[SOLVED] which m.2 should i put my o/s and games on with this mobo?

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blueshift2

Dec 17, 2018
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Hello, Long time reader first time poster. I have a ASROCK AB350 pro4 mother board. I have 2 m.2 slots. I am planning on using 2 drives one that is gen 3 x4 and one that is gen 3 x2

Currently i have my o/s on the x2 im wanting to install my games on the x4. Im wondering what the best way to do this is if its just to move my o/s to the "ultra m.2" or if it doesnt matter. Any help or input is greatly appreciated. I am new to the m.2 standard and am not sure what the best way to go is.
 
Solution
USAFRet
If you've got both those drives already connected and running, leave them as they are.
Wherever the OS is currently, leave it there. Use the other one for games.

That "OMG Faster!" is mostly marketing hype, and big benchmark numbers.
Once we've gone beyond spinning HDD's, the actual user facing benefit differences between the SSD types and interfaces isn't all that much.

I do find it odd though, that your motherboard specs state that the M2_2 can only be used with a SATA m.2 drive, yet you apparently have an NVMe in there.
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/AB350%20Pro4/index.asp#Specification
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blueshift2

Dec 17, 2018
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both are 500gb models. I had bought the gigabyte first and an associate said i should get the gen x4 and use it since my mobo supported it. But he isnt sure either if it matters which route i go for my os/games if they should be same or if it matters to use one or the other. Obviously i assume faster is better. but not sure if it really matters for playing fortnite as much as it does for bouncing down a video in adobe premier. im also unfamiliar with the motherboard enough to understand if its designed to be one way or another. id rather do it the right way from the start and know how then to find out i should of done it "xxxx way". Hopefully that makes sense and i appreciate the help and support.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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For your motherboard, you are limited in your choices.
2x m.2 ports.
1 can use an NVMe m.2 drive, and the other can only use a SATA m.2 drive.

Which one do you have now? The WD Black, or the Gigabyte?

----------------------------
- 1 x Ultra M.2 Socket (M2_1), supports M Key type 2242/2260/2280 M.2 PCI Express module up to Gen3 x4 (32 Gb/s) (with Summit Ridge, Raven Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge) or Gen3 x2 (16 Gb/s) (with A-Series APU, and Athlon 2xxGE series APU)**
- 1 x M.2 Socket (M2_2), supports M Key type 2230/2242/2260/2280/22110 M.2 SATA3 6.0 Gb/s module**
------------------------------------

You don't have 2x slots that can take NVMe/PCIe drives. Only one.

Assuming you already have the WD Black, presumably in the M2_1 port, the other port can only take a SATA m.2 drive.
Such as:

WD Blue
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820250091

Samsung 860 EVO
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147677

Crucial MX500
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820156177


 
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blueshift2

Dec 17, 2018
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I have both installed currently. filling both the m.2 ports the wd black is in the slot labelled "ultra m.2" and the gigabyte is in the standard m.2 port
 
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blueshift2

Dec 17, 2018
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also admittedly i have no idea what the difference is. They all say nvme 1.3 and pcie gen3 one is just x2 other is x4. but it sounds like if its just running at sata speeds on the m2_2 port the only benefit happens if i use the "ultra m.2" as its just running the other as a standard sata? Maybe i have that wrong from what you are saying.

edit: so the gigabyte i found the documentation says its a m.2 2280 form factor and is pci express 3x2 nvme 1.3 both are working fine. I did a dual boot to see the difference and i couldnt tell any other than user benchmark says the ultra m.2 is better than the other that rated average or something. So any gains i may see doing that are superficial. but in theory the way to go obviously seems to be the ultra m.2.

Im not sure if there is anything special i have to do outside treating it like a normal hard drive. Seems to boot as fast as any machine ive had with an ssd. So I cant personally tell if there is any difference in the little usage ive done. i guess the real test will be to use it in adobe and do some video editing and see if I can notice a difference. Maybe i have a bit of consumer ignorance and just assumed by the way they touted the tech in the sales advert and pages online that i assumed some massive "omg" improvement and was just making sure wasnt something i missed to properly set them up or something. Thank you for all the help and if there is any other information i may need or recommendations please feel free to let me know.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

Titan
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Mar 16, 2013
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If you've got both those drives already connected and running, leave them as they are.
Wherever the OS is currently, leave it there. Use the other one for games.

That "OMG Faster!" is mostly marketing hype, and big benchmark numbers.
Once we've gone beyond spinning HDD's, the actual user facing benefit differences between the SSD types and interfaces isn't all that much.

I do find it odd though, that your motherboard specs state that the M2_2 can only be used with a SATA m.2 drive, yet you apparently have an NVMe in there.
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/AB350%20Pro4/index.asp#Specification
 
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blueshift2

Dec 17, 2018
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I appreciate it. I would say yes it is very odd as well. I just assumed ok m.2 2280 interface it will work. it did but i think its just running it in sata mode. (not sure how legacy speeds work with this interface, or if thats correct term). Not sure if it matters but at one point when i was first setting it up it did ask if i wanted to use that slot as my boot drive. or it had a popup after the first boot after the first restart in windows. An had a bios screen that looked like the boot priority interface and i think all it did was when i selected it made it the first in the priority to load over the current usb selection then optical drive. which i assume is to help with "fast booting". But for future reference for anyone that googles the asrock ab350 pro4 that currently my gigabyte model GP-GSM2NE8512GNTD does work in the m2_2 slot and is rated as a m.2 2280 form factor that is pci gen 3 x2 nvme 1.3.


Honestly i never even thought about it or looked into it to know the difference. I was just like "hey let me try the latest tech and see what its like not even considering all the potential compatibility issues it could have. I just assumed it was like standard hard drives, and was like ok it fits in this plug there for it will hopefully work. truly appreciate all the help and support ive been given on the forum.
 
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