I'm trying to buy storage for my first PC build, but I haven't picked out a motherboard yet. I've heard that using too many M.2 slots can impact PCIe lanes for my GPU, and some M.2 slots might disable SATA storage. I'm planning to get an AMD 5090 from ASUS and possibly a 9950x3D processor, but I want to ensure I can find good storage options without being tied down to a motherboard first. I was thinking about getting a 1TB M.2 for the boot drive, then 4-8TB for additional storage, but I'm unsure how to navigate these lane issues or what to look for in a motherboard. Any advice on how I can approach buying storage without picking a motherboard yet?
3 Answers
Honestly, don't stress too much about the lanes. For most builds, the difference isn't noticeable, especially for gaming. Most motherboards are designed to handle reasonable connectivity well. Just check the spec pages when you get to choosing a motherboard; they usually list how the lanes are allocated.
For the AM5 platform, you can choose a board with two M.2 Gen 5 slots that doesn’t cut GPU lanes or one with more that does cut them. Just remember, if a slot is switched, having anything in it will activate the switch. Most modern setups no longer disable SATA for M.2, but it's good to double-check the motherboard specs.
Thanks! Is there a way to identify which boards do what? I feel overwhelmed with the options, especially with brands like ASRock and others claiming better lane management.
When it comes to gaming, the upgrade from PCIe 4 to 5 isn’t significant. Gen 5 drives can run hotter too, so keep that in mind. I’ve got a mix of Gen 3 and Gen 4 on my setup, and it works just fine. Make sure to check on whether your board disables mSATA drives; it’ll be in the manual.
I appreciate that, it makes it less daunting. I'll stick with buying a Gen 5 for my boot drive and possibly Gen 4 for the others. It seems the lanes won’t be as problematic as I feared.
That's what I thought, but I've heard horror stories when you've got high-end GPUs. I'm just trying to avoid bottlenecks while I'm still deciding on everything else.