 mode, this slot will be disabled for other CPUs

I'm using the i5-11600k with this build.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm using the i5-11600k with this build.

With that, you can use either slot.