I'm unsure about the exact placement for M.2 on the Strix Z790-E.
I'm unsure about the exact placement for M.2 on the Strix Z790-E.
I’ve checked various videos and articles, but the details seem mixed. For example, one person says to put the M.2 in slot 1, near the CPU, while another mentions slot 5. I’ve also read some discussions suggesting slot 1 is better, but it might affect GPU performance. With your SSD being Samsung 980 Pro and GPU being 3090, I’d prefer a setup that keeps both running smoothly.
For devices without a PCIe 5 SSD, M2_2 LGA 1700 CPUs can handle up to 16 lanes of PCIe 5 and 4 lanes of PCIe 4. The former is used for PCIe x16 slots while the latter fits M.2 slots. To create a PCIe 5 M.2 port, you need to divide the capacity of the PCIe x16 slot—PCIe can only be split in half, so it should be x8 plus x4 instead of x12 plus x4.
It usually doesn't matter where you place the graphics card; just ensure it fits the PCIe slot correctly.
This model offers the highest number of PCIe lanes available on the board.
Yes, it seems the suggestion is to take off the sticker from both thermal pads.
Just take off the label from the slot for the device you’re using. It’s not necessary to remove both, but doing so could cause issues later if you try to use the slot.