Question How to properly optimize and install Samsung 980 Pro on my MSI Z170A Gaming Pro?

[vojacirjak]

I just bought this M2 SSD, and I've stepped away from computers for some years, so I am unfamiliar how I can properly install the Samsung 980 Pro on my MSI Z170A Gaming Pro. What I mean by this is that I do not know how I can make it work at full speed and the way it's intended to be used. The last thing I want is to make the same mistake as people who purchase a 144hz monitor and use it at 60hz....

If anyone can guide me with the steps I need to take, I would greatly appreciate it!!

 

[CountMike]

I just bought this M2 SSD, and I've stepped away from computers for some years, so I am unfamiliar how I can properly install the Samsung 980 Pro on my MSI Z170A Gaming Pro. What I mean by this is that I do not know how I can make it work at full speed and the way it's intended to be used. The last thing I want is to make the same mistake as people who purchase a 144hz monitor and use it at 60hz....

If anyone can guide me with the steps I need to take, I would greatly appreciate it!!

Just plug in and mount in M.2 port/socket. In that MB there's only PCIe gen3 available (that's on what NVMe works), your Samsung 980 Pro is for PCIe gen4 so it will work only at PCIe gen3 speed, at about half it's rated performance. There's nothing you can do to fix that.
Note that SATA ports 5 and 6 will not be available.
Although at half speed it will still be many times faster than SATA.
After it was installed, just clone OS from any other drive you have it on.

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[vojacirjak]

Just plug in and mount in M.2 port/socket. In that MB there's only PCIe gen3 available (that's on what NVMe works), your Samsung 980 Pro is for PCIe gen4 so it will work only at PCIe gen3 speed, at about half it's rated performance. There's nothing you can do to fix that.
Note that SATA ports 5 and 6 will not be available.
Although at half speed it will still be many times faster than SATA.
After it was installed, just clone OS from any other drive you have it on.

​

I have a feeling that I've come across some posts where people said that you need to go through additional steps to integrate it properly and get the max out of it. I don't quite remember well enough what they did, perhaps it has something to do with the BIOS.

 

[CountMike]

I have a feeling that I've come across some posts where people said that you need to go through additional steps to integrate it properly and get the max out of it. I don't quite remember well enough what they did, perhaps it has something to do with the BIOS.

It's not different than any other SSD, just different connector. Windows 10 and 11 come with all necessary drivers and so do most Linux distros. It's best if your windows are installed in UEFI mode and that requires BIOS setting to EFI/UEFI mode.

 

[35below0]

I just bought this M2 SSD, and I've stepped away from computers for some years, so I am unfamiliar how I can properly install the Samsung 980 Pro on my MSI Z170A Gaming Pro. What I mean by this is that I do not know how I can make it work at full speed and the way it's intended to be used. The last thing I want is to make the same mistake as people who purchase a 144hz monitor and use it at 60hz....

If anyone can guide me with the steps I need to take, I would greatly appreciate it!!

As CountMike said, there isn't much to it. You literally plug and play it.

The speed difference between gen 3, gen 4 and gen 5 is comparable to cars that accelerate 0-60 in 3.13, 3.09 and 3 seconds flat. Yeah, one of them is fastest but you know...

I have a feeling that I've come across some posts where people said that you need to go through additional steps to integrate it properly and get the max out of it. I don't quite remember well enough what they did, perhaps it has something to do with the BIOS.

What exactly is the advice you're trying to follow?

When you install Windows it is truly best if all your drives are disconnected except the one you will install Windows on. During setup, you select that drive, Windows installer formats it, installs the OS and that's pretty much it.
After installation completes, shut down the PC, and connect all your other drives.


If this drive is NOT going to be an OS drive, you are just adding it to your system, just boot Windows or any OS normally, go to storage/drive management, format the drive and use it as you would any normal SSD/HDD.

There is no special setup though you may use Samsung's software to check everything is ok.