Which Slot for GPU on Motherboard?
Hi, i am building my new PC (First time i do this) and i have a new Gigabyte Z87MX-D3H motherboard and a new NVIDIA Quadro K600 (The basic quadro without power connector), and a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO.
I am not sure where to connect this GPU card... In the Board there are 3 identical Slots which in the manual are labelled as PCI Express x16 Slot, BUT in the Motherboard there are printed other names above each slot like:
PCI Expres 3.0
CrossFire
HDMI/DVI Display Port
Dual Bios ON/OFF charge
So My question is, regardless of what the Motherboard printed text says, ALL slots are the same? Can i connect the GPU in any of this slots?
I would like to connect it on the middle one or the one farther from the CPU Cooler (Hyper 212 Evo), so i have more AIRFLOW... If i connect it to the First Slot i think it will be too close to this cooler...(It will have only between 1 or 2 cms between the GPU circuit board and the COOLER...) And if so, there will be higher temperatures i guess...
I am not sure where to connect this GPU card... In the Board there are 3 identical Slots which in the manual are labelled as PCI Express x16 Slot, BUT in the Motherboard there are printed other names above each slot like:
PCI Expres 3.0
CrossFire
HDMI/DVI Display Port
Dual Bios ON/OFF charge
So My question is, regardless of what the Motherboard printed text says, ALL slots are the same? Can i connect the GPU in any of this slots?
I would like to connect it on the middle one or the one farther from the CPU Cooler (Hyper 212 Evo), so i have more AIRFLOW... If i connect it to the First Slot i think it will be too close to this cooler...(It will have only between 1 or 2 cms between the GPU circuit board and the COOLER...) And if so, there will be higher temperatures i guess...
ASKER
Helge: Yes, that is exactly my board... Gigabyte Z87MX-D3H (Is a Micro Atx Board)
In the attached file below there are 2 Diagrams from the MANUAL.
In the First page, the 3 Slots in the Manual are actually NAMED DIFFERENTLY: "PCIEX16, PCIEX8, PCIEX4" ... In the second page, in the smaller diagram, the 3 of them are shown as "PCI Express x16 Slot"
By the way, this Quadro K600 i think is not that much High Power, is the Base model, and it consumes 41W, and does not require an additional power connector (or Pciexpress connector)..
PCI-Express-Slots-GA-Z87MX-D3H.pdf
In the attached file below there are 2 Diagrams from the MANUAL.
In the First page, the 3 Slots in the Manual are actually NAMED DIFFERENTLY: "PCIEX16, PCIEX8, PCIEX4" ... In the second page, in the smaller diagram, the 3 of them are shown as "PCI Express x16 Slot"
By the way, this Quadro K600 i think is not that much High Power, is the Base model, and it consumes 41W, and does not require an additional power connector (or Pciexpress connector)..
PCI-Express-Slots-GA-Z87MX-D3H.pdf
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garycase - I thought that too but Gigabyte are suggesting that if you only put one card in the v3 slots and choose the X8 then both slots revert to X8 and the only way to get 16 lanes is to solely use the X16 of the two V3s.
As ever I defer to you on definitive hardware advice but really thought that was the case with this board.
As ever I defer to you on definitive hardware advice but really thought that was the case with this board.
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Thanks all experts. Garycase you have given a very thorough explanation. Masqueraid has also a good point... If the middle slot as Garycase says is also x16 , why the heck Gigabyte prints in the board and in the manual " x8 "... the user must not need to have all this tecnical knowledge to decide where to assemble a component...my logic is, x16 GPU goes with the name x16 on a slot...( dummies logic perhaps...)
Now, dont get me wrong Garycase. I am 99% on your explanation and experience, and i wiould like very much to leave the GPU on the middle slot (middle of the 3 slots) but is there a way i can TEST this in my computer? Can i run a program and test it in the 2 different slots to see if there is a difference in performance?
I like the fact that i could use the Middle Slot, since if i do the GPU will be more separated than the CPU cooler, and that i believe gives more airflow.
Now, dont get me wrong Garycase. I am 99% on your explanation and experience, and i wiould like very much to leave the GPU on the middle slot (middle of the 3 slots) but is there a way i can TEST this in my computer? Can i run a program and test it in the 2 different slots to see if there is a difference in performance?
I like the fact that i could use the Middle Slot, since if i do the GPU will be more separated than the CPU cooler, and that i believe gives more airflow.
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Excellent Garycase, i will give it a try with GPU-Z first... (are them the same guys as CPU-Z? I know the last one, i have used it...
I will not be able to do this until the weekend but as soon as i do, i will let you know.
I will not be able to do this until the weekend but as soon as i do, i will let you know.
ASKER
So i also didnt close this question sooner because i left in stand by my NEW PC setup... I still have not installed the OS.. Anyways, as soon as i do i will try the 3 positions for the GPU and use the GPU-Z to see the technical info, and perhaps also try 3Dmark.
I will post my results as soon as i get my hands on this, but in the meantime i will give the points accordingly and close this question.
I appreciate all your help, its been useful and i have learn some good few things, important things.
I will post my results as soon as i get my hands on this, but in the meantime i will give the points accordingly and close this question.
I appreciate all your help, its been useful and i have learn some good few things, important things.
As long as you plan to use only one Graphics Card, you can use any one labeled '16x' PCIe on this board.
What puzzles me Gigabyte states they are labeled differently. please confirm you have this board?
For most HiPower graphic cards you will need a 16x PCIe slot. Normally these slots should have the length according to their speed (number of PCIe lanes), so the hardware will always fit only in ports for their optimum speed.
But most vendors use 16 and then just label them accordingly. Seems to be cheaper, or they can 'soft' switch the required lanes to a card that needs them - this may be the case with your board.
In my opinion it makes no difference where you mount it, as long as your cooling fans meet the requirements for minimum air flow. The more the better.