I've built several PCs in the past, but this time I received some mysterious small pads with my X870E Aorus Elite WiFi7 motherboard. The user manual isn't very helpful either. I have an idea that the longer pad is meant for ensuring proper contact between the M.2 SSD and the motherboard heat spreader. But what about the small black and grey pads? The black ones are almost cube-shaped, while the grey ones are flat. Can anyone shed some light on this?
2 Answers
The pads are there to prevent any stress on the M.2 SSD when it's mounted flat on the motherboard. If the SSD is longer than the original setup intended, using those pads can help support the middle section and avoid damage to the PCB and components.
Those small pads are actually supports for different sizes of SSDs. If you're using a single-sided SSD, the pads help fill any gaps with the motherboard, ensuring everything sits evenly.
To clarify, some SSDs are single-sided while others have components on both sides. Those pads let you maintain proper spacing if your SSD is not fitting snugly.
Thanks for the explanation!