M2 conector question

[hackfederico495]

Hello, I'm going to buy the B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC(from MSI), and I thought about buying a M2 disk, as the MOBO has a slot for it.
On the webpage of the MOBO says that I could use(appart of other ones), those disks:

https://www.amazon.es/Samsung-970-EVO-Unidad-Estado/dp/B07CGGNX7S


And this one:

https://www.amazon.es/gp/aw/d/B073SBV3XX/ref=cm_cr_srp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8


I have been looking and one is key B and M while the other is only M. I'm still deciding which one to choose, i know that one is a SSD M2 and the other is NVMe M2. The question is that I find strange that they have different keys but MSI say that both fit on the MOBO(it is only to confirn that they will work).

Thank you.

PD:I'm spanish, so sorry if you don't undersand something.

 

[scout_03]

your board support m key on check user manual and the video install of m2 .

 

[raisonjohn]

The first link is a PCIe-based (NVMe) M.2 SSD. It uses a PCIe3.0 x4 interface up to 3.94GB/s transfer rate. These types of SSDs have a Key-M connector (see image below) which can fit on any of the two M.2 slots in the Msi B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC motherboard (top M2_1 or bottom M2_2 slots), not only because both slots are Key-M, but also those two M.2 slots specifically support PCIe-based M.2 SSDs.

Take note, though, that the M2_1 slot of the mobo (the one on top) can do PCIe3.0 x4 (3.94GB/s max. transfer rate) while the M2_2 slot of the mobo (the one on the bottom) can only do PCIe2.0 x4 (2.0GB/s max. transfer rate).

The second link is a SATA-based M.2 SSD. It is much slower than PCIe. It uses a SATAIII interface (similar to your regular SSD connected on a SATA port) up to 600MB/s transfer rate only. These types of SSDs have a Key-M + Key-B connector (see image below) which can still fit on a Key-M M.2 slot (like the ones in the Msi B450 Gaming Pro Carbon AC). However, that specific motherboard, despite having two M.2 slots that are both Key-M, the SATA-based M.2 SSD can only be plugged in the M2_1 slot (the top slot) because the other M2_2 slot only supports PCIe-based SSDs (not SATA).

So, both of the two M.2 SSD you linked will work:

Samsung 970 EVO NVMe = Plug it at the top M2_1 slot = will achieve PCIe3.0 x4 speeds *OR* plug it at the bottom M2_2 slot = will achieve PCIe2.0 x4 speeds only.

WD Blue 3D NAND = Plug it at the top M2_1 slot = will achieve SATAIII speeds only

 

[hackfederico495]

Thank you. Very good explain. I knew the difference of speed but my budget for storage is arround 100$, and I'm thinking between 225GB high speed or 500GB normal speed. (Although I am currently with HDD's, so the "normal speed" of the SATA III ssd for me is ultra speed.


And:

"It uses a SATAIII interface (similar to your regular SSD connected on a SATA port) up to 0.60MB/s transfer rate only. These types of SSDs."


There you meant 0.6GB/s, not MB/s, right?

 

[raisonjohn]

Edited: Yes, you are right. I incorrectly typed 0.60MB/s which I actually meant 600MB/s (or 0.60GB/s).

 

[hackfederico495]

Np, thank you anyway.