F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop AM4 motherboards are great for modern GPUs. Look for models with good cooling and support for high-speed RAM.

AM4 motherboards are great for modern GPUs. Look for models with good cooling and support for high-speed RAM.

AM4 motherboards are great for modern GPUs. Look for models with good cooling and support for high-speed RAM.

X
xXfiresword1Xx
Junior Member
8
08-19-2021, 12:20 PM
#1
Hey there! I've upgraded my setup step by step and it's time for a motherboard upgrade. Right now I'm using an Asus Crosshair VI Hero, but it only has one M.2 slot and I need at least two... Plus, the board is from 2017 and it's getting old. I have an RTX 3080TI with a Ryzen 7 3800X and 64GB DDR4 memory. I'm thinking about getting the NZXT N7 B550 in white to match my case, but I'm curious if there are better choices. It looks good, but the white version sold out on Amazon and it's $70 more on NZXT's site—unless you're okay spending a bit more. Would it be better to go with the black model from Amazon for $200 instead?
X
xXfiresword1Xx
08-19-2021, 12:20 PM #1

Hey there! I've upgraded my setup step by step and it's time for a motherboard upgrade. Right now I'm using an Asus Crosshair VI Hero, but it only has one M.2 slot and I need at least two... Plus, the board is from 2017 and it's getting old. I have an RTX 3080TI with a Ryzen 7 3800X and 64GB DDR4 memory. I'm thinking about getting the NZXT N7 B550 in white to match my case, but I'm curious if there are better choices. It looks good, but the white version sold out on Amazon and it's $70 more on NZXT's site—unless you're okay spending a bit more. Would it be better to go with the black model from Amazon for $200 instead?

K
kip1113
Member
129
08-28-2021, 10:40 AM
#2
I considered the details, but there are some concerns... It might split my PCIe lanes. Also, locating a trustworthy manufacturer for the adapter isn’t easy. Lastly, does your motherboard limit performance from your GPU?
K
kip1113
08-28-2021, 10:40 AM #2

I considered the details, but there are some concerns... It might split my PCIe lanes. Also, locating a trustworthy manufacturer for the adapter isn’t easy. Lastly, does your motherboard limit performance from your GPU?

M
Miney
Junior Member
23
08-28-2021, 01:49 PM
#3
I second the idea of getting a PCIe to M.2 adapter. That's a much simpler and cheaper solution, and such an adapter is something you'd be able to carry forward to future builds, too. But if you must get another motherboard, since you want more connectivity, I'd go with an X570 board, as you'll often get 3 M.2 slots and all will be PCIe Gen 4 capable, as opposed to a B550 board, where you're almost always going to get just 2 and only the top slot will support Gen 4. At the moment, I think the X570S Aorus Elite AX is probably the best board for a reasonable price - it also is an "S" variant, so it has no chipset fan. There's also the X570S Aero G, which has 4 M.2 slots and has white accents, if you really want a board with white.
M
Miney
08-28-2021, 01:49 PM #3

I second the idea of getting a PCIe to M.2 adapter. That's a much simpler and cheaper solution, and such an adapter is something you'd be able to carry forward to future builds, too. But if you must get another motherboard, since you want more connectivity, I'd go with an X570 board, as you'll often get 3 M.2 slots and all will be PCIe Gen 4 capable, as opposed to a B550 board, where you're almost always going to get just 2 and only the top slot will support Gen 4. At the moment, I think the X570S Aorus Elite AX is probably the best board for a reasonable price - it also is an "S" variant, so it has no chipset fan. There's also the X570S Aero G, which has 4 M.2 slots and has white accents, if you really want a board with white.

T
Totopo2010
Junior Member
5
08-30-2021, 02:21 PM
#4
Installing the M.2 card in the secondary x16 port will lower your primary slot speed to x8. Opt for the bottom slot, which matches x16 dimensions but offers only x4 electrical connections. This slot supports Gen 2 technology, limiting M.2 drives to roughly 1800 MB/s. Regarding adapters, they mainly manage PCIe lane routing—ensure the card has good ratings. Your system should handle GPU performance even at x8, though speed may drop if using a 3.0 x16 setup.
T
Totopo2010
08-30-2021, 02:21 PM #4

Installing the M.2 card in the secondary x16 port will lower your primary slot speed to x8. Opt for the bottom slot, which matches x16 dimensions but offers only x4 electrical connections. This slot supports Gen 2 technology, limiting M.2 drives to roughly 1800 MB/s. Regarding adapters, they mainly manage PCIe lane routing—ensure the card has good ratings. Your system should handle GPU performance even at x8, though speed may drop if using a 3.0 x16 setup.