Question Will Aorus Z390 support new NVMe M.2 SSD with FOUR SATA drives?

[k@rt]

I currently have 4 drives (3 SSD & 1 HDD hooked up to my Z390 PC using SATA ports) I'd like to add more storage for games and an M.2 NVMe SSD seems like a good option for that. However I read somewhere that using the M.2 slots actually disables some of the SATA slots. I can't find where I saw that now and am not even sure if it's true. I can do without one of the SATA drives but 3 of them are kind of important.

Can anyone confirm whether I can just plug in the M.2 drive without causing any issues with my existing drives?

And any recommendations for best M.2 SSD's? The SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus SSD seems like a good option.

Any other advice?

Thanks!

 

[USAFRet]

Which specific Z390?

In the user manual for your specific board, there is a table of connections and conflicts.

 

[k@rt]

Which specific Z390?

In the user manual for your specific board, there is a table of connections and conflicts.

As best as I can understand I have 2 M2 slots (M2A and M2M).

It says M2A SATA SSD shares bandwidth with SATA3_1 port, but not with PCIe SSD.

And M2M slot shares both SATA & PCIe bandwidth with SATA3_4 & SATA3_5 ports.

So I THINK that means so long as I only use SATA ports 0-3 I can use M2M okay. But honestly this is where I start to get kind of confused, I don't know much about M2 drives. I don't know why M2A conflicts with just one slot and only SATA or why M2M conflicts with 2 both on SATA & PCIe.

I don't even know whether it's better to use SATA or PCIe. I'm just familiar with SATA storage so I though I'd use that. But I've no particular reason I have to run SATA so maybe PCIe would be a better choice - seems price differences aren't massive.

Windows is on it's own separate SSD, and I can't be bothered to reinstall in, so this SSD will mostly just be a game drive.

The manual is here and the info is on page 20.

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z390-aorus-pro_wifi_1001_190708_e.pdf?v=99546c46cc78df8f6a13dfb6f642193a

Thanks for the reply!

 

[USAFRet]

"M.2" is the form factor.

There are both SATA III and NVMe/PCIe drives that fit in various M.2 ports.

Yours....
M2A:
Can use either type, SATA or PCIe
When using a SATA in that port, SATA #1 is disabled.
When using a PCIe, no SATA ports are disabled

M2M:
Can use either type, SATA or PCIe
When using a SATA in that port, SATA #4 & 5 are disabled.
When using a PCIe in that port, SATA #4 & 5 are disabled.


Why are some disabled? Available resources.

What is the difference between SATA III and PCIe drives?
Different protocols. PCIe (NVMe) drives are benchmark faster. Given price parity, there is little reason to get a SATA III M.2 drive.

 

[k@rt]

"M.2" is the form factor.

There are both SATA III and NVMe/PCIe drives that fit in various M.2 ports.

Yours....
M2A:
Can use either type, SATA or PCIe
When using a SATA in that port, SATA #1 is disabled.
When using a PCIe, no SATA ports are disabled

M2M:
Can use either type, SATA or PCIe
When using a SATA in that port, SATA #4 & 5 are disabled.
When using a PCIe in that port, SATA #4 & 5 are disabled.


Why are some disabled? Available resources.

What is the difference between SATA III and PCIe drives?
Different protocols. PCIe (NVMe) drives are benchmark faster. Given price parity, there is little reason to get a SATA III M.2 drive.

Amazing! Thank you so much! That's actually what I understood by it, although b/c of the difference between M2A and M2M I rly wasn't sure if I was correct.

So in your opinion I should look to buy a PCIe M2 drive? Seems the advantage is better performance and on top of that if I use the M2A slot it won't disable any of my sata connectors.

Again, thank you very much for you time. Much appreciated!

 

[USAFRet]

Yes, and only buy a good quality drive.
No off brand junk.

 

[k@rt]

Yes, and only buy a good quality drive.
No off brand junk.

I am probably going to get one of these below, I am a little limited for choice as z390 has PCIe Gen 3.0 not 4.0, so there aren't quite so many available:

https://www.amazon.fr/Samsung-MZ-V8V1T0BW-Contr%C3%B4le-thermique-intelligent/dp/B08TJ2649W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2GA6GKDZ6IWPJ&keywords=ssd+nvme+1to+pcie+3.0&qid=1694996807&sprefix=PCIe+SSD+1to%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-5

https://www.amazon.fr/Crucial-PCIe-Gen3-NVMe-interne/dp/B0C2WGL8DQ/ref=sr_1_4?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=2JO2OFKNY0RGD&keywords=ssd+PCIe+1To+crucial&qid=1694997422&sprefix=ssd+pcie+1to+crucial%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-4

https://www.amazon.fr/Lexar-SSD-NM620-NVME-PCIe/dp/B08T6C3H24/ref=sr_1_8?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=2TMVN7J9ZMV8P&keywords=ssd+PCIe+1To+lexar&qid=1694997474&sprefix=ssd+pcie+1to+lexar%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-8

https://www.amazon.fr/WD_BLUE-SN570-2280-PCIe-speed/dp/B09HKDQ1RN/ref=sr_1_5?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=1O6CYJ0I9BM7G&keywords=ssd+PCIe+1To+western&qid=1694997602&sprefix=ssd+pcie+1to+western%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-5

All my other SSDs are Crucial but this one is quite a bit cheaper than the Samsung & WD but I can't really see why.

 

[USAFRet]

I am probably going to get one of these below, I am a little limited for choice as z390 has PCIe Gen 3.0 not 4.0, so there aren't quite so many available:

Samsung, Crucial, WD....all good.

Don't stress over the lack of PCIe 4.0.
You'd never see the difference.

 

[k@rt]

Samsung, Crucial, WD....all good.

Don't stress over the lack of PCIe 4.0.
You'd never see the difference.

I just assumed a 4.0 wouldn't be compatible with my Mobo - that's all I was concerned about really, that it works.

Thanks again for all the advice!