Question Can I install an sata iii m.2 ssd on my old motherboard? (MSI B150 gaming m3)

[DesertGhos444]

This is my motherboard - https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B150-GAMING-M3/Specification

It doesn't support NVME ssd as far as I can tell. But there is a m.2 ssd slot on the board and im assuming its for the m.2 ssd that are in sata form factor.

So if i buy this sata iii m.2 ssd - Link

It should work on my computer right?

 

[rgd1101]

yes it support sata type m.2

 

[Paperdoc]

Just want to call your attention to a small limit when you do this. Refer to your mobo's manual, p. 33, which takes some thinking. You will be installing what it calls a "M.2 SATA SSD" in that socket (third column in the table). Note that, when you do that, you can NOT plug any normal SATA HDD unit into the mobo SATA1 or SATA2 ports. See the upper left of the four diagrams below the table. See p. 31 to make clear which sockets those are. Just use any of the four other SATA sockets for normal HDD's.

This is just because the mobo SSD socket uses the SAME SATA controller chip as the SATA1 and SATA 2 ports. So those ports cannot be used for two things at once.

 

[DesertGhos444]

Just want to call your attention to a small limit when you do this. Refer to your mobo's manual, p. 33, which takes some thinking. You will be installing what it calls a "M.2 SATA SSD" in that socket (third column in the table). Note that, when you do that, you can NOT plug any normal SATA HDD unit into the mobo SATA1 or SATA2 ports. See the upper left of the four diagrams below the table. See p. 31 to make clear which sockets those are. Just use any of the four other SATA sockets for normal HDD's.

This is just because the mobo SSD socket uses the SAME SATA controller chip as the SATA1 and SATA 2 ports. So those ports cannot be used for two things at once.

Would it be better if I just get an NVME ssd and then use an m.2 nvme ssd to pcie adapter card?

 

[Paperdoc]

Not necessary. The "limit" I mention only means that you are able to use up to four of your six regular SATA ports, and I doubt you plan to have more SATA devices than that. There is a small difference in performance speed between a SATA type SSD and an NVMe type, but that may not be significant when you do it through a PCIe adapter card. So that performance difference also is not important.