Is it actually necessary to have the primary GPU in the first motherboard slot?

[Marvin]

I have a Maximus III Gene (so x8, x8 PCI-E), with a GTX480 and an 8800GT for PhysX.

Now, for better airflow I was thinking of reversing the position of the cards, to allow the GTX480 better cooling. Does this result in any disadvantageous traits, or would it be fine?

 

[Orcvader]

Depends if there is an option in the BIOS to choose which GPU is the primary. Not sure if the Maximus III Gene has this.

 

[Marvin]

I think it just auto detects. When I was failing to run SLI, I could plug the DVI connector into the second card and get an image, and everything would game ok. Difference is I guess that they were two of the same card.

 

[Henry8601]

It is better to have it physically closer to the cpu as the shorter data transmission distance will slighty improve performance. However, if the further away slot has significantly better cooling then the performance benefit of a cooler graphics card is possibly greater.

 

[rush_syndrome]

It is better to have it physically closer to the cpu as the shorter data transmission distance will slighty improve performance. However, if the further away slot has significantly better cooling then the performance benefit of a cooler graphics card is possibly greater.

Great theory - but I don't agree with it

Bus speed is so fast that latency is virtually unmeasurable on the other lanes. Cooler graphics card makes no difference as long as its still within specification as they contain their own heat dissipation methods (fan/block).

Thermal runaway occurrs when the system is unable to cope with the environament but moving slots should make no difference as the boards are designed to deal with this, as are the cards.

 

[twist3d0n3]

It is better to have it physically closer to the cpu as the shorter data transmission distance will slighty improve performance. However, if the further away slot has significantly better cooling then the performance benefit of a cooler graphics card is possibly greater.

utter tosh!

an electrical signal is almost instantaneous! it's true that electrons move at about 3mph, but that's irrelevant if the push is less than 0.1uS!

latency only occurs due to the switching of transistors, and as such millions of transistors in a chip

 

[413x]

i use mine in the second pci 16x slot

haha about the speed of data transmission over a distance lol

 

[rjk]

It is better to have it physically closer to the cpu as the shorter data transmission distance will slighty improve performance. However, if the further away slot has significantly better cooling then the performance benefit of a cooler graphics card is possibly greater.

 

[Memphis]

It is better to have it physically closer to the cpu as the shorter data transmission distance will slighty improve performance. However, if the further away slot has significantly better cooling then the performance benefit of a cooler graphics card is possibly greater.

Please tell me you're joking. Please.

 

[Marvin]

So it's not an issue. That's what I wanted to hear, thanks!

Didn't think it'd be a problem, but, well, my luck at the moment...

LOL at the speed comments...

 

[Cycrow]

it mainly depends on the board and the speed of the lanes.

obviously if the bottom slot is only 4x instead of 16x, then it would be slower.

good thing about the X58 boards thou, as they all have at least 2 16x lanes, usually top and bottom, so u could use either without any problem

 

[Marvin]

X58 was out of my territory, stuck with x16, x0 or x8, x8. I'll have to check whether the second slot could run at a full x16 or not. I guess not.