Full 970evo compatibility

[gaf.michael]

So I'm getting a bit lost in the numbers surrounding pcie info for getting a samsung 970 evo. Ive got a msi z97a gaming 6 mobo, which has specs of:

PCI Express 3.0 x16: 3 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, (support x16, x8/x8, x8/x4/x4 modes)
PCI Express x1: 4 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

Im guessing that meand that if I shove the 970 evo into one of the pcie 3.0 slots itll run at max speeds?

I think my gpu is currently in one of the pcie 3.0 slots. Would that be right?
If so, would it split the stuff 8x and 8x with the gpu and the ssd? Unsure of how that bit works but in more concerned if the 970 evo will work at full speed...

Thank you for reading

Edit: msis official page states this:
M.2 SLOT1 x 2280 Key M(PCIe Gen2 x2/SATA)

 

[kanewolf]

If you are using the M.2 slot, then per your post, the 970 is allocated a PCI 2.0 x2 bandwidth. See the WIKI page -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express#History_and_revisions -- 1.0 GB/s for a gen 2 x2 interface. Which is still double a SATA drive.

 

[velocityg4]

You would need an M.2 to PCIe adapter for full speed. So, you could use one of your PCIe slots. This will mean your GPU will have x8 instead of x16 bandwidth.

https://www.amazon.com/QNINE-Adapter-Express-Controller-Expansion/dp/B075MDH28Y/

 

[gaf.michael]

Ok so I could get the adapter to let it run at full speed. Im assuming I cant just plug it into the pcje port?
Would the reduction to the gpu affect game performance?
If I plug the ssd into the m.2 ill get much worse speed, but still better than sata, until I get a new mobo with a better m.2 slot Good to know.
Please correct me if im getting any of this wrong

 

[karenjoly]

The board has several types of connectors. First are the SATA connectors for sdds. Next are the direct pcie ports.Three have the x16 format and connect ( version 3,) either at x16 or x1 speed. You are likely occupying that first ver 3 x 16 connection with the GPU.

There are two other slots in the x16 form and when the three run, together they share bandwidth, so run x16 or x8 x8, or x8 x4 x4.

The board also has 4 pcie ver 2 slots with x 1 speed . These are listed as 4 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots.

The EVO does not fit these slots. It fits an M.2 connection and its interface is PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, You report the board's M.2 connection as PCIe Gen2 x2/SATA. So the board M.2 slot is slower than the design of the EVO in the lanes it provides : ( 2 x 2 ), a SATA level M2 drive.

I don't know if the EVO will work in a SATA M.2 slot but if so, it will work at SATA level speeds not full speed ie, as in a 3x4 M.2 slot.

So others members above have noted that you can try an M2-pcie adapter . Fit the EVO into the adapter and the adapter into the second x16 slot. Many adapter arrangements do not work so do some research. If it works, the x16 slots will work at x8 x8 which is just fine for both the gpu and the M.2.