How many SATA ports will remain usable after installing two M.2 ssds on gigabyte-Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard?

maximus_4 · Jun 21, 2016

I recently bought a gigabyte-Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard, the motherboard has two M.2 ports, and I plan to use both, but it seems that using the two ports will reduce the number of SATA ports that can be used.

My questions are how many SATA ports will remain usable after installing two M.2? and is there a difference between using raid 0 and not using it?

The motherboard has 6 SATA ports.

Here is a link to the motherboard's manual:
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5497#manual

The tables for the different M.2 configuration are found on page 17.

XistenZ · Jun 21, 2016

What makes you think that by installing a M.2 card will reduce the SATA-ports? "ordinary" drives (HDD/SSD) is connected with SATA-cables, those of course reduces the available ports by 1 each because they use them. The M.2 card is slotted directly into the motherboard, and don't need any cables. That's the point of M.2 really, to not use cables that act as a bottleneck.

If you look at an image of the motherboard, you can see the slots where the M.2 cards go on each side of the PCIe slot closest to the CPU.

RAID0 is pretty badass when using M.2 because those are pretty darn fast to begin with. RAID0 will combine both drives into a single drive, doubling the capacity and the workload is divided among both drives, making operations quicker. However, if one drive fails all information is lost.

I suggest you read up on RAID-levels to learn what's what.

maximus_4 · Jun 21, 2016

XistenZ :

What makes you think that by installing a M.2 card will reduce the SATA-ports? "ordinary" drives (HDD/SSD) is connected with SATA-cables, those of course reduces the available ports by 1 each because they use them. The M.2 card is slotted directly into the motherboard, and don't need any cables. That's the point of M.2 really, to not use cables that act as a bottleneck.

If you look at an image of the motherboard, you can see the slots where the M.2 cards go on each side of the PCIe slot closest to the CPU.

RAID0 is pretty badass when using M.2 because those are pretty darn fast to begin with. RAID0 will combine both drives into a single drive, doubling the capacity and the workload is divided among both drives, making operations quicker. However, if one drive fails all information is lost.

I suggest you read up on RAID-levels to learn what's what.

Thanks for the response.

XistenZ · Jun 21, 2016

Sorry I think I misled you (unintentionally). I looked at the manual you linked, and then I searched around about M.2 disabling SATA-ports. As it appears they do.
The ports available to you differ depending on which SSDs and what configuration you use them in. When you know which interface your intended drives use (PCIe x2, PCIe x4 for example) you'll be able to look at the table and everything will be easier

Zerk2012 · Jun 21, 2016

Their no reason to raid 0 SSD's unless your doing a lot of file transfers.
For your average user their no reason to spend the extra money on a M.2 drive that cost double the price of a SATA SSD. The noticable differance in just loading programs is just not their.

Kufnayr · Jul 19, 2016

If you're purchasing a SATA M.2 it will utilize/block 2 of the SATA ports. (On ASUS Boards it is SATA5 and SATA6). If you're purchashing the more expensive PCI-E NVMe M.2 SSD's then your SATA ports will all be free, at the expense of PCI-E lanes.(GPU, etc.)

The end result, SATA M.2's max at 600 MB/s and PCI-E M.2's transfer at 1000-2000 MB/s, similar to Intel SAS controllers.

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How many SATA ports will remain usable after installing two M.2 ssds on gigabyte-Z170X-Gaming 3 motherboard?

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