How many PCIe lanes is your NVMe drive using in Windows

To check how many PCIe lanes your NVMe drive is using in Windows use the following apps to get the information.

CrystalDiskInfo

• Free
• Lightweight
• Simple interface
• Shows PCIe link width (e.g., "PCIe 3.0 x4")
• Download: https://crystalmark.info/en/software/crystaldiskinfo/

How to use:

1. Install and run CrystalDiskInfo.
2. Select your NVMe drive from the list at the top.
3. Look for a line like:

   Transfer Mode: PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 3.0 x4

4. The first value is active lanes.
5. The second is maximum supported lanes by the drive.

HWiNFO

• More detailed than CrystalDiskInfo.
• Shows lane width, link speed, slot info, etc.
• Download: https://www.hwinfo.com/download/

How to use:

1. Launch HWiNFO, only Sensors are needed, but you can use full mode.
2. Expand "Bus"
3. Expand "PCI Bus"
4. Select "PCI Express Root Port", and under the "PCI Express section" on the right:
   • Version is the PCIe Generation
   • Read the "Maximum Link Width" and "Current Link Width" to get the NVMe port's lane information.
5. Under the "PCI Express Root Port" you will probably see the following
   • "PCI Express x4 Bus"
     • "Samsung Electronics Pascal S4LV008 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 2.0 SSD Controller" (or your drive)
       • Read the "Maximum Link Width" and "Current Link Width" to get the NVMe drives lane information.

The drive information in this tool is just information read from the tool, it does not have current lane, just information read from the firmware.

Samsung Magician

• Clean UI
• Shows PCIe link speed and lane info (for supported drives)
• Some features are only for Samsung drives.
• Download: https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/magician/

How to use:

1. Open Samsung Magician.
2. Select your NVMe drive.
3. Under the "Drive Details" or "Interface" section, it will show something like:

   Interface: PCIe Gen 4.0 x4

   • This means it's using 4 lanes on Gen 4.

How can I check the number of PCIe lanes in Windows?

• Use: HWiNFO
• Count Your PCIe Lanes! Easy Guide for Any PC
  • Confused about PCIe lanes on your PC? Don't worry! This guide shows you simple methods to check how many lanes your system has (No software needed).
  • System Information Tool
    • On Windows, you can use the built-in System Information tool to find information about your motherboard and its PCIe lanes.
    • Press Win+R to open the Run dialog, type “msinfo32,” and hit Enter.
    • In the System Information window, navigate to “Components” > “PCI.” There, you will see a list of all PCIe devices in your system and their current link widths (corresponding to the number of lanes).
  • Third-Party Software
    • Some third-party software tools can provide detailed information about your computer’s hardware, including PCIe lanes.
    • CPU-Z and GPU-Z are popular tools that can provide comprehensive information about the motherboard and connected PCIe devices.
  • How can I check the number of PCIe lanes in Windows?
    • You can check the number of PCIe lanes in Windows using the device manager by following these steps:
      1. Right-click on the Start button and select “Device Manager.”
      2. In the Device Manager window, expand the “System Devices” category.
      3. Look for an entry named “PCI Express Root Port” or “PCI Express x16 Port” (the exact name may vary depending on your system).
      4. Double-click on the “PCI Express Root Port” entry to open its properties.
      5. Go to the “Advanced” tab, and you should see information about the number of “Current Link Width” or “Max Link Width.” This value represents the number of PCIe lanes currently used by the port.

General Notes

• How Many Lanes Does NVMe Use? Explained - Media Duplication Systems - Discover how many PCIe lanes NVMe SSDs use and why lane configurations matter.