I'm diving into the exciting world of PC building and, as I prepare to assemble my first rig, I have some questions about installing NVMe drives on my ASUS ROG X870E Dark Hero motherboard. I've heard that the placement of NVMe drives can impact performance due to shared lanes, so I want to ensure I'm maximizing efficiency. I have a few drives: a 512GB TForce G50 from a recent AIO purchase, a WD Black SN8100 2TB, and I'm also looking to add a 4TB drive. I've noticed that many build videos showcase setups with a 2TB and 4TB NVMe configuration, and I'm curious about the best way to arrange them. Additionally, is the 512GB drive even worth using in this setup? I plan on using the PC mainly for gaming but being new to this, I'm unsure of what my needs will evolve into.
1 Answer
To find the best slots for your NVMe drives, check your motherboard manual! It should outline the specifics for each M.2 slot, especially considering lane sharing. For example, some slots might run PCIe 5.0 x4 or switch to x2 based on what's plugged in. If you're planning to use multiple NVMe drives, you need to be aware of these lane allocations to avoid bottlenecks. Also, since you mentioned games, your current NVMe drives should suffice depending on your gaming library size. It's all about balancing performance with your storage needs.
Totally agree! I also found it helpful to look up individual slot specifications in the manual to avoid any confusion about which slots could interfere with others, especially when a GPU is involved.