PCIe quad M.2 NVME Adapter recommendations

[dam_j]

Hello,

I want my Server go all SSD and upgrade to Intel (Quicksync for Plex).

Right now i´m thinking about the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Master together with an Intel i7 13700K.

 

The motherboard has 5x M.2 slots which would all be filled with 4TB drives which would give me 16TB + Parity.

 

Now the big question, how can i add more ? Since i don´t believe (and can´t check) this board can´t use PCIe bifurcation 4x4x4x4 so i can´t use my Asus Hyperdrive card.

 

As i understand now i need an adapter card with PLX chip and UnRaid can still see and use any drive individual without any problems, ist that right ??

 

Second question would be if there´s any recommended on ?

I found for example the QNap qm2-4p-384 which can use 4x PCIe 3.0 M.2´s on a single PCIe 8x Port which would mean i can use in total 8x M.2 extra on this board.

 

Am i right on track so far ??

 

Thanks in advance!

[Hexenhammer]

On 12/29/2022 at 4:42 PM, dam_j said:

Hello,

I want my Server go all SSD and upgrade to Intel (Quicksync for Plex).

Right now i´m thinking about the Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Master together with an Intel i7 13700K.

 

The motherboard has 5x M.2 slots which would all be filled with 4TB drives which would give me 16TB + Parity.

 

Now the big question, how can i add more ? Since i don´t believe (and can´t check) this board can´t use PCIe bifurcation 4x4x4x4 so i can´t use my Asus Hyperdrive card.

 

As i understand now i need an adapter card with PLX chip and UnRaid can still see and use any drive individual without any problems, ist that right ??

 

Second question would be if there´s any recommended on ?

I found for example the QNap qm2-4p-384 which can use 4x PCIe 3.0 M.2´s on a single PCIe 8x Port which would mean i can use in total 8x M.2 extra on this board.

 

Am i right on track so far ??

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Intel z690/z790 doesn't have extensive CPU bifurication, if you want to use x4 devices in one x16 slot, buy 10700K or 10900K.

z690 and z790 can do x8+x8, but it doesn't do x4/x4/x4/x4

Or you can buy AMD they do bifurication and high end boards even include extra M.2 to PCie card, i had x570 MSI creation and it came with a x8 card that had two m.2 slots

 

You should go with 4TB SATA drives, that will get you speed, price and unlimited amount of space

 

BTW if you want to stock up 4TB NVMe, WD 850x 4TB is 370USD on amazon USA right now, SUPER price [its newest model]

 

 

Edited January 3 by Hexenhammer

[dam_j]

Thanks for the answer, 4TB SATA-SSD´s are (right now) more expensive than 4TB M.2 drives here in germany and i can still save the cache drive.

I ordered a PCIe 16x card with 4x M.2 slots and PLX-chip. I will try if this thing has any big compronises.

 

Since i need at least 16TB at the start with room to upgrade the 6x SATA connectors on most motherboards are not really enough for 4TB SSD´s.

 

[Hexenhammer]

17 hours ago, dam_j said:

Thanks for the answer, 4TB SATA-SSD´s are (right now) more expensive than 4TB M.2 drives here in germany and i can still save the cache drive.

I ordered a PCIe 16x card with 4x M.2 slots and PLX-chip. I will try if this thing has any big compronises.

 

Since i need at least 16TB at the start with room to upgrade the 6x SATA connectors on most motherboards are not really enough for 4TB SSD´s.

 

 

Thats strange, which drives are you talking about?

 

on black Friday i got 4Tb 850x from amazon Germany, it was super cheap 375EURO

 

If you want to go with sata you can always add sata card, JMP585 chip uses PCIe Gen 3.0 x2 and has 5 sata ports so thats 400Mb/s per port if you use 5 , if you use 4 thats 500MB/s, they faster then Intels, my unraid is on 12700 with z690 and it has 8 sata ports, when i benchmark, JMB585 has tad faster results for SSDs and HDD's

 

 

BTW, you can buy Enterprise U.2 SSDs on ebay, they  cheaper and come 4tb, 8Tb, 16Tb, even 40Tb, but whats important is that their TBW [health] is MUCH MUUUUCH longer than mainstream SSDs that you buy in shop.

U.2 SSD, can be pluged into M.2 Slot with M.,2 to U.2 cable [its same speeds, PCIE Gen 3, x4]

and U.2 size is about like two SATA SSD glued together [Thick boys]

 

This is what I use, Intel P4510 4Tb models, its from chinese seller so you dont have to pay any import tax [they can write that its 10$ product]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275288613769

 

Here is same drive just in 8TB

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334354990782

 

These drives are used but have health over 90%, but because they enterprise, they will Outlive any mainstream SSD, even the best one money can buy right now like 980 Pro, WD 850X or whatever else there is, the 8TB model has TB of 13.88PBW, thats 13 PETABYES, Mainstream SSDs usually has 1200Tbw and the best have 3200Tbw, this one has almost 14 Petabytes 

[dam_j]

For example a Crucial P3 Plus SSD 4TB M.2 begins at 294,- Euro and there a few others at the same price range.

Didn´t really think about used enterprise stuff, will have a look at that, thank you!

[Jlarimore]

I built an all nvme ITX unraid server on a z690i with a highpoint technologies AIB allowing 8x nvme drives in my one x16 pcie 5.0 slot. I've filled 8/10 drive bays with 8tb sabrent drives. Expensive. But, crazy fast 80TB tiny NAS of the future. No regrets here.

[dam_j]

3 minutes ago, Jlarimore said:

I built an all nvme ITX unraid server on a z690i with a highpoint technologies AIB allowing 8x nvme drives in my one x16 pcie 5.0 slot. I've filled 8/10 drive bays with 8tb sabrent drives. Expensive. But, crazy fast 80TB tiny NAS of the future. No regrets here.

 

And can ypu pleas elink me the board / controller ?

[T65]

https://www.highpoint-tech.com

https://www.highpoint-tech.com/nvme-overview

 

You will find a lot of stuff everyone is dreaming about

I‘m using in my server a SSD7204 for my x8 Slot with 3 NVMe drives (more is coming)

Edited January 11 by T65

[Vr2Io]

5 hours ago, T65 said:

https://www.highpoint-tech.com
 

You will find a lot of stuff everyone is dreaming about

 

I‘m using in my server a SSD7204 for my x8 Slot with 3 NVMe drives (more is coming)

Quite affordable then what I expect. "Highpoint" come back again for interesting stuff. 

[T65]

9 hours ago, Vr2Io said:

Quite affordable then what I expect.

 

Barely

I don't like these flapsy cables in my server so I have to bite the bullet, SATA was not an option and other "fast" interfaces are still not there to use. Respect to @Jlarimore for his nice little server

[Andiroo2]

I just received my QNAP QM2-4P-384 and installed in Unraid. It worked right out of the box.  4x NVMe and no bifurcation required on my motherboard. I even took an existing cache pool off the motherboard and put it right into this card and Unraid booted up and recognized the pool without issue.  I paid $170 USD + shipping to Canada.   

[dam_j]

6 hours ago, Andiroo2 said:

I just received my QNAP QM2-4P-384 and installed in Unraid. It worked right out of the box.  4x NVMe and no bifurcation required on my motherboard. I even took an existing cache pool off the motherboard and put it right into this card and Unraid booted up and recognized the pool without issue.  I paid $170 USD + shipping to Canada.   

 

What an "coincidence"...

Mine will arrive for testing today!

 

But thats great to hear!! Thanks