Question PCIE Adapters for M.2s?

[theinsanegamer5555]

Hey Folks need some help. Im looking into getting a pcie adapter for more m.2s. i have 1 pcie slot 16 available. Does my motherboard support Bifurcation found https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WP8Q8B7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 here? Looking into getting something like this for my pcie that supports gen 4 what is a viable option for me? Looking into something that has the highest gen 4 speeds and can hold 4 m.2s. Any suggestions?

 

[Lutfij]

Why didn't you just mention the make and model of your motherboard, instead of posting with a questionable link shortener?

Is this the motherboard you're working with;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z590-AORUS-ELITE-AX-rev-10
?

Got a proper link to the PCIe adapter you're looking at?

 

[USAFRet]

Hey Folks need some help. Im looking into getting a pcie adapter for more m.2s. i have 1 pcie slot 16 available. Does my motherboard support Bifurcation found https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WP8Q8B7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 here? Looking into getting something like this for my pcie that supports gen 4 what is a viable option for me? Looking into something that has the highest gen 4 speeds and can hold 4 m.2s. Any suggestions?

Why the multiple M.2 drives?

What specific motherboard?
What drives do you currently have, and what drives are you looking to add to this?

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

Why didn't you just mention the make and model of your motherboard, instead of posting with a questionable link shortener?

Is this the motherboard you're working with;
https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/Z590-AORUS-ELITE-AX-rev-10
?

Got a proper link to the PCIe adapter you're looking at?

something like this https://www.amazon.com/KONYEAD-Expansion-Card，Supports-256Gbps，M2-Bifurcation/dp/B0CMPZQS81?th=1 and its just easier to make a link shortener since i already have it bookmarked.

 

[SkyNetRising]

something like this https://www.amazon.com/KONYEAD-Expansion-Card，Supports-256Gbps，M2-Bifurcation/dp/B0CMPZQS81?th=1

You can use that PCIE M.2 adapter in first PCIE x16 slot only (where graphics card usually goes).

Second PCIE x16 slot works in x4 mode.
Only single M.2 drive on adapter will be operational, if you install adapter in second slot.

Bifurcation options should be available in BIOS.

How many M.2 drives do you plan to install?
Your board supports 3x M.2 drives without use of any adapters.

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

You can use that PCIE M.2 adapter in first PCIE x16 slot only (where graphics card usually goes).

Second PCIE x16 slot works in x4 mode.
Only single M.2 drive on adapter will be operational, if you install adapter in second slot.

Bifurcation options should be available in BIOS.

How many M.2 drives do you plan to install?
Your board supports 3x M.2 drives without use of any adapters.

ok mine supports 3 but 2 of them are used up. I am a storage hog so i prefer alot of storage i was hoping i can use the 2nd pcie slot and use 4 m.2s on the 1 x16 PCIE slot with the adapter.

 

[USAFRet]

ok mine supports 3 but 2 of them are used up. I am a storage hog so i prefer alot of storage i was hoping i can use the 2nd pcie slot and use 4 m.2s on the 1 x16 PCIE slot with the adapter.

And for all this 'extra storage', the advantage of trying to glom on more M.2, vs just SATA III SSD?

I have a lot of drives as well.
2x NVMe, and 4x SATA III SSD.

No hassle involved.

 

[thestryker]

Here's how your board works (assuming that Gigabyte Z590 is what you're working with):
PCIEX16 can run in x16 || x8/x8 || x8/x4/x4 modes
PCIEX4 doesn't have any bifurcation support

If you buy an expansion card with the intent of using 4x M.2 SSDs you have to buy a card that has a switch on it which will handle the bifurcation. If you do not do this you'd have a maximum of 3 SSDs detected in the x16 slot or 1 SSD detected in the x4 slot.

Keep in mind the x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 compatible only if you have an 11th Gen processor and the x4 slot is always PCIe 3.0.

Another note: if you did get a card that supported bifurcation and put it in the x4 slot you are still limited to a maximum of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth across all of the drives.

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

Here's how your board works (assuming that Gigabyte Z590 is what you're working with):
PCIEX16 can run in x16 || x8/x8 || x8/x4/x4 modes
PCIEX4 doesn't have any bifurcation support

If you buy an expansion card with the intent of using 4x M.2 SSDs you have to buy a card that has a switch on it which will handle the bifurcation. If you do not do this you'd have a maximum of 3 SSDs detected in the x16 slot or 1 SSD detected in the x4 slot.

Keep in mind the x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 compatible only if you have an 11th Gen processor and the x4 slot is always PCIe 3.0.

Another note: if you did get a card that supported bifurcation and put it in the x4 slot you are still limited to a maximum of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth across all of the drives.

So i9-10900k Not enough? And i can only have a maximum of 3 drives on my second x16 slot via a PCIE Adapter?

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

Here's how your board works (assuming that Gigabyte Z590 is what you're working with):
PCIEX16 can run in x16 || x8/x8 || x8/x4/x4 modes
PCIEX4 doesn't have any bifurcation support

If you buy an expansion card with the intent of using 4x M.2 SSDs you have to buy a card that has a switch on it which will handle the bifurcation. If you do not do this you'd have a maximum of 3 SSDs detected in the x16 slot or 1 SSD detected in the x4 slot.

Keep in mind the x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 compatible only if you have an 11th Gen processor and the x4 slot is always PCIe 3.0.

Another note: if you did get a card that supported bifurcation and put it in the x4 slot you are still limited to a maximum of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth across all of the drives.

im assuming this will work? https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-M-2-X16...b-fcbb-42f8-9767-857e17e03685#customerReviews

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

Here's how your board works (assuming that Gigabyte Z590 is what you're working with):
PCIEX16 can run in x16 || x8/x8 || x8/x4/x4 modes
PCIEX4 doesn't have any bifurcation support

If you buy an expansion card with the intent of using 4x M.2 SSDs you have to buy a card that has a switch on it which will handle the bifurcation. If you do not do this you'd have a maximum of 3 SSDs detected in the x16 slot or 1 SSD detected in the x4 slot.

Keep in mind the x16 slot is PCIe 4.0 compatible only if you have an 11th Gen processor and the x4 slot is always PCIe 3.0.

Another note: if you did get a card that supported bifurcation and put it in the x4 slot you are still limited to a maximum of PCIe 3.0 x4 bandwidth across all of the drives.

So you cant do a x4/x4/x4/x4 mode in bifurcation? Only a x8/x4/x4 or a x8/x8? And thanks for the explaining this is very confusing.

 

[thestryker]

So i9-10900k Not enough?

It only supports PCIe 3.0

And i can only have a maximum of 3 drives on my second x16 slot via a PCIE Adapter?

There's only one x16 slot on desktop motherboards and that's the first one. The second full length slot on your motherboard is x4.

im assuming this will work? https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-M-2-X16-V2-Threadripper/dp/B07NQBQB6Z/

This will only work in the first PCIe slot which is x16 and would only support 3 drives with the BIOS set to x8/x4/x4 mode. If you put it in the second only one drive would be supported.

So you cant do a x4/x4/x4/x4 mode in bifurcation? Only a x8/x4/x4 or a x8/x8? And thanks for the explaining this is very confusing.

Correct that's how things seem to be arranged as I've seen the same on Asus Z590 boards.

 

[theinsanegamer5555]

It only supports PCIe 3.0

There's only one x16 slot on desktop motherboards and that's the first one. The second full length slot on your motherboard is x4.

This will only work in the first PCIe slot which is x16 and would only support 3 drives with the BIOS set to x8/x4/x4 mode. If you put it in the second only one drive would be supported.

Correct that's how things seem to be arranged as I've seen the same on Asus Z590 boards.

well that sucks. thanks for clarification il just but a 4tb one and use my third slot.

 

[SkyNetRising]

I am a storage hog so i prefer alot of storage

What type of content do you need to store?
Does it need to be stored on ultra fast NVME drive?
Just get a large capacity sata drive (like 12TB, 18TB).