Setting up M.2 drives with PCIe X16/X8 connections
Setting up M.2 drives with PCIe X16/X8 connections
Im confused... I got a 3080 ti auros gigabyte gpu installed with a gen 4 cable and vertical bracket. So its gen 4 allright. Now i got this motherboard ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XIII EXTREME - Z590 - LGA1200 and im using all 3 m.2 slots. In the manual it states that using all 3 m.2 slots will decrease or somehow impact the gen 4 pcie. So it runs 8x rather then 16x pcie https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LG...UM_WEB.pdf But as i understand it now then my current card dosent use the max speed of the gen 4 anyway. So the question is: Do i loose some of the speed or bandwidth when i install a 4090 gpu cuz im using all 3 m.2 slots ? Or wont a 4090 card benefit me anything regarding the pcie 8x over the 16x? Also there is this Dimm 2 bracket for my motherboard where i can install 2 m.2 drives. But then the manual states this: DIMM.2_1 slot (Key M) via ROG DIMM.2, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 & SATA modes) DIMM.2_2 slot (Key M) via ROG DIMM.2, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 (supports PCIe 3.0 x4 mode) DIMM.2_2 shares bandwidth with SATA6G_34 and DIMM.2_2 is default set at x2 mode. So if i install both m.2 drives on that dimm bracket. Do one of the drives only run at 2 x speed while the other runs 4 x speed ? I dont get it...How do install 3 m.2 drives on my motherboard without loosing performance regarding pcie x 16 and x 8 or is it impossible to maintain the 16 x with 3x m.2 drives ?
By default it's yes, but since it mentions "at default" I believe you can adjust it in BIOS. Yes. PCIe 4.0 x8 matches the speed of PCIe 3.0 x16. The 3090 was the first to deliver that speed in games, potentially dropping around 1% performance in most scenarios—usually only noticeable on synthetic tests. The 4090 offers better speed, so it may see a more significant impact, though it's unclear if players will notice unless someone tests it. You can switch all drives to x2 instead of x4, or request AMD/Intel to acknowledge HEDT so you can utilize more lanes and enjoy the full PCIe capability.
Thank you for your feedback. It seems the manual only lists a single M.2 slot, but if I use two, it switches to a PCIe 4.0 x8 configuration. It would be helpful to know if the system can automatically adjust this setting to a 4x PCIe slot by default in the dimming port.