Question This model of M.2 is compatible with my motherboard?

[HuNTeR-]

hello group,
I own an Asus STRIX X299-XE GAMING motherboard with an i7 7820x processor. I know that I have 2 M.2 slots on the motherboard but of different types 2242/2260/2280/22110 from what I see on the website.I've never had an M2 ssd in my entire life it s my first experience.I had only sata ssd, and i want to buy a 2TB Samsung 970Evo Plus M2, but I want to make SURE if my motherboard will recognize it, because I don't know and don't I want to have surprises. The seller doesn't even know how to tell me exactly if it works on my motherboard. He told me that it must be a slot for M2 NVMe.The SSD model would be this
thanks in advance

 

[HuNTeR-]

this is my mobo

ROG STRIX X299-XE GAMING | Motherboards | ROG Global

Intel LGA 2066 X299 ATX gaming motherboard with advanced cooling, Aura Sync, SupremeFX, dual M.2, Intel LAN, onboard Wi-Fi and USB 3.1 Gen 2.

rog.asus.com

 

[mikeymikec]

The tech specs for the board say this:

1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode)
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode)

The 970 Evo Plus is a PCIE / NVMe drive (type 2280, which basically tells you it's 8cm long), you should be good to go using it in either M.2 slot.

Considering this will be your first time installing an M.2 drive, I'd suggest paying attention to whatever the motherboard's user guide says about installing M.2 drives.

 

[mxnerd]

Yep, the Samsung 970 nvme drive should be able to be installed on either M.2_1 or M.2_2 slot.

Howerver, the English pdf manual page 9 says M.2_1 shares bandwidth with SATA_1. So if you are going to use SATA_1 port, you have to set M.2_1 in SATA mode. That means the top speed will become only 6GB/s for the nvme drive. But I'm sure you don't want to do that --> share with sata device and slow down the nvme drive.

 

[igor_kavinski]

View attachment 84539

That applies only if he wants to use M.2 SATA device. The mode for M2_1 should be set to PCIe or NVMe in BIOS if he wants to use the 970 EVO Plus.

 

[mxnerd]

That applies only if he wants to use M.2 SATA device.

Actually I'm a bit confused too. Doesn't M.2 SATA device interface should have M+B key (notch)? And can 970 EVO operate in SATA mode? I admit I don't have much nvme experience.

 

[igor_kavinski]

And can 970 EVO operate in SATA mode?

No, it can't coz NVMe SSD will have a single notch.

2 Types of M.2 SSDs: SATA and NVMe - Kingston Technology

There are two types of M.2 SSDs: SATA and NVMe. SATA uses an older interface designed around hard drives while NVMe is designed for flash memory.

www.kingston.com

 

[HuNTeR-]

The mode for M2_1 should be set to PCIe or NVMe in BIOS if he wants to use the 970 EVO Plus.

For best performance what i must choose: PCIe or NVMe ? thanks

 

[igor_kavinski]

For best performance what i must choose: PCIe or NVMe ? thanks

I don't know what the BIOS setting will be called. One of those will be SATA for sure. The other might be PCIe or NVMe. Both mean the same thing. If you see PCIe or NVMe, choose that over SATA.

 

[mikeymikec]

NVMe is simply the protocol/instructions used to communicate with a PCIE storage device.

As igor said, to all intents and purposes (end users / system builders), same diff.

 

[HuNTeR-]

in win 10 it works perfectly. If I try to install win 11 , all program have LAG and there is a delay until opening the programs like approx. 1 second, I don't understand why. I'm staying on win 10 that's it... I don t understand why i encounter such things on win 11..One more thing. The position of the M2 ssd is somehow under the rtx 2080ti video card, which is not ok If I leave the video card by default, with fan idle stop, the m2 goes to 50 degrees
I installed MSi Afterburner immediately and set fan curve to 60%-90%, and now the ssd stay around at 34-38 degrees. Now it's summer and it's hot, at winter it will be fine... I think .Otherwise, I tested the speeds and they are ok, right?

 

[igor_kavinski]

Supposedly, MS has quietly fixed some SSD slowdown bug in Win11: https://www.techspot.com/news/99837-microsoft-finally-fixes-windows-11-ssd-slowdown-bug.html

No idea if your lag was because of this bug. But it's better to avoid Win11 until they fix it completely (by end of 2025 if we are optimistic )

 

[mv2devnull]

Howerver, the English pdf manual page 9 says M.2_1 shares bandwidth with SATA_1. So if you are going to use SATA_1 port, you have to set M.2_1 in SATA mode. That means the top speed will become only 6GB/s for the nvme drive.

Not quite. The chipset has some SATA "ports". One of them can be used either on the physical SATA_1 connector or on the M.2_1 connector. If one does connect a (traditional) SATA device on SATA_1, then one cannot connect a SATA device on M.2_1 and vice versa.

However, when a NVMe device (like OP has) is connected to the M.2_1, then it connects to PCIe lanes, not to the SATA on the chipset.

Apparently one can/has to set on BIOS, whether the physical M.2_1 connects to PCIe with NVMe protocol, or to SATA (AHCI protocol).