I'm trying to figure out how to efficiently use the PCIe slots on my ROG Strix B650E-E motherboard. I want to install SSDs in all four slots for a total of 16GB of storage, but I'm running into a problem. If I use the fourth slot for an SSD, it seems like my GPU's PCIe lane drops from x16 to x8. Is there a way to set this up without sacrificing performance? Should I just move the GPU to the second slot instead? I really appreciate any advice!
2 Answers
Yes, if you use the M.2_3 slot for an SSD, your PCIe_1 slot drops to x8. If you want to keep your GPU at x16 performance, consider placing it in the second slot. Just make sure to check the manual for your motherboard to see how the slots are configured!
You might not need to worry about the lane configuration for your GPU. Some graphics cards don't actually use the full x16 lanes anyway, so check if yours does. I had similar concerns with my setup and found that my GPU was functioning just fine with fewer lanes.
Thanks for the heads up! I edited my post to include the motherboard details for clarity.