In which M.2 Socket on the Motherboard is Better to Install an SSD

All modern motherboards already incorporate one or more M.2 sockets to install SSDs on the same motherboard without the need for PCIe adapters. If this is your case, you may be in doubt of which M.2 socket is better to install your SSD to have the best performance , so in this article we are going to help you discern this unknown.

As a general rule, motherboards can have 1, 2 or up to 3 M.2 sockets to install SSDs in this format. The first and main socket is usually located right between the first PCI-Express, where we install the graphics card, and the processor socket.

In which M.2 Socket on the Motherboard is Better to Install an SSD

Some boards incorporate a second socket between the PCI-Express ports, although some manufacturers choose to locate this one more to the right, near the chipset (or both in the case that there are three). Some motherboards, usually in mini ITX and some mATX formats, put this socket on the back of the motherboard PCB.

Next, we are going to tell you where it is better to install your SSD to get the best result and why.

Check your motherboard manual

The first thing you should do is check the manual for your motherboard, because some models – especially mid-range motherboards – have some limited M.2 sockets. For example, there are some boards where installing an SSD in the main M.2 socket disables some SATA ports, while in some others the “secondary” sockets have limited speed.

Zócalos M.2 en una placa base

For example, on the motherboard in the image above we have three M.2 sockets, but the middle one, located between the PCI-Express, the socket is small and in fact the manufacturer indicates that it is to install a module Wifi.

If this is your case, then without hesitation you should install your SSD in the main socket because it will be the one that will give you the best performance, despite the fact that in this area you may have temperature problems.

In which M.2 socket install the SSD if they are all the same

If your motherboard has several M.2 sockets and they are all the same, then you will be in doubt about which one you should install your SSD to have the best performance. Given that in this type of device, temperature is usually a problem because at a certain level Thermal Throttling is produced, through which the SSD reduces its performance to preserve its integrity, in that case it is recommended to avoid the main M.2 socket, the It is located between the first PCI-Express and the processor, since in this area it will be “cloistered” between the two hardware components that generate the most heat in the PC.

Zócalo M.2 inferior

As you can see in the image above, there are some boards that even give you to understand that you should use the lower socket (in the case of the image, because in the lower one they have put a heatsink for this type of SSDs and in the upper one no) to get the best performance, and it is precisely the potential temperature problem that makes this socket the best position.

The alternative: a PCIe adapter

There is another option, normally recommended if your board lacks M.2 NVMe sockets for your SSD, if you have them all occupied, or if it may only have one but it is giving you temperature problems: the PCIe adapters.

Adaptador PCIe SSD NVMe

This type of adapters allow us to install one or more M.2 SSDs occupying a PCI-Express socket on the motherboard, although in this case keep in mind that your board must have available PCIe sockets. These types of adapters can help you solve the temperature problems that come with installing the SSD directly into an M.2 socket on the motherboard, and many of them also have the option of RAIDing SSDs with their own controller.

In contrast, keep in mind that many of these devices need specific drivers and firmware, and therefore in some cases do not allow the operating system to boot from it (that is, it cannot be used as a system storage device because the PC is not able to boot from an SSD connected to it).