Solved! Can The M.2 NVME Slots On The ASUS Pro WS WRX80E Only Be Used For Storage?

[TryingToVirtualizeStuff]

Hello,

I wished to purchase the ASUS Pro WS WRX80E:

Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE SE WIFI｜Motherboards｜ASUS USA

ASUS Pro Workstation motherboards are designed for professionals in AI training, deep learning, animation, or 3D rendering. Featuring expandable graphics, storage, impressive connectivity and reliability, an ASUS Pro Workstation motherboard is the ideal solution for creative professionals and IT...

www.asus.com

...for a Threadripper Pro (3995WX) workstation build, and wanted to purchase an M.2 to PCIe riser card:

https://www.amazon.com/ADT-Link-Riser-Gen3-0-PCI-Express-Extension/dp/B07Z4S18RB

...to add an additional PCIe 3.0 x4 slot to the motherboard.

However, I heard from a system builder that the M.2 slots on the Asus can only be used for storage (not for PCIe cards when using a PCIe riser).

Does anyone know if this is true?

Thank you,
Nelson

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

I don't know if you'll find a definitive answer for that specific motherboard.

PCI Express is PCI Express. The slot shouldn't care what's connected so long as it's a PCI Express device. I suspect it would work fine. You'd have to go into it knowing there might be a chance it doesnt work.

The only caveat is you absolutely must use external power for the adapters as M.2 only delivers a fraction of the power of a standard (even 1x) PCI-e slot.

 

[TryingToVirtualizeStuff]

I don't know if you'll find a definitive answer for that specific motherboard.

PCI Express is PCI Express. The slot shouldn't care what's connected so long as it's a PCI Express device. I suspect it would work fine. You'd have to go into it knowing there might be a chance it doesnt work.

The only caveat is you absolutely must use external power for the adapters as M.2 only delivers a fraction of the power of a standard (even 1x) PCI-e slot.

Hello Justinus,

Thank you for the input.

Upon further investigation, it looks like there are multiple types of M.2 slots/ports (though I might've misunderstood what I was reading).

That might be what the system builder is referring to; however, he swears it doesn't work (I think he tried it previously on the same board).

Given that there's no way to find out without doing it, and if the system builder ends up being right, my system (for a company build) ends up not doing what the company requests, I'll just err on the side of safety and not take the chance.

That said, it's absolutely crazy that things like this are so nebulous.

Thank you,
Nelson