Compare SSD and motherboard features for performance and compatibility.
Compare SSD and motherboard features for performance and compatibility.
It essentially indicates that placing an M.2 drive in the first slot of your motherboard can disable one of the SATA connections (for HDDs or 2.5-inch SSDs). Even if you attempt to connect a drive, it won't function since the electrical link is cut. You may need to test manually which port gets affected by connecting a SATA device.
It indicates that inserting an NVMe SSD into the M.2 slot removes one of your SATA connections. If you don’t need that connection (for another SATA SSD), it’s fine. ~edit: In plain language: You can choose between the M.2 slot or the SATA port, but not both at the same time.
Your motherboard features six SATA connections. These ports serve 2.5" SSDs, HDDs, and optical drives such as DVD and Blu-Ray units. When you connect the first M.2 slot, one of those six ports becomes inactive, reducing your available ports to five. If your setup includes more than five SATA devices, this might cause a problem. Be aware that using SATA devices means avoiding using the SATA port in that specific configuration.
I thought using the M.2 connected to the chipset would remove ports 5 and 6. That’s the configuration on my board. Some boards work around this issue, though you have to accept the trade-offs.