Why is my new M.2 Gen 4 SSD slower than expected?
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TechGuru42
I recently picked up a 2TB Adata Premium SSD designed for PS5, and I got it for a steal at about CAD 93 or USD 68. While some games like Street Fighter 6 load significantly faster, I noticed that the overall speed of the SSD is only about 25% of what I expected based on the advertised specs. I checked the SSD's health using CrystalDiskInfo and ran both long and short tests with HD Tune, and it seems fine. My motherboard is an Aorus X470 Ultra Gaming, which supports both PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 2.0 in its M.2 slots. From what I understand, I'm currently using the PCIe 2.0 (M2B) slot, which could explain the speed issue. However, I can't find clear information on the M2B socket's generation. Can anyone clarify what's going on here?
Answers
You're right about the speeds! The M.2 Gen 4 SSD should offer PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds, but since you're using it in an M.2 B socket that only supports PCIe 2.0 x4, you're seeing those reduced speeds - basically about 25% of what's possible with Gen 4. If you can move it to a Gen 3 slot, you should see a significant improvement, but it'll still be somewhat limited compared to using a Gen 4 slot.
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That seems to hit the nail on the head! Basically, if the SSD is Gen 4, but it’s slotted into a Gen 2 connector, you're only getting a fraction of the speed. Glad to hear you noticed a boost when moving it to a Gen 3 slot! Just keep in mind that you won't hit the maximum speeds unless you get it into a Gen 4 slot eventually. It's all about that bandwidth!
GamerGuy007: Exactly! Bandwidth is key. Get it in the right slot, and you’ll unleash its full potential!
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MoveFast78: Yeah, exactly! It’s not just the generation number; it really impacts the overall speed. Switching to a Gen 3 slot is definitely a good move.