[SOLVED] noob here. need help with m.2 compatibility

[ellie01]

hi, sorry quite new and i just built my very own pc. I'm currently using HDD.
Now I'm planning on getting an M.2 drive. i'm using MSI b450m mortar.
tried checking the compatibility on their website but got confused with these:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450M-MORTAR/Specification

AMD® B450 Chipset

• 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
• 1 x M.2 slot (M2_2, Key M)
  • Supports PCIe 2.0 x4 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices

AMD® CPU

• 1 x M.2 slot (M2_1, Key M)
  • Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 (1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD® Ryzen™/ Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics and 2nd Gen AMD® Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Graphics) or PCIe 3.0 x2 (Athlon™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics) and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices

1. PCI_E4 slot will be unavailable when an M.2 SSD is installed in the M2_2 slot.

does this mean that the slot 2 is actually better and it would be advisable to put in the M.2 in slot 2?
and just to be sure the M.2 I have to get is SATA not NVME although i've read somewhere before (not sure of accuracy) that an NVME m.2 is compatible with a M.2 slot.
im thinking of getting samsung 860 evo

thanks

 

[RealBeast]

hi, sorry quite new and i just built my very own pc. I'm currently using HDD.
Now I'm planning on getting an M.2 drive. i'm using MSI b450m mortar.
tried checking the compatibility on their website but got confused with these:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/B450M-MORTAR/Specification

AMD® B450 Chipset

• 4 x SATA 6Gb/s ports
• 1 x M.2 slot (M2_2, Key M)
  • Supports PCIe 2.0 x4 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices

AMD® CPU

• 1 x M.2 slot (M2_1, Key M)
  • Supports PCIe 3.0 x4 (1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD® Ryzen™/ Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics and 2nd Gen AMD® Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Graphics) or PCIe 3.0 x2 (Athlon™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics) and SATA 6Gb/s 2242/ 2260 /2280 storage devices

1. PCI_E4 slot will be unavailable when an M.2 SSD is installed in the M2_2 slot.

does this mean that the slot 2 is actually better and it would be advisable to put in the M.2 in slot 2?
and just to be sure the M.2 I have to get is SATA not NVME although i've read somewhere before (not sure of accuracy) that an NVME m.2 is compatible with a M.2 slot.
im thinking of getting samsung 860 evo

thanks

DO NOT order an 860 EVO if you want an M.2 device, it is a 2.5" SATA SSD. Go with a Samsung 960 or 970 NVMe M.2 model.

I would use the M2_1 slot, as it does not disable a PCIe slot, unless for some crazy reason you buy an Athlon with Radeon Vega Graphics because then that slot only runs at x2. I assume that this is irrelevant and you will get a Ryzen 3.

 

[ellie01]

I see. Coz I saw samsung evo 860 m.2
https://www.newegg.com/samsung-860-evo-series-250gb/p/N82E16820147675?&quicklink=true

Just want to confirm if thats compatible

 

[Sooqa]

Thanks guyz!!

 

[CountMike]

I see. Coz I saw samsung evo 860 m.2
https://www.newegg.com/samsung-860-evo-series-250gb/p/N82E16820147675?&quicklink=true

Just want to confirm if thats compatible

It is but it's not going to work at NVME (PCIe x4) speed. It's PCIe x2, Sata drive.

 

[ellie01]

It is but it's not going to work at NVME (PCIe x4) speed. It's PCIe x2, Sata drive.

I see. Then samsung evo 960 or 970 will work?

 

[CountMike]

I see. Then samsung evo 960 or 970 will work?

Yes, definitely.

 

[ellie01]

I see. Thanks alot!!

 

[SkyNetRising]

MSI b450m mortar has 2 M.2 slots.
M2_1 slot supports NVME and SATA M.2 drives. Samsung 860 Evo m.2 can be used in this slot (970 evo too).
M2_2 slot supports NVME drives only. Samsung 970 Evo can be used in this slot.

It is but it's not going to work at NVME (PCIe x4) speed. It's PCIe x2, Sata drive.

860 evo M.2 is sata drive. It is not PCIE x2.

 

[CountMike]

MSI b450m mortar has 2 M.2 slots.
M2_1 slot supports NVME and SATA M.2 drives. Samsung 860 Evo m.2 can be used in this slot (970 evo too).
M2_2 slot supports NVME drives only. Samsung 970 Evo can be used in this slot.


860 evo M.2 is sata drive. It is not PCIE x2.

I as referring to M2.slot.

 

[SkyNetRising]

Wrong again. Both M.2 slots on MSI b450m mortar are PCIE x4 (one PCIE 3.0, other PCIE 2.0),
if Ryzen CPU is used..

M2_1 converts to x2 ony when used with Athlon™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics CPU.