Hey everyone! I'm looking for some clarity on the specifications for the MSI MPG X670E Carbon Wifi motherboard. I've learned a lot about it already, but I'm still a bit puzzled about its specs, especially regarding the M.2 storage connections and PCIe chipset connections.
So here's my understanding: I know that two of the PCI-E slots connect directly to the CPU and can run as either 5.0 x16/x0/x4 or 5.0 x8/x8/x4. This is where I'd plug in my GPUs, a 3090 and a 3070, using PCI-E 1 and 2 at 5.0 x8. Now, my confusion starts with the M.2 slots. I thought M.2 drives only hook up to PCI-E slots, which means I'd have just one PCI-E 4.0 x4 left for M.2 storage after the GPUs. But I see the spec sheet lists four M.2 slots! I assume the first two (M.2_1 and M.2_2) are for the CPU, but it also mentions M.2_3 and M.2_4 connecting to the chipset. This is where I'm not sure if I'm misinterpreting how many usable M.2 slots I actually have. Shouldn't there only be three M.2 slots available based on the PCI-E lane distribution? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
2 Answers
Just wanted to add that the MSI design allows for a robust use of slots! With the PCIe layout, it can handle two GPUs and most likely two M.2 drives running through the CPU lanes. The remaining slots connecting to the chipset won’t affect your main GPU performance since they don’t share bandwidth directly with those connections. So if you need to add more storage, you’re good to go!
You’ve got the right idea about the PCIe lanes! The AM5 CPUs have a nice setup for managing multiple M.2 slots. The two M.2 slots connected to the CPU can indeed run at 5.0 x4. But don’t forget that the chipset connection allows for additional M.2 drives! So in total, you’re correct that there are four M.2 slots physically on the board, and all of them can be used simultaneously, assuming your setup allows for it. It’s a bit tricky, but basically, the CPU handles certain M.2 drives while the chipset can handle others. So yes, you can utilize all four M.2 slots without conflict! Hope that clears it up!
Thanks for the clarity! So just to confirm, I can run my GPUs and still have all four M.2 slots available? That’s great to know!