Checking the Asus B650E-E setup - Sanity verification complete.
Checking the Asus B650E-E setup - Sanity verification complete.
X670 offers additional lanes, but the actual configuration depends on how the board maker implements them. Some models include separate 4x M2 slots without sharing, while others have fewer PCIe slots or reduced lanes. For instance, the Aorus Master provides 2 Gen5 and 2 Gen4 slots, but only Gen5x16, Gen4x4, and Gen3x2 PCIe options are available, with the latter being unavailable if certain SATA ports are used.
Bottom position is x2 and becomes inactive when using a 4th M.2 slot, unfortunately. Middle position operates at x1. It might work in certain cases, but I’m paying an extra $30 here for the fourth slot. Previously, I looked at this board but lowered my expectations because of the x2 limitation. Now, considering @RONOTHAN##’s advice about two lanes being acceptable for a display adapter, my confidence has shifted. Right now, the WX5100 sits in the bottom slot of my Strix X470-f, running at Gen2x4. The card only supports PCIe 3.0, so in the ProArt’s Gen4x2 bottom slot it would operate at Gen3x2 with the same speed as my current setup. 10GbE is definitely worth it. I’ve noticed some stuttering on displays driven by the WX5100, especially when content is rendered locally and sent over the PCIe bus to the card for display. I had hoped the Asus board (B650E-E) would help by doubling the bandwidth available to the WX5100 (from Gen2x4 to Gen3x4), and possibly in the future a more affordable 4.0 card could support multiple monitors at higher speeds. @Agall, I’m curious about your experience with this. I’m aware my configuration is unusual. Is it okay to use a non-M.2 device in the dedicated x4 slot? The X670E-E is about $120 more than what I can currently afford for the B650E-E. Another thing I’m not sure about is the VRM setup. The 9950X is a high-quality chip, but is the B650E-E’s VRM adequate for it? Five years ago there were worries about fitting a 3950X into a cheap x370 board, but core counts haven’t jumped like that. Is extra VRM really needed for this chip? I really appreciate the information you shared; I’ve been studying it closely. I made a copy to help filter based on various parameters. Thank you all for your responses – the level of discussion is impressive, and I value your insights.
The M2_4 will operate at x2 when the bottom slot is filled. This results in a bandwidth reduction, though it's still a noticeable drop. The information comes from the MSI spec sheet on their website. Moving some displays from the WX 5100 to the integrated graphics could help lower the PCIe bandwidth requirements.