Choose the appropriate M.2 slot based on your device's specifications and the form factor you need.
Choose the appropriate M.2 slot based on your device's specifications and the form factor you need.
Hey! Based on what you shared, it looks like you have a few options to consider. The M.2_1 slot shares bandwidth with SATA6G_1, and when it's in SATA mode the SATA port gets disabled. If you want faster speeds, using M.2_2 is better since it supports IRST and has a cooler design. The M.2_1 slot is nearer to the CPU, but you might not need it right now. Since you have six HDDs, you could use SATA for them while keeping M.2 slots for NVMe if you upgrade later. If you're unsure about IRST for NVMe drives, you might want to check the manual or manufacturer guidelines before turning it on.
The ADATA XPG SX8200 PRO is a PCIe NVMe storage device. It won’t use the SATA connection, so the SATA6G_1 port remains active. Which option should you select? The ASUS support page isn’t allowing me to download the manual for more details right now.
Both M.2 ports support PCI-E 3.0 X4, and they originate from the B460 chipset. Either port works well because you’ll be using them in PCI-E/NVMe format. The distance between the CPU socket shouldn’t affect performance.