I'm trying to understand whether an M.2 PCIe 4.0 slot will provide sufficient power for an 8TB 9100 Pro SSD. While I know M.2 slots are designed to be backwards and forwards compatible in terms of signaling, I can't find clear information about power delivery specifications. Specifically, does the power delivery change between generations, like PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0? The 9100 Pro uses an average of 10.5W, but Samsung doesn't provide a peak power specification. If I plug my 8TB drive into a PCIe 4.0 slot, can I trust that it will have enough power? Also, I thought running it in PCIe 4.0 mode might reduce power usage and heat, but I'd like some clarity on that as well.
4 Answers
Honestly, you might be overthinking this. The main difference between PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 in this case is speed, not power. If you're only using a PCIe 4.0 slot, you might want to save some cash and opt for a drive that doesn't require PCIe 5.0 speeds.
Power specs for M.2 slots have remained unchanged over time. You should be good to go!
You don’t need to worry about the power delivery specs changing between PCIe generations; it’s all standardized. The physical connector limits the power to about 0.5A per pin, so it won’t be an issue in the future either. Your 8TB 9100 Pro should work just fine in a PCIe 4.0 slot without any power concerns.
I’m pretty sure you’ll be okay. The M.2 interface is based on PCIe, so it can typically deliver up to 75W per slot according to the spec. People use all sorts of PCIe devices with M.2 slot adapters, which means the power delivery has to be consistent.
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