Does My Motherboard Support NVMe?

The most major improvement you can actually make to your old computer is faster storage. Other parts, like the GPU and CPU, have undoubtedly enhanced over the previous decades, but everybody will profit from quicker storage. 

NVMe is the latest storage interface for desktops and laptops, with substantially quicker write and read rates than previous technologies that load up the operating system quicker and decrease loading times in games considerably. However, it comes at a cost, so relying on how you desire to make use of your PC, buying an NVMe SSD might at times not be effective.

What’s An NVMe Drive Anyway?

NVMe is actually the short form of Non-Volatile Memory Express. It’s a storage interface released back in 2013. The term non-volatile actually refers to the fact that the storage isn’t removed when the PC restarts, whereas express refers to the files traveling through the PCIe (PCI Express) interface on the PC’s motherboard. 

Because data doesn’t need to pass through a SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) controller, your drive has a more direct link with the motherboard. NVMe SSDs are far faster than SATA, which have been accessible for years. 

The most recent edition of the PCIe standard, PCIe 3.0, provides a max transfer speed of 985 Mbps per lane. NVMe SSDs might utilize up to 4 PCIe lanes, resulting in a theoretical max speed of 3.9 Gbps.

NVMes have actually become a new standard for the major hard drives in computers, even in the inexpensive category. NVMe SSDs are no longer unreasonably costly and just appropriate for high-performance configurations. 

Unluckily, unlike SATA SSDs and SATA HDDs, which might be connected to a lot of SATA ports on any given board, NVMe SSDs need uncommon, and specialized Non-Volatile Memory Express enabled M.2 slots. 

The great news is that practically all existing boards, whether expensive or cheap, comprise an M.2 slot for the NVMe SSDs. The NVMe SSDs generation supported by the board is a necessary feature since every newer gen of NVMe SSDs improves the transfer speed very much over the previous gen.

Also Read: Does Motherboard Matter For Gaming?

How Can You Check If The Motherboard Supports NVMe?

If you purchased a motherboard within the last five years, it likely comes with the support for NVMe. A great method of checking would be the store page where your board is listed or the page on the official website of the manufacturer. 

If the page says your board comes with PCIe support, then it absolutely can support NVMe as SATA drives do not work with the PCI Express connectors. For checking if the M.2 slot can support SATA or NVMe, you will need to have a glance at the board itself. 

The NVMe M.2 SSDs have one divot to the side in the connectors’ strip at one end of your drive. M.2 SATA SSDs have two divots on both strip sides. The board will have the corresponding slot with the card connector (or SATA connectors) that stand out.

Why You Ought To Get The NVMe Drive?

The NVMe drive has different benefits over the traditional HDD or SSD, comprising enhanced performance and faster speeds. NVMe is the quickest storage technology available today, with reading speeds up to 4x quicker and write rates up to 2x quicker than SATA III (six Gbps). 

Also, NVMe is actually tuned for the random I/O performance, which implies it’ll provide better performance for workloads such as software and gaming. Another main benefit of NVMe is the small form size; a lot of devices are M.2 compatible. It lets you put your NVMe device in the accessible PCI Express slot or attach it to the M.2 port.

How Do NVMe Drives Really Work?

The Non-Volatile Memory Express drives can have either a PCIe or M.2 connection type, which simply describes how it connects to the board and transmits data. It is more technically mentioned as a form factor. You will have to learn what type of connection the board can support, so you know which NVMe drive type to purchase. 

A few NVMe drives fit into the PCI Express slot on the board, and it is surely becoming more well-liked among users. However, the high-end PCI express NVMe SSDs are still extremely niche and frequently utilized by big businesses for maintaining their server networks. So you will possibly be glancing at a lower-end PCI Express connection or, more likely, the M.2 connection.

There are diverse gens of the PCI Express form factor, which adds to the communication lanes it makes use of on the board. That simply denotes it is capable of transferring data faster. The majority of M.2 drives make use of two to four lanes of communication.

You Can Append NVMe Support To Your Motherboard:

You can still get the speed advantages of acquiring the NVMe drive even if the board does not have the M.2 slot. You can acquire a PCI expansion NVMe card from the majority of computer stores and tech websites. Simply make certain you purchase the accurate card for the motherboard. It plugs into the PCI lane just like the GPU and turns it into the M.2 slot for the Non-Volatile Memory Express drive.

How Can You Check The NVMe Compatibility With The CPU?

The board is the necessary factor in determining whether or not the system is compatible with the NVMe drive you desire to purchase. The M.2 slots can really hold a broad range of M.2 cards, comprising Bluetooth and Wi-Fi cards, NVMe SSDs, and SATA SSDs. 

Because adaptability is a necessary feature in boards, it ought to be relatively easy to find a motherboard featuring an M.2 Slot these days. It is also worth noting that only having the M.2 slot does not guarantee NVMe compatibility. 

M.2 was actually intended to support PCIe, SATA, and USB 3.0, yet most early M.2 slots just supported SATA. The manual for your board will mention the kind of operation the M.2 Slot is actually capable of and if it’s compatible with both NVMe SSDs and SATA. Do not panic if the board doesn’t have M.2 slots. 

You can buy a reasonably low-cost PCIe M.2 Adapter card that makes use of the PCIe x4 slot on your motherboard itself for attaching the NVMe drive to your board with extremely little performance loss online. Just be cautious when purchasing the card for the motherboard. As, like the GPU, it connects into the PCI lane and changes it into the M.2 slot for the NVMe drive.

Also Read: Why Do Motherboards Still Have PS2?

Do Motherboards Support Both SATA And NVMe Drives?

Although both are a kind of SSD, all boards can support the SATA drives, while the majority of newer ones usually support NVMe as well. A board can come with slots for both SATA and NVMe drives, or it can have support for just one of such. 

Remember, it does not necessarily denote that the motherboard can support NVMe even if it comes with the M.2 slot. The slot might still just provide support for the M.2 SATA drives, so having the M.2 slot does not automatically denote the motherboard can support NVMe.

A single M.2 can’t support both a SATA drive and an NVMe drive as the two are not interchangeable. The motherboard might have several M.2 slots, however, which might accommodate both; although, it is much more common for the board to support only one slot or the other.

Boards with the M.2 slot supporting NVMe will frequently also support the SATA drives that connect through SATA cords. Since these do not occupy the same slots/space on your motherboard, there is no need to cater to only one drive type. That denotes the motherboard likely supports both SATA and NVMe, but you would not necessarily be capable of mounting both in the M.2 slots.

Do All M.2 Slots Support NVMe?

M.2 drives are not exclusively NVMe drives, as they can come in either SATA or NVMe versions. The M.2 part simply describes the way the drive connects to your motherboard and not your drive itself. The motherboard can have SATA-only M.2 or NVMe-only M.2 slots. A few boards come with M.2 slots that can support both, leaving you free to choose the one you desire.

What NVMe Generation Is Correct For The Motherboard?

The CPU and chipset determine the NVMe SSD version supported by the motherboard. The disparity between Gen 3 and Gen 4 NVMe SSDs is substantial. Essentially, Generation 3 SSDs, like the Generation 4 SSDs, like the Samsung 980 Pro, follow the PCI Express 4.0 system, whereas the Samsung 970 Pro follows the PCI Express 3.0 system. 

A Generation 3 SSD might attain rates of up to 3500 MBps. A Generation 4 SSD, alternatively, has a 5500 MBps read speed and a 5500 MBps transfer speed. However, presently, there are not a lot of Generation 4 NVMe SSDs available in the market; that’s possibly because of their price and, although they’re extremely high-performance devices, it will still take a little time for them to be included for budget computers.

Conclusion

Initially, answering this question about whether my motherboard supports NVMe might appear hard. Luckily, you can determine it on your own by utilizing some simple procedures. Reading the description of your motherboard is the only way to go. 

So, the simplest method you can use to determine whether the motherboard features NVMe support or not is by reading the motherboard’s product description or technical document before buying. 

If the motherboard is less than 4 or 5 years old, it most likely comes with the support of NVMe. However, checking compatibility can really assist you in avoiding wasting your hard-earned cash on parts that don’t work together.