cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

M.2 Gen 3 question on Z590 Motherboard

Nocturne13
Level 7
I am trying to put together a new PC based on a ROG STRIX Z590-E. I was planning on an 11th gen i7 CPU so I could get access to the first M.2 SSD slot and utilize the extra four PCIe lanes in the 11th gen CPU's have over the 10th gen. I know this is a Gen 4 M.2 slot which can only be accessed using the 11th gen CPU. But I am having to cut some corners to make this system happen. To save almost $200, can I install a PNY CS2130 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD which is a Gen 3 in that number 1 M.2? My instinct is that this should work, and that the M.2 slot will revert to Gen 3 speeds and work normally otherwise as long as I have the right CPU installed. I just can't find where anything or anyone has documented this. Thank you.
3,133 Views
2 REPLIES 2

xeromist
Moderator
Yes, gen 4 slots are backwards compatible with gen 3 drives.
A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station…

eddhuy
Level 7
Gen 4 PCI m.2 is backwards compatible with gen PCI 3 m.2 SSD at the gen 3 speeds of course.

https://premioinc.com/blogs/blog/pcie-4-0-pci-express-gen-4#:~:text=Even%20though%20the%20PCIe%204%2....