Good Motherboard for crossfire 290?

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 13:42

win8.1 said:
The board I have now I could fit another card at the bottom pci-e slot running at x4 but for the usb connector and power/reset connectors sitting up too high and the card not being able to slot in.

How could you get around this?

Do you have the wires connected to a easy install connector thing. Like this
http://techreport.com/r.x/12098__front_panel_connectors/block-asus.jpg

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 13:42

P8Z77 WS might be worth a shot then. Its not cheap though unfortunately. Have a look in the rainforest for one, they have plenty in stock and cheapest in the UK.

tommybhoy · 21 May 2014 at 13:44

295 X2.

WC them or a couple of Krakens.

shankly1985 said:
Dont think you can.

LtMatt said:
Unfortunately, i don't believe you can. There's no option for it in the bios.

Thanks lads, but I didn't like the answer. :cool:

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 13:46

tommybhoy said:
295 X2.

WC them or a couple of Krakens.

Thanks lads, but I didn't like the answer.

My I ask why?

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 13:46

shankly1985 said:
Do you have the wires connected to a easy install connector thing. Like this
http://techreport.com/r.x/12098__front_panel_connectors/block-asus.jpg

No, but they are still too high.

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 13:48

win8.1 said:
No, but they are still too high.

Thats very strange normally they wouldn't come up high, unless you have connector installed.

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 13:50

LtMatt said:
P8Z77 WS might be worth a shot then. Its not cheap though unfortunately. Have a look in the rainforest for one, they have plenty in stock and cheapest in the UK.

I think they have went down in price since the last time I looked but still not cheap. Don't think there is an alternative though.

tommybhoy · 21 May 2014 at 13:50

shankly1985 said:
My I ask why?

Bright spark moment and thought i would run a 670 for PhysX/gameworks/Shadowplay alongside my 290X for mantle/TA...

Just for Nvidia to disable gpu PhysX even though I'm using the 670 to play the game and not using it to hybridize PhysX, you could do this in the past, but not now. :mad:

krooton · 21 May 2014 at 13:53

Why not look in to second hand?

I had to shell out £90 looking for a 8x/8x as I didn't want 4x messing up my 7950s.

Such boards can be had much cheaper now.

Edit - My old board would work fine I think, 290 in main 16x slot, tv card in PCI slot, 290 in next 8x slot, and the soundblaster in the bottom 16x slot.

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 13:55

tommybhoy said:
Bright spark moment and thought i would run a 670 for PhysX/gameworks/Shadowplay alongside my 290X for mantle/TA...

Just for Nvidia to disable gpu PhysX even though I'm using the 670 to play the game and not using it to hybridize PhysX, you could do this in the past, but not now.

-100 man points for buying a Nvidia gpu.

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 13:57

shankly1985 said:
Thats very strange normally they wouldn't come up high, unless you have connector installed.

They seem to be up enough over the pin height to stop the Msi 290 gaming I have from slotting in without a connector. Maybe with a stock cooler it might not be a problem.

Woodsta888 · 21 May 2014 at 14:09

Hi,

What about this

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/Z77AG45_GAMING.html#overview

Have a look at the layout. HAs one PCI-E above top x16 slot and 2nd slot down on PC-E x1/x4 may give you the space requred. This board allows PCI-e cards to go above GPU's allowing space. I picked a 2nd hand one up for £55 and was surprised at the room. Has Killer Ethernet for gaming too. Dunno if can find one new.

ASROCK Extreme 4 has a similar layout also I think. Dunno how thick your GPU's are but worth a look

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 14:16

Woodsta888 said:
Hi,

What about this

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/Z77AG45_GAMING.html#overview

Have a look at the layout. HAs one PCI-E above top x16 slot and 2nd slot down on PC-E x1/x4 may give you the space requred. This board allows PCI-e cards to go above GPU's allowing space. I picked a 2nd hand one up for £55 and was surprised at the room. Has Killer Ethernet for gaming too. Dunno if can find one new.

ASROCK Extreme 4 has a similar layout also I think. Dunno how thick your GPU's are but worth a look

MSI one would work depending how much space they is between the first two slots. Bottom slot is PCI 2.0 4x not good enough for todays GPU's

Edit
Seems the spacing is only 1 and half lane speed I feel this wont be enough.

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 14:29

I would like one running no lower than pci 3.0 x8 speed and the bottom pci slot for more space. I forgot that the board I have now the bottom slot is pci 3.0 x8 if ran with another card which would work if the reset/power/usb connectors were not so high but I would still have to take out one of the pci-e devices I have.

The Asus P8z77 WS seems the best option apart from price.

Is the Asus a really good board or is there anything bad to say about it apart from price of course?

Woodsta888 · 21 May 2014 at 14:30

Not the very bottom slot on that board - that isn't suitable.

There are 7 PCI-E lanes with 2 and 5 coming down the board for GPU's

Slots 1 & 4 may give the spacing for the other 2 cards the OP requires. I can measure distances tonight if OP wants.

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 14:39

win8.1 said:
I would like one running no lower than pci 3.0 x8 speed and the bottom pci slot for more space. I forgot that the board I have now the bottom slot is pci 3.0 x8 if ran with another card which would work if the reset/power/usb connectors were not so high but I would still have to take out one of the pci-e devices I have.

The Asus P8z77 WS seems the best option apart from price.

Is the Asus a really good board or is there anything bad to say about it apart from price of course?

Having no problems here so far. Runs superb. Price is prob the only issue, you do get server graded hardware though main reason for its high price.

LtMatt · 21 May 2014 at 14:41

win8.1 said:
I would like one running no lower than pci 3.0 x8 speed and the bottom pci slot for more space. I forgot that the board I have now the bottom slot is pci 3.0 x8 if ran with another card which would work if the reset/power/usb connectors were not so high but I would still have to take out one of the pci-e devices I have.

The Asus P8z77 WS seems the best option apart from price.

Is the Asus a really good board or is there anything bad to say about it apart from price of course?

shankly1985 said:
Having no problems here so far. Runs superb. Price is prob the only issue, you do get server graded hardware though main reason for its high price.

Its a solid board. Don't think its worth £227 mind you, but it was the only option for me as i wanted x16 x16 PCI-E 2.0. In your case it will be x8 PCI-E 3.0. X16 if you use the two blue slots.

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 14:44

Woodsta888 said:
Not the very bottom slot on that board - that isn't suitable.

There are 7 PCI-E lanes with 2 and 5 coming down the board for GPU's

Slots 1 & 4 may give the spacing for the other 2 cards the OP requires. I can measure distances tonight if OP wants.

It would take being able to use the bottom slot for enough space and running at 3.0 x8 but thanks.

win8.1 · 21 May 2014 at 14:47

shankly1985 said:
Having no problems here so far. Runs superb. Price is prob the only issue, you do get server graded hardware though main reason for its high price.

Looks like a good board. Does it have dual-bios like the gigabyte boards if the bios flashing messes up or something like that?

shankly1985 · 21 May 2014 at 14:49

LtMatt said:
Its a solid board. Don't think its worth £227 mind you, but it was the only option for me as i wanted x16 x16 PCI-E 2.0. In your case it will be x8 PCI-E 3.0. X16 if you use the two blue slots.

Mine run 16x and 8x For what you get its worth the Price. I mean the options are endless for configuration setup. It has Intel Lan, Intel sata and server graded. Server graded parts are tested to with stand high amount of board stress etc so you know you getting high end when you see WS on any board.