Running an Nvidia 1060 in a PCIe3x4 slot?

theforce · 18 Mar 2023 at 15:30

My friend has an old computer with a Q170M-C motherboard. The motherboard has a PCIe3 x16 slot, a PCIe3 x1 slot and a PCIe3 x4 slot at the bottom. It's a full-size x16 slot but the motherboard page states it only runs at 4x.

He has his Nvidia 1060, a dual-slot model, a wifi/Bluetooth adaptor currently in the 4x slot, and now a PCIe to .m2 adaptor to run his main OS and programs from the .m2 drive. How detrimental would it be to performance to put the GPU in the second x4 slot and the m2 adaptor in the x16 slot? He doesn't game. Only used the GPU for Photoshop and Lightroom.

Tetras · 18 Mar 2023 at 15:46

Should be fine, but if the PCI-E to M.2 adapter only has one slot, then it only needs 4 lanes anyway, so doesn't seem much point doing this?

Edit: oh, is the little slot under the GPU inaccessible for the wifi?

theforce · 18 Mar 2023 at 15:49

If the GPU is installed in the top PCIe3x16 slot it covers the single PCIe x1 slot, which means he will have to remove his wifi/BT adaptor.

Tetras · 18 Mar 2023 at 15:52

theforce said:
If the GPU is installed in the top PCIe3x16 slot it covers the single PCIe x1 slot, which means he will have to remove his wifi/BT adaptor.

Yeah, my bad, I didn't notice that.

From this scaling article (uses a 1080, so should be less impact with a 1060), I don't think it'll matter.

Quartz · 18 Mar 2023 at 16:07

theforce said:
If the GPU is installed in the top PCIe3x16 slot it covers the single PCIe x1 slot, which means he will have to remove his wifi/BT adaptor.

Get a riser / extender cable for this.

lsg1r · 18 Mar 2023 at 16:23

theforce said:
If the GPU is installed in the top PCIe3x16 slot it covers the single PCIe x1 slot, which means he will have to remove his wifi/BT adaptor.

Quartz said:
Get a riser / extender cable for this.

Could also go usb options or what I do which is use a wireless access point with the ability to act as a 'client' that plugs into the network port...

This is what I use, a TP-Link Wireless N Access Point WA801N, plugged into my switch (works the same if plugged in directly) and any device connected to the switch then has wireless access to my router which is downstairs.

Actually thinking about all this, is the 1060 even pin compatible with a x4 slot? Not all x16 slots will have all the pins if they're only x4 for example.

theforce · 18 Mar 2023 at 23:50

Tetras said:
Yeah, my bad, I didn't notice that.

From this scaling article (uses a 1080, so should be less impact with a 1060), I don't think it'll matter.

This seems encouraging.

Quartz said:
Get a riser / extender cable for this.

That would be the best option if l hadn't had to deliver it by tomorrow. Maybe give it to him like it is and then swap the devices around when the riser arrives.

lsg1r said:
Could also go usb options or what I do which is use a wireless access point with the ability to act as a 'client' that plugs into the network port...

This is what I use, a TP-Link Wireless N Access Point WA801N, plugged into my switch (works the same if plugged in directly) and any device connected to the switch then has wireless access to my router which is downstairs.

Actually thinking about all this, is the 1060 even pin compatible with a x4 slot? Not all x16 slots will have all the pins if they're only x4 for example.

Thankfully, the Nvidia 1060 worked in the second slot. I only entered the BIOS but it should be ok if it gave a signal.