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Intel Optane 900P AIC in a PCIE 3.0 x16 slot

DJone13
Beginner
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Does anyone know if the Optane 900P AIC will work in a PCIE 3.0 x16 slot? The new Z370 boards do not have an x4 slot. I would assume the higher slots, such as x16, and x8 would work? The new Z370 mobo's don't have an x4 slot and in their manuals it doesn't say they can run at x4. My mobo is a MSI Z370M gaming pro ac...

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CFord2
New Contributor I
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Of course, the 900p will work perfectly fine in a PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot. And, Superdamnfast!

With a 16 lane CPU, like the 8700K, you should mount the 900P into a PCIe 3.0 slot that connects to your chipset and not the CPU. Since the 8700K only has 16 available 3.0 lanes from the CPU, and you probably want those lanes for your graphics card in slot 1.

Best to find your CPU and motherboard and chipset wiring block diagram by searching online.

For instance, I'm waiting for the Maximus X Extreme motherboard to be announced (CES 2018) and become available, and I will need to use slot 4 with that motherboard since it's connected to the Z370 chipset PCIe x 3.0 lanes.

During the interim, I'm using a Rampage V Edition 10, which has NO PCIe x 3.0 lanes from the chipset (X99), only PCIe 2.0.

So my best bet for now is using slot 3 on the motherboard which is PCIe x 3.0 from the 28 lanes of the 6800K CPU (16 lanes for the graphics card and 4 lanes for the Intel 900P = 20/28 lanes). Slot 4 on this board is only PCIe x 2.0 as above.

I prefer the slot 4 aesthetic to the slot 3 but for now, I'd rather enjoy the amazing 900P superfast response times and low low latency afforded by PCIe 3.0.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your awesome new Optane SSD. I love mine so much!

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CFord2
New Contributor I
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Of course, the 900p will work perfectly fine in a PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot. And, Superdamnfast!

With a 16 lane CPU, like the 8700K, you should mount the 900P into a PCIe 3.0 slot that connects to your chipset and not the CPU. Since the 8700K only has 16 available 3.0 lanes from the CPU, and you probably want those lanes for your graphics card in slot 1.

Best to find your CPU and motherboard and chipset wiring block diagram by searching online.

For instance, I'm waiting for the Maximus X Extreme motherboard to be announced (CES 2018) and become available, and I will need to use slot 4 with that motherboard since it's connected to the Z370 chipset PCIe x 3.0 lanes.

During the interim, I'm using a Rampage V Edition 10, which has NO PCIe x 3.0 lanes from the chipset (X99), only PCIe 2.0.

So my best bet for now is using slot 3 on the motherboard which is PCIe x 3.0 from the 28 lanes of the 6800K CPU (16 lanes for the graphics card and 4 lanes for the Intel 900P = 20/28 lanes). Slot 4 on this board is only PCIe x 2.0 as above.

I prefer the slot 4 aesthetic to the slot 3 but for now, I'd rather enjoy the amazing 900P superfast response times and low low latency afforded by PCIe 3.0.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your awesome new Optane SSD. I love mine so much!

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DJone13
Beginner
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Bruce,

Thanks for your comments and the photos, I like your Einstein guy! The Z370 MATX boards, only have the 2 x16 lanes going to the CPU which I want to keep reserved for an x16 graphics card. I am not sure if the 900P AIC will work in the graphics slots (CPU). Even if it did it would reduce the graphics card down to x8. But since that would be an x8/x4 I am not sure if that's allowed since all lanes would not be used. Even if the only card I had was the 900P, not sure if it would work as that would be x4/0 and that configuration is not mentioned in the manual. I only update my builds every few years so I could be wrong. The PCH slots are both x1's so they won't work. I think I am going to have to go with the u.2 (m.2) version since I am pretty sure I will be able to connect it to the m.2 connectors. The new Z370 boards have 2 m.2 connectors so I imagine they are using up all of the PCH x4 bands.

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CFord2
New Contributor I
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Found the block diagram for your MSI Z370M gaming pro ac at Level 1 Tech with Wendell.

With your mATX board, yes you are right in going with the 900P 2.5inch M.2 variant, which is also very cool.

With your motherboard and only a 16 lane CPU, you most definitely need to move to an M.2 connection to chipset.

From the diagram it appears both your PCIe 16x slots are wired to your CPU so yea grab one of the M.2 slots wired to your Z370 chipset.

Just make certain you order the M.2-U.2 2.5inch variant so the correct cable arrives in the box. This article below from ServetheHome.com explains the (3) Intel 900P variants and numbering scheme.

https://www.servethehome.com/difference-intel-optane-900p-280gb-ssdpe21d280gasm-ssdpe21d280gasx/ The difference between Intel Optane 900p 280GB SSDPE21D280GASM and SSDPE21D280GASX

https://www.servethehome.com/difference-intel-optane-900p-280gb-ssdpe21d280gasm-ssdpe21d280gasx/ The difference between Intel Optane 900p 280GB SSDPE21D280GASM and SSDPE21D280GASX

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DJone13
Beginner
2,513 Views

Thanks, great information!

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CFord2
New Contributor I
2,513 Views

This thread is still rolling along?

Just got a new Z370 mobo an Asus Maximus 10 Apex and mounted my single video card in slot 1 for 16lanes from the CPU.

Mounted my Intel 900P in slot 4, since it's connected to the Z370 chipset, no conflict with the video card, whatsoever.

Also grabbed an 8700K binned at 5.2GHz and delidded from Siliconlottery.com

The speed and responsiveness is astonishing.

Only real issue was Asus includes a 5G NIC instead of Bluetooth/Wifi onboard, so I had to purchase a separate Asus BT/Wifi riser card, which also is connected in one of the smaller mobo slots to the chipset.

Overall, I could not be happier, thank you Intel, for such an amazing product in the 900P.

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idata
Employee
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Hello iBruce,

 

 

Thanks for sharing your current configuration with Intel® Optane™ SSD 900P Series.

 

 

It is good to know that the drive is working properly along with the GPU.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Eugenio F.
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LZudd
Beginner
2,513 Views

Hi everybody!

Same problem here

I7 7700K, ASuS Z270F and GTX 1070.

Can u please help me?

Is there a way i can use x16 lines of CPU for GTX 1070 and the 4 lines by chipset for the AIC?

I can't find any datasheet and the motherboard manual is empty of this information.

Thanks in advance.

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idata
Employee
2,513 Views

Hello Lucazsh,

 

 

Thanks for posting.

 

 

We searched in your motherboard user's manual and found a detailed chart for the expansion (PCIe) slots. It can be found on page 23, section 1-7:

 

 

- http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/STRIX_Z270F_GAMING/E12193_STRIX_Z270F_GAMING_UM_V2_WEB.pdf?_ga=2.194723949.1367217499.1514379487-2103684272.1507121913 ASUS ROG STRIX Z270F GAMING

 

 

EDIT: On page 24, you can also find what slots share bandwidth. We recommend connecting the graphics card to slot no. 2 (PCIe x16) and the Intel® Optane™ SSD 900p Add-In-Card on slot no. 5 (PCIe x8). These slots are not shared.

NOTE: Links to third party sites are being offered for your convenience and should not be viewed as an endorsement by Intel of the content, products, or services offered there.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Eugenio F.
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LZudd
Beginner
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Thanks for the provided answer! However, as you recommended, the installation of 900p Add-In-Card in the slot no. 5 will cut half of the bandwitdth of the CPU dedicated lanes.

In fact, Intel I7-7700K provides only 16 PCIE lanes.

I would like to know if I can set up the SSD in the seventh slot (PCIE_x4_1) and i'd more like to know if that slot uses chipset PCI lanes. Nobody provided any information about that.

Will 900P's performance decrease slightly or much in a shared slot?

Thanks in advance for your help.

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LZudd
Beginner
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idata
Employee
2,513 Views

Hello Lucazsh,

 

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

 

The Intel® Optane™ SSD 900p requires a NVMe PCIe x4 slot, so it'll fit on slot no. 7. Please https://www.asus.com/us/support/ contact your mother manufacturer to find more information about its architecture and PCIe lanes.

 

 

Best regards,

 

Eugenio F.
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