EVGA Z790 CLASSIFIED (121-RL-E798)
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Installing M.2 Devices
Installing M.2 Key-M Socket 3 Devices
Installing an M.2 device to the motherboard requires a few extra steps compared to
other drives or PCIe slot-based devices. M.2 devices used on this motherboard - Socket
3 (for SSDs) and Socket 1 (for WiFi/Bluetooth) – are installed differently.
Below are images from an installation of an SSD on a Socket 3 Key-M 80mm slot of the
Z790 CLASSIFIED. This motherboard has three (3) 80mm M.2 slots, all covered by a
heatsink to provide additional cooling.
1. Remove the M.2 Cover
Remove the heatsink. The heatsink is
secured by four (4) screws.
Now visible are three pre-installed
thermal pads on the M.2 slots. Three
screw/standoffs are included with the
MB accessories.
The screw/standoffs can be used to install
80mm or 42mm M.2 devices.
Each screw/standoff set includes a small screw to fasten the M.2 device and a
hollow standoff that can be installed/uninstalled with a screwdriver to move the
standoff to a different interval length.
