I'm looking to optimize my MSI A520A-M PRO motherboard, and I'm wondering what to do with the available PCIe x4 slot. I'm considering a PCIe NVMe adapter, but I'm unsure if the speed difference will be significant compared to a quality SATA SSD. Since I'm primarily on ethernet, I've ruled out a WiFi adapter for now, but I'd like to have Bluetooth capability in the future. I also find sound and capture cards to be pretty pricey around here. Are there any other options I might be missing out on?
2 Answers
Honestly, NVMe drives can be a game changer! SATA III maxes out at 6Gb/s, whereas PCIe can go up to 32Gb/s or even higher depending on lanes. If you're set on performance, I'd say go for the PCIe NVMe adapter. Just keep in mind the version of your PCIe slot, 2.0 or 3.0 may affect speeds slightly, but you’ll probably not notice the difference in real-world use.
It's important to choose components based on what you really need rather than just filling slots! You should think about your future requirements when deciding what to install.
But wait—are we sure this motherboard has a x4 slot? Someone mentioned it might just have an x16 and x1.