MSI X99A Tomahawk and NVME

[2k3eblade]

I am getting to traction on my post on the Intel mobo forum so I figure I'd post here too. I found out that my 5820k doesn't support full PCIE 3.0 x 4 using this MSI board (https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/X99A-TOMAHAWK.html#support-hdd). This doesn't make sense since I am only using x16 for a single GTX 980. I evaluated my options and I think using a NVME to PCIE adapter card would be the best way to get the full speed out of the 960 EVO. Can I still boot of the NVME drive once I switch it over the adapter?

I can't return the MSI board now because I redeemed the rebate offer on it. Please, any help would be appreciated!

 

[Nexus6]

You shouldn't have any issues booting off a PCIe NVMe adapter card.

I'm doing it right now on an ancient ass Z68 motherboard.

 

[2k3eblade]

The problem with the X99 chipset is the DMI 2.0 link: 5 GHz / 10 bits per byte = 500 MB/second x 4 lanes = 2,000 MB/second

So, if the M.2 / U.2 connectors are downstream of that DMI 2.0 link, your MAX HEADROOM is limited by the raw bandwidth of that DMI 2.0 link.

DMI 3.0 uses an 8 GHz clock and a 128b/130b jumbo frame: 8 GHz / 8.125 = 984.6 MB/second x 4 lanes = 3,938.4 MB/second

Thanks for the details of the chipset situation. I'll order the adapter card since I want to have the full speed that I paid for. It's sad, I purchased this MSI board because it advertised the m.2 slot as capable of the full x4 PCIE 3.0 speed (this is true but with a caveat). I can still use that m.2 for an expansion drive later on so it's not all bad.