installing an M.2 SSD

[hrhr]

Hello
This is my first time installing an M.2 SSD, so I am asking this question in order to get the optimum speed out of it.
Motherboard: Asus Prime B360M-A
SSD: SAMSUNG 970 EVO
There are two socket, which one should I use?
Is there any modification that I need to do in BIOS?

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

[Crunchy Dragon]

I would personally use the main M.2 slot, usually the one closest to the CPU socket.

 

I don't know that it would be any faster than the other slot though.

[itisme911]

1 minute ago, hrhr said:

Hello
This is my first time installing a M.2 SSD, so I am asking this question in order to get the optimum speed out of it.
Motherboard: Asus Prime B360M-A
SSD: SAMSUNG 970 EVO
There are two socket, which one should I use?
Is there any modification that I need to do in BIOS?

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

Use the one that is closer yo your cpu they are both rated same speeds and probably have no difference. If you are using pcie you may need to change some bios storage settings

[mariushm]

Since this is not a Ryzen system that would have dedicated pci-e lanes coming from the cpu to the m.2 connector, you would get the same maximum theoretical speed regardless where you insert your SSD - both connectors should be connected to the chipset.

 

Your SSD is nvme so it will use pci-e lanes to transfer data. Since only one of your two m.2 connectors supports also SATA transfer mode, it would make sense to leave that connector free for the case where you would have a second m.2 device that can only communicate using SATA (budget ssds).

 

HOWEVER, there may be some limitations, like maybe if you install a SSD using pci-e on your second m.2 connector, one of your pci-e x1 slots may be disabled, so it would be worth browsing the manual to determine if something like this would occur.

 

I'm not saying your motherboard has such oddities, I didn't check and I'm too lazy to download the manual for that motherboard but you should.

 

Then balance these limitations (if there are any), pros and cons and decide ... for example, can you live with a pci-e x1 being disabled just because you installed the ssd in your 2nd connector, planning to install a sata ssd in the other m.2 connector at some point in the future? Or you'd rather just install the ssd in your sata/pci-e m.2 connector and make decisions when you'd eventually have a sata m.2 drive...

 

 

[hrhr]

17 minutes ago, mariushm said:

Since this is not a Ryzen system that would have dedicated pci-e lanes coming from the cpu to the m.2 connector, you would get the same maximum theoretical speed regardless where you insert your SSD - both connectors should be connected to the chipset.

 

Your SSD is nvme so it will use pci-e lanes to transfer data. Since only one of your two m.2 connectors supports also SATA transfer mode, it would make sense to leave that connector free for the case where you would have a second m.2 device that can only communicate using SATA (budget ssds).

 

HOWEVER, there may be some limitations, like maybe if you install a SSD using pci-e on your second m.2 connector, one of your pci-e x1 slots may be disabled, so it would be worth browsing the manual to determine if something like this would occur.

 

I'm not saying your motherboard has such oddities, I didn't check and I'm too lazy to download the manual for that motherboard but you should.

 

Then balance these limitations (if there are any), pros and cons and decide ... for example, can you live with a pci-e x1 being disabled just because you installed the ssd in your 2nd connector, planning to install a sata ssd in the other m.2 connector at some point in the future? Or you'd rather just install the ssd in your sata/pci-e m.2 connector and make decisions when you'd eventually have a sata m.2 drive...

 

 

Thank you for your detailed answer

So the only limitation is gonna be SATA-2 port not working.

And if I install it in first socket do I need to change anything in BIOS?