adding SSD and NIC card to my B450M DS3H questions:

[Dalli]

Hi there, simple questions for my B450M DS3H mobo:

1. I already have one m.2 SSD, I m looking to add another one, from the mobo's specifications: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450M-DS3H-rev-1x/sp#sp there is only " 1 x M.2 connector", just making sure that I cannot get another new additional m.2 SSD to add to my pc? also it states "4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors", do you think it is worth getting another 500gb SATA SDD in the time where m.2 are much more superior and relatively lower in price?

2. I also want to add a networks card, from the "Expansion Slots", it is showing:

• 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16)

• 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)

• 1 x PCI Express x1 slot

I am already using one for my gpu 1660s, which should be the first one. I am assuming that I am able to add any type of network card I can find to the other remaining 2 slots? correct?

thanks in advance!

[-rascal-]

7 minutes ago, Dalli said:

Hi there, simple questions for my B450M DS3H mobo:

1. I already have one m.2 SSD, I m looking to add another one, from the mobo's specifications: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/B450M-DS3H-rev-1x/sp#sp there is only " 1 x M.2 connector", just making sure that I cannot get another new additional m.2 SSD to add to my pc? also it states "4 x SATA 6Gb/s connectors", do you think it is worth getting another 500gb SATA SDD in the time where m.2 are much more superior and relatively lower in price?

2. I also want to add a networks card, from the "Expansion Slots", it is showing:

• 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x16 (PCIEX16)

• 1 x PCI Express x16 slot, running at x4 (PCIEX4)

• 1 x PCI Express x1 slot

I am already using one for my gpu 1660s, which should be the first one. I am assuming that I am able to add any type of network card I can find to the other remaining 2 slots? correct?

thanks in advance!

 

Correct, that motherboard only has one physical M.2 slot on it.

 

You are most certainly free to add 2.5" SATA SSDs.

However, you CAN purchase a PCI-E to M.2 adapter card, and plug it into the bottom PCI-E X16 (X16 physically, X4 electrically) slot.

 

Most 1Gb and 2.5Gb NICs are PCI-E X1, while some of the 10Gb NICs are PCI-E X4.

Depending on what you end up getting, that can either go into the PCI-E X1 or X4 (electrically) slot.

[Dalli]

sweet thanks for the confirmation.

Just need some more clearance about the difference between "X16 physically, X4 electrically", the way I am understanding it is why make it a x16 slot if it will only work as x4 slot?

[GuiltySpark_]

8 minutes ago, Dalli said:

sweet thanks for the confirmation.

Just need some more clearance about the difference between "X16 physically, X4 electrically", the way I am understanding it is why make it a x16 slot if it will only work as x4 slot?

So you can stick any device in and just run at a lower bandwidth. If it was just an X4 slot, the end of the slot would prevent longer devices from slotting in without taking a dremel to cut a slot in the end (which people have done).