Alienware 17 R5 Question About SSD Slots

My Alienware 17 R5 has three slots for SSDs - two for 2280 M.2s (those are labeled SSD 2 & SSD 3), and a third which fits a 2242 M.2 (labeled SSD 1).

Does anyone know if SSD 1 (the 2242 M.2) supports PCI-e, or is it SATA III only? The SSD 3 slot (for one of the 2280 SSDs) is labeled "PCI-e Only", and I think the other two slots are PCI-e or SATA III, but I'm trying to confirm this, as I want to buy a 2242 M.2 2TB SSD that's PCI-e. The documentation from Dell/Alienware is a little murky on this.

Thanks.

 

It's supports both. In my R4 i had the TrancendMTS430S SATA III SSD. In my R5 i've a 2280 PCIe SSD ( SSD-Mod), but it's only fits with a small mod in the plastic cover.

I never found any PCIe SSD in size 2242 with m-key. Only the Toshiba RC100 with b+m-key.

 

[QUOTE="Sk0b0ld, post: 10963534, member: I never found any PCIe SSD in size 2242 with m-key. Only the Toshiba RC100 with b+m-key.[/QUOTE]

Sabrent 2TB Rocket NVMe PCIe M.2 2242 DRAM-Less Low Power Internal High Performance SSD (SB-1342-2TB)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XVRTG1H/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_S0oWDbZAC0QHW

 

Sabrent 2TB Rocket NVMe PCIe M.2 2242 DRAM-Less Low Power Internal High Performance SSD (SB-1342-2TB)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XVRTG1H/ref=cm_sw_r_em_apa_i_S0oWDbZAC0QHW