Why are contacts missing on this M.2 module?

[b_oneil]

I want to replace a preinstalled Qualcomm Atheros WiFi/Bluetooth M.2 2230 card on my motherboard (ASUS Maximus VIII Impact) with another that has better driver support. This is what the card I want to replace looks like.

As you can see, its edge connector has all of its contacts (the copper/gold metal strips at the end). I want to swap this card with an Intel 8265 M.2 2230 card that looks like this.

But this card seems to be missing contacts. Why does this card have fewer contacts than the preinstalled card and will this cause problems when I swap out the old one for the new one?

 

[Kaos_Drem]

Shouldn't cause any issues honestly, the missing contacts could just be grounds or general no-connects to begin with.

 

[evilsofa]

OP got his answers elsewhere.

 

[b_oneil]

Shouldn't cause any issues honestly, the missing contacts could just be grounds or general no-connects to begin with.

Yeah, that's what others think it might be.

OP got his answers elsewhere.

Thanks for the notice. I didn't see an option to close this thread, otherwise I would have saved you the time. Anyways, I'm gonna try swapping the cards to see if it works. The BIOS could have a preprogrammed whitelist of approved NGFF wireless cards. So I'm crossing my fingers.

 

[JasmineJasmine]

The contacts are missing because they're not used. The A-key variant of the m.2 spec has provisions for display port signals while the E-key variant drops the display port and adds SDIO, UART and PCM (aka I2S), I'd bet those are the ones missing, especially as this is a dual use card (as it has both the A and E key slots present, any pins that differ between the two slots have to be removed). It's probably not using the USB or the second PCIe lane either.