[SOLVED] Plugging in M.2 Drives

Blindeagle

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Sep 21, 2013
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Hi will be building my pc and dunno if im being stupid or not with my M.2 drives but in the manual it says

" If M2_5 is occupied, PCIE1 will downgrade to x8 mode "

Not really sure what this means and were to plug both my m.2 drives into the motherboard.

Specs :

Motherboard : ASRock Z790 PG SONIC

Storage: Kingston KC3000 1TB PCIe 4.0

Kingston KC3000 2TB PCIe 4.0

GPU: Rx 7900 xtx (When it comes out)

What i don't understand is were to plug both my drives onto the motherboard and will it downgrade my gpu performance if i plug it into that m2.5 space?

I cant post any images but the link to the manual - Page 6 is what the board looks like : https://download.asrock.com/Manual/Z790 PG SONIC.pdf

And the boards looks like this : https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z790 PG SONIC/img/hero/1.png

I assume the first drives goes under M2_1 and then my second would go under M2_3 because both of these have the headsink? Again sorry if i'm being stupid but just trying to learn

Thanks
 
Solution
If you use the M2_5 slot, your first PCIe slot (where you would normally place a GPU) will have its speed reduced.

You can still use any M.2 slots for your two drives, just don't use the M2_5 slot. In other words, you can use the M2_1 and M2_2 slots for your two drives and you'll have no issues.
If you use the M2_5 slot, your first PCIe slot (where you would normally place a GPU) will have its speed reduced.

You can still use any M.2 slots for your two drives, just don't use the M2_5 slot. In other words, you can use the M2_1 and M2_2 slots for your two drives and you'll have no issues.
 
Solution

Blindeagle

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Sep 21, 2013
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If you use the M2_5 slot, your first PCIe slot (where you would normally place a GPU) will have its speed reduced.

You can still use any M.2 slots for your two drives, just don't use the M2_5 slot. In other words, you can use the M2_1 and M2_2 slots for your two drives and you'll have no issues.

Ah perfect, but i thought the m.2 drive should be under a heatsink? so i assume for the board it will be M2_1 and 3?
 

Blindeagle

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Sep 21, 2013
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If you use the M2_5 slot, your first PCIe slot (where you would normally place a GPU) will have its speed reduced.

You can still use any M.2 slots for your two drives, just don't use the M2_5 slot. In other words, you can use the M2_1 and M2_2 slots for your two drives and you'll have no issues.

Also it says on the Manual that M2_5 is "

1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode* "

which i assume i will not need to use?
 
Ah perfect, but i thought the m.2 drive should be under a heatsink? so i assume for the board it will be M2_1 and 3?

An M.2 drive doesn't necessarily have to be under a heatsink, it's just a nice feature that some boards have.



Also it says on the Manual that M2_5 is "

1 x Blazing M.2 Socket (M2_5, Key M), supports type 2280 PCIe Gen5x4 (128 Gb/s) mode* "

which i assume i will not need to use?

You don't necessarily have to use that M2_5 slot. But from that description that's why that slot will reduce the speed of the PCIe slot since it'll pull more resources for the M2 in that particular slot.
 

Blindeagle

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Sep 21, 2013
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An M.2 drive doesn't necessarily have to be under a heatsink, it's just a nice feature that some boards have.





You don't necessarily have to use that M2_5 slot. But from that description that's why that slot will reduce the speed of the PCIe slot since it'll pull more resources for the M2 in that particular slot.

Ah i get it now, By the looks of it i think M2_1 and M2_3 will be the best place to put it, should be enough for the gen 4 m.2 drives :) Thanks for the help
 

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