Storage Expansion options.

[BoundingCoast50]

Hello, not sure if this question was better here or in the motherboard topic but I wanted to see if I can get some help with storage expansion options. Currently I am using two nvme ssd and one sata hard drive, my motherboard has four slots for m.2 and one has no heatsink. I want to know what the downside will be if I fill the m.2 slots first before using more sata drives mainly to avoid having to route more cables. This is mostly coming from the video I saw with is sata obsolete and I would like to know if I can get more information on this topic. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

[TylerD321]

Sata isn’t bad for bulk storage.

 

Also, we need to know your exact motherboard to really be able to answer your question. A lot of motherboards will disable one or two sata ports for every m.2 installed after the first m.2 closest to cpu. There’s no way to tell you for sure though with the info we have been given.

[AndreiArgeanu]

Look at your motherboard manual, it's either bandwidth from the nvme slots will be split so you'll potentially end up with 4 x1 slots, or some of those m.2 slots are sata only, or the PCIE lanes will be bifurcated meaning your GPU will most likely only get 8 lanes and the rest will be split to the SSDs. Assumming you're using consumer platorm with around 20 pcie lanes

[Blue4130]

11 minutes ago, BoundingCoast50 said:

Hello, not sure if this question was better here or in the motherboard topic but I wanted to see if I can get some help with storage expansion options. Currently I am using two nvme ssd and one sata hard drive, my motherboard has four slots for m.2 and one has no heatsink. I want to know what the downside will be if I fill the m.2 slots first before using more sata drives mainly to avoid having to route more cables. This is mostly coming from the video I saw with is sata obsolete and I would like to know if I can get more information on this topic. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

SATA is far from obsolete. Once ssd can approach size/cost then maybe, but there are still plenty of people that need mass storage but not speed.

[ImWilly]

Try to check on your Motherboard's manual from their official website

Here is an example of an old motherboard where it specify that SATA will not work if M.2 is used

 

 

For my case, my motherboard B650 AORUS ELITE AX has 3 M.2 slots and 4 SATA slots, it didn't mentions limitations issue when using all M.2 slots

I only use all 3 M.2 and have no issue

[BoundingCoast50]

11 hours ago, TylerD321 said:

Sata isn’t bad for bulk storage.

 

Also, we need to know your exact motherboard to really be able to answer your question. A lot of motherboards will disable one or two sata ports for every m.2 installed after the first m.2 closest to cpu. There’s no way to tell you for sure though with the info we have been given.

sorry for not including that information in my initial post my motherboard is the asrock z790 steel legend wifi and it doesn't mention disabling any sata ports however it does mention lowering pcie 1 to 8x mode when using m.2_2

Edited May 25, 2023 by BoundingCoast50
forgot to include all information for the reply

[BoundingCoast50]

10 hours ago, ImWilly said:

Try to check on your Motherboard's manual from their official website

Here is an example of an old motherboard where it specify that SATA will not work if M.2 is used

 

 

For my case, my motherboard B650 AORUS ELITE AX has 3 M.2 slots and 4 SATA slots, it didn't mentions limitations issue when using all M.2 slots

I only use all 3 M.2 and have no issue

my motherboard is the asrock z790 steel legend wifi and when looking at the manual the only information I see regarding storage is only m.2_1 or m.2_2 can be used at once and if m.2_2 is used pcie slot 1 will be downgraded to 8x mode. it doesn't mention any sata ports being disabled, do you think my case will be similar to yours where I can use more m.2 slots?

[BoundingCoast50]

11 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

SATA is far from obsolete. Once ssd can approach size/cost then maybe, but there are still plenty of people that need mass storage but not speed.

that is what I was thinking, my idea was to use nvme ssd for my faster drives and sata hard drives for mass storage. does this look like it will work or should I consider another set up for storage?

[BoundingCoast50]

11 hours ago, AndreiArgeanu said:

Look at your motherboard manual, it's either bandwidth from the nvme slots will be split so you'll potentially end up with 4 x1 slots, or some of those m.2 slots are sata only, or the PCIE lanes will be bifurcated meaning your GPU will most likely only get 8 lanes and the rest will be split to the SSDs. Assumming you're using consumer platorm with around 20 pcie lanes

looking at my motherboard manual it doesn't mention any of the m.2 slots are sata or the slots will be split, however it does mention using a certain m.2 slot will lower my gpu to 8x and when looking in the bios it does say my pcie slot is in 8x mode but the slot it mentions is the main slot that connects to the cpu. should I not use that slot?

[ImWilly]

11 hours ago, BoundingCoast50 said:

it doesn't mention any sata ports being disabled

It's safe to assume that if it isn't mentioned on the manual, it should have no issue.

Although there is still possibility of something new unaccounted when you actually install it.

 

11 hours ago, BoundingCoast50 said:

m.2_1 or m.2_2 can be used at once and if m.2_2 is used pcie slot 1 will be downgraded to 8x mod

I just read your Mobo's manual, it is an impressive Mobo with supports for 5 M.2 slots and 8 SATA port

The 'downgraded' from PCIe x16 to x8 if you're using M2_2 slot shouldn't affect any performance on your GPU. Even if you are still concerned, there are still a lot of slot with Steel armour heatsink except for M2_5

Adding SATA3 for your bulk storage should have no issue, I think that if you're putting total 3 or 4 SATA/HDD drive (that is usually max slots in PC case can support), there should be no issue. Unless you're using all 8 slots which is an unchartered territory for me, I think you are going to be just fine.

Just don't forget cable management for SATA and power from PSU when you're installing SATA SSD/HDD