The new 15r2/17r3: M.2 ports, number of channels and interface when using both ports

So in researching M.2 PCIe 3.0 speeds I ran into a few questions that Alienware has not detailed in their promotional materials or the specifications document for the 15r2/17r3. I was wondering if anyone know the answers to the following. What type of M.2 ports are used? Are they both PCIe 3.0, Both PCIe 2.0 or is one SATA III? For the PCIe ports, are they keyed "M" or "B"? if "M" keyed, are they both 4 channel or are they 2 channel or one of each? When both ports are in use, do they both stay in PCIe (2 or 4 channel) mode or does one drop to SATA, assuming the second M.2 connector can ever run in PCIe mode?

 

Getting engineering involved to get all those details for you. Will report back when I have them.

 

VERY interested in Dell's answers to this.

To the OP, your more basic questions (keying, lane use) can get answered on Wikipedia re/"m.2".

 

I too am interested on this subject and awaiting the reponse from dell engineers before I proceed with purchasing a m.2 ssd

 

I just got my 17R3 and I can confirm both free M.2 slots are Keyed M (no B) and are 2280. I didn't order with the ssd as I was interested in upgrading when nvme was cool enough (at low and behold the new Samsung 950 Pro might be the winner) and possibly running them in raid0. So I'm very interested in the rest of the response from Alienware.

 

I received my 17r3 on Tuesday 10/20. The 128gb PCIe m.2 I ordered and paid for was not included and instead replaced with a m.2 sata card by Dell. So I have no idea how many chanels the m.2 port has.

I had 3 different Dell employees promise to get answers to the technical questions about what the m.2 port configurations are. I have gotten no answers, even from my corporate rep,who is trying to intervene to keep my corporate account and not have me just give up on Dell completely.

I have an email from Dell assuring me that the m.2 that was going to ship with my laptop was a PCIe and not a STAT card. I do not know what is going on at Dell.

I am trying, one last time, to get Dell to make it right and disclose the tech details of the 15r2/17r3. After that i'll see if we can eithor start a class action lawsuit, go after Dell under the bait and switch laws in Ca or just send back the laptop and start shopping for an ethical vendor for my corporate business.

I have been buying Dell for 15 years and they have changed for the worse lately. My experience with Appassure and now this fraud with the Alienware makes me not trust them.

I was also hoping the 950 Pro would be the answer to low heat/high speed storage for these laptops. Now it looks like I'll be trying someone else's laptop...

 

When the R3 first came out the 128gb option (only) was SATA, while the others were all PCIe. This soon changed to an entire lineup of PCIe cards but it wouldn't surprise me if most CS people missed that--and nothing against them for it, you really had to squint to catch that the 128GB was different. If you see only two slots total, that is the PCIe config.

I have the PCIe 256gb, and while it seems very fast the specs show that it's basically similar to the SATA in every respect except extended reads. If it was me I'd just keep it until the perfect PCIe card came out at retail--I'm confident you paid for the SATA, not PCIe, and saved a little money doing so.

 

Sadly, ordered online and the order and sales recipt show it as PCIe. The build list online showed sata. Called and was transferred and hung up on a number of times. Then my corporate rep offered to help. He got confer mating that it was actually a PCIe module. It was not... I was always going to replace it eventually. I just do not like being lied to multiple times.

 

I'm not sure if its a matter of being lied to, or more likely a matter of no one knowing what the hell is going on. Either way... assuming both slots can support pciE3 at 4 channel simultaneously, the new 950 pro's are the thing to put in it anyways.. and if not, then the sata is probably as fast as it is going to get anyways.
Either way I'll keep people posted on what the actual specs and capabilities are as soon as the 950's come out next week. Unless someone tries a couple sm951 in the meantime and can confirm for us beforehand.

 

I ordered mine with the 1 TB Samsung PM951 PCIe drive. Bloody. Fast. Holy cow....

The PM does not seem to have a heat issue like the SM series that needs some sort of cooling.

 

I ordered mine with the 1 TB Samsung PM951 PCIe drive. Bloody. Fast. Holy cow....

The PM does not seem to have a heat issue like the SM series that needs some sort of cooling.

 

Sounds good I need one of these 1TB drives for my system, although I want to get it cheaper not from Dell thought. I rather the PM951 if it means longer battery life.

 

If it could be useful:
AW17 (October 2015)

2 x M.2 PCIe


950Pro - Slot M.2 - 1 - X4 on X4


PM951 - Slot M.2 - 2


Ciao

 

Very unfortunate. Would've loved to raid the two 950 pros for some insane speeds.

 

Already it is a shame, but it seems strange that the BIOS Del give the possibility to put two ssd M.2 in Raid, then if slot 1 goes to x4 on x4, and slot 2 to x2 on x4, very strange.

maybe my HD configuration that reduces the performance of the two PCIe M.2, will be the third sata ssd 850 EVO in the bay 2.5 "," stealing "power to the two M.2, I do not know, it's really strange.

ciao