Check the specifications for NVMe performance in the X670E's NVMe slots.
Check the specifications for NVMe performance in the X670E's NVMe slots.
It seems this information should be placed in either the motherboard or storage category. Based on your ASRock Steel Legend X670E, which features two chipsets, I believe it leans more toward the chipset side rather than the storage side. You’ve installed a Predator 4 TB Gen 4x4 M.2 into M.2_4, which is connected to the first chipset—directly linked to the CPU (not the M.2_1 slot). Your reported speeds are impressive: 6577 MB/s reads and 6323 MB/s writes, surpassing typical benchmarks over 7.2 GB/s read and 6.5 GB/s write.
You mentioned checking with flashinfo and confirming the drive’s specs match (Micron 176L(B47R) TLC 1024Gb/CE). Your setup includes two additional M.2 Gen 3x3 drives on the second chipset, a 970 Evo Plus 2TB for your OS, and an SX8100 4TB for gaming. All are idle except during OS tasks, as confirmed by Crystal Disk Mark tests.
Regarding bandwidth concerns: you’re using a USBC 10 Gbps enclosure, which should share the bandwidth with other drives. Your Windows 10 22H2 build (version 19045) supports these speeds, and the drive model matches most user reviews. It’s possible your mid-range board is underperforming in this configuration, or you might be experiencing saturation.
You asked about saturation points for similar drives on X670E platforms—some tech communities and YouTubers discuss these scenarios. The 2TB drive you’re using is a common choice, but performance can vary depending on the motherboard’s chipset support and driver optimization. If you’re seeing such high speeds, it might be a sign of efficient NVMe handling, though others note that full utilization isn’t always guaranteed.
For reference, your NVMe flash info confirms the drive supports 1024Gb/CE per die, which aligns with the specs listed. If you’re experiencing bottlenecks, consider checking for firmware updates or ensuring all components are compatible.
If you haven’t installed a Gen5 SSD yet, there’s no real disadvantage. The connected slots will use the same PCIe bandwidth as other devices, which could slightly reduce performance. Still, your drive delivers over 6 gigabytes per second in both directions—well beyond typical limits. You shouldn’t be concerned about missing theoretical caps.