Sound Card/ GPU - Which PCI-e

Supermellow · 12 Sep 2012 at 14:20

Just a quick question re my PCI-e slots.

I have a Z77 D3H board with a Gainward GTX 680, Creative Titanium HD (PCI-e connection) and a Wi-Fi card to attach.

My GPU will go in the PCI E X16 slot and Wi-Fi into the PCI 2 slot (bottom connector)

Now, i wanted as much space between the sound card and GPU for air clearance and was hoping the sound card could go into the PCI E X4 slot, would this ruin the bandwidth going to my GPU?

If so I will have to settle for the lower PCI E X1 slot.

Cheers

SM

BrianB · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:04

Usually sound card goes in the dinky pcie slot above the gpu? If I had to use a Wifi card and a sound card like that I would have the smallest card under the gpu. I really don't think either of them need much bandwidth so I don't think it would make noticable difference, if any. Can't think why the small pci e would be linked to the x16 slot.

Supermellow · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:25

I thought the PCI E X4 may have been linked to the 16 as it is the secondary link for crossfire on the board.

I havn't got round to start my build yet but i have a feeling the D14 cooler I have ordered may take up too much room above the GPU limiting my space to install the sound card there.

Also, the sound card is pretty long and if it goes too close to the underside of the GPU it partially blocks the fan inlet.

Hope that makes sense?!

BrianB · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:34

It's a long card, but I don't think it will matter too much on that Gainward cooler, the fans are under the heatsink? If it will restrict the x16 lane it will probably say so in the manual. There will be room under the D14, on my Gigabyte UP4TH theres room under my D14 for another card, it doesn't overhang the PCI-E slot at all.

Our boards are basically the same layout slot wise.

Supermellow · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:05

BrianB said:
It's a long card, but I don't think it will matter too much on that Gainward cooler, the fans are under the heatsink? If it will restrict the x16 lane it will probably say so in the manual. There will be room under the D14, on my Gigabyte UP4TH theres room under my D14 for another card, it doesn't overhang the PCI-E slot at all.

Our boards are basically the same layout slot wise.

Superb - I don't have the d14 to check spacings at the moment but that's good news. I will download and check the manual later on for confirmation on limiting the x16 slot.

Cheers.