Adding M2 to TUF X99, And now the build is complete!

[Deleted member 50521]

When I built my X99 back in early 2015, I never thought I would have much need for high speed storage. Even though my TUF Sabertooth X99 had one M2 slot, I opted for a regular SATA SSD.

Due to the nature of my workloads, I have found myself in serious need of high throughput high capacity storage devices. I could RAID my SATA SSD, but with speedy NVMe SSD around, buying SATA SSD seems to be a bad idea.

So go big or go home. I got the Sammy 960Pro 1TB.

Looks really sexy

Into the Sabertooth X99

I gotta say the M2 installation on the Sabertooth X99 sucks ass. The tiny screw that is supposed to hold the drive in place simply won't come apart. I had to heat it up to separate the screw from the supporting nut.
With the cover on, you can clearly see trough the vents. There is a 14cm fan directly beneath the NVMe slot so heat should not be too much of a problem.

And of course, testing it out with some good old Crystaldisk Mark. After installing Samsung's NVMe driver of course.

I will probably be reinstalling the entire Windows 10 when the Fall Creator update rolls out. And at last, my X99 build is complete(ALL SLOTS HAVE BEEN PLUGGED IN!!!)

 

[Bill_Bright]

I got the Sammy 960Pro 1TB

Did you use a marker to black out the label? If not and it came that way, that is a sure indication it was a used, returned, "open-box", and/or "refurbished" device and I hope you did not pay full price for it.

Note if new, it comes with a 5 year warranty. Used and/or "refurbished" devices typically come with just 1 year warranty.

 

[Deleted member 50521]

Did you use a marker to black out the label? If not and it came that way, that is a sure indication it was a used, returned, "open-box", and/or "refurbished" device and I hope you did not pay full price for it.

Note if new, it comes with a 5 year warranty. Used and/or "refurbished" devices typically come with just 1 year warranty.

I blacked out the label in good old paint. Thanks to an awesome TPU member who PMed me. Not a good idea to show the serial number around it seems.


Thanks for the concerns though. Yeah if it comes like that you bet I will be calling up newegg.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Not a good idea to show the serial number around it seems.

Why? I have never heard of this (except for firearms).

 

[WhiteNoise]

I installed a M.2 SSD in my daughters pc. Love it. That had to have cost a pretty penny.

 

[seo.padawan07]

HOPE the OP still checks in, old post I know
So I have the same MB... but my question is what is the better configuration.. to 1. utilize the onboard M2 slot or 2. getting a PCIe 3.0 to NVMe M2 adapter?

 

[ShiBDiB]

HOPE the OP still checks in, old post I know
So I have the same MB... but my question is what is the better configuration.. to 1. utilize the onboard M2 slot or 2. getting a PCIe 3.0 to NVMe M2 adapter?

Ignoring the necro..

Why would you use an adapter when the board has a slot?

 

[seo.padawan07]

Not sure what the phrase "ignoring the necro" is relative to my post but... not savvy on forum terms I guess.

There are only a few scenarios where it might be theoretically advantageous (but might still be my imagination). If the onboard M2 slot is an older firmware with limitations or (if such a thing exists), it's an older M2 hardware interface, and bypassing it via the PCIe 3.0 x16 adapter gets around it. I'm not up to speed on the evolution of it so I have to make up scenarios in case I miss something lol.

 

[Toothless]

Not sure what the phrase "ignoring the necro" is relative to my post but... not savvy on forum terms I guess.

There are only a few scenarios where it might be theoretically advantageous (but might still be my imagination). If the onboard M2 slot is an older firmware with limitations or (if such a thing exists), it's an older M2 hardware interface, and bypassing it via the PCIe 3.0 x16 adapter gets around it. I'm not up to speed on the evolution of it so I have to make up scenarios in case I miss something lol.

Four year old thread was dead and you brought it back. It helps when checking the dates on last post. Also your issue that you're explaining isn't a thing since Z97.

 

[seo.padawan07]

Ah I see.. hmm, well I found the post via a google search for a query relative to this OP. I didn't think the age of the OP mattered, to be honest. If the content of the OP is relative to a query... and I'm just glad I found another person who has my board lol.. If he or she is still around, they might be able to give me some great advice on optimizing drive setup.

 

[looniam]

Ah I see.. hmm, well I found the post via a google search for a query relative to this OP. I didn't think the age of the OP mattered, to be honest. If the content of the OP is relative to a query... and I'm just glad I found another person who has my board lol.. If he or she is still around, they might be able to give me some great advice on optimizing drive setup.

well after fours years its likely the OP turned off notifications to thread replies and since you didn't quote them, they wouldn't get a notification for that . . .

you could still send them a PM or leave a note on their profile (click the name).

good luck.

 

[ThrashZone]

When I built my X99 back in early 2015, I never thought I would have much need for high speed storage. Even though my TUF Sabertooth X99 had one M2 slot, I opted for a regular SATA SSD.

Due to the nature of my workloads, I have found myself in serious need of high throughput high capacity storage devices. I could RAID my SATA SSD, but with speedy NVMe SSD around, buying SATA SSD seems to be a bad idea.

So go big or go home. I got the Sammy 960Pro 1TB.

View attachment 91394


Looks really sexy

View attachment 91395

Into the Sabertooth X99

View attachment 91396

I gotta say the M2 installation on the Sabertooth X99 sucks ass. The tiny screw that is supposed to hold the drive in place simply won't come apart. I had to heat it up to separate the screw from the supporting nut.
With the cover on, you can clearly see trough the vents. There is a 14cm fan directly beneath the NVMe slot so heat should not be too much of a problem.

View attachment 91397

And of course, testing it out with some good old Crystaldisk Mark. After installing Samsung's NVMe driver of course.
View attachment 91398



I will probably be reinstalling the entire Windows 10 when the Fall Creator update rolls out. And at last, my X99 build is complete(ALL SLOTS HAVE BEEN PLUGGED IN!!!)

HI,
Guess price was why you got a 960 instead of 970 or even 980 or was there performance reasons ?

M.2's are nice I opted for newer at the time 970 evo plus for x299 and 970 evo for x99 after returning some adata m.2 that tests were all over the place/ inconsistent and adata support was useless
I installed the 970 evo on my z490 rig after i got it going I love the m.2 dimm_2 slots on the apex much better than the sabertooth m.2 slot seeing I added a much better m.2 cooler on mine
I got a pci-e m.2 card for x99 I hated the boards slot so much lol x99 has plenty of pci-e lanes so pci-e slots were plentiful to

 

[Toothless]

HI,
Guess price was why you got a 960 instead of 970 or even 980 or was there performance reasons ?

M.2's are nice I opted for newer at the time 970 evo plus for x299 and 970 evo for x99 after returning some adata m.2 that tests were all over the place/ inconsistent and adata support was useless
I installed the 970 evo on my z490 rig after i got it going I love the m.2 dimm_2 slots on the apex much better than the sabertooth m.2 slot seeing I added a much better m.2 cooler on mine
I got a pci-e m.2 card for x99 I hated the boards slot so much lol x99 has plenty of pci-e lanes so pci-e slots were plentiful to

Read his post date.

Now see this.

 

[ThrashZone]

Ignoring the necro..

Why would you use an adapter when the board has a slot?

Hi,
Add a better heatsink
Sabertooth is very narrow slot no room for any type of heat sink and all that stuff around the slot is plastic not aluminum so it does not qualify as a heat sink like other boards have.
I use these
Amazon.com: Advancing Gene M.2 NVMe Cooler Heatsink with 20mm PWM Fan (3rd Gen): Electronics

Read his post date.

Now see this.

Oops necromunger lol

 

[Toothless]

Hi,
Add a better heatsink
Sabertooth is very narrow slot no room for any type of heat sink and all that stuff around the slot is plastic not aluminum so it does not qualify as a heat sink like other boards have.
I use these
Amazon.com: Advancing Gene M.2 NVMe Cooler Heatsink with 20mm PWM Fan (3rd Gen): Electronics



I don't know where he lives thought it was in the US where these things are all over the place.

You're ignoring the fact that you never checked his post date and SSD release date. Thread needs to be shut down.

 

[seo.padawan07]

not sure what the obsession about OP dates is... as long as the questions, comments etc are relative to the OP...

Anyway, yes, thanks Thrashzone, I heard those NVMes can get up to 160 degrees.. will look into that cooler!

 

[ThrashZone]

not sure what the obsession about OP dates is... as long as the questions, comments etc are relative to the OP...

Anyway, yes, thanks Thrashzone, I heard those NVMes can get up to 160 degrees.. will look into that cooler!

Hi,
Yeah posted a temperature readout after running CDM on another thread the heat sink does very well at evening temp 1 & 2 where as without these temps can be 15-20c different

 

[Toothless]

not sure what the obsession about OP dates is... as long as the questions, comments etc are relative to the OP...

Anyway, yes, thanks Thrashzone, I heard those NVMes can get up to 160 degrees.. will look into that cooler!

You brought back a four year old thread that didn't need to be brought back. It's been dead and gone. No longer relative.