Which slot to use?

superbeast0 · Nov 30, 2012, 06:04 PM

I have a Asrock Fatal1ty 990fx Pro motherboard. Here is a pic for reference.

I am currently running a 7950 and I am having to put in in the middle PCI Express slot due to the sound card not fitting in the 1st pci 1x slot due to the heatsink directly below it.

My question is this... Will I have any performance drops due to using the second pci x16 slot for my graphics card?

Jack1n · Nov 30, 2012, 06:31 PM

The performance will be the same,the 1st and 2nd 16x slots are capable of full 16x 2.0 bandwith,the 3rd can only do 8x.

superbeast0 · Nov 30, 2012, 06:49 PM

Thanks, I was pretty sure it was full 16x but didn't know if not having the 1st slot occupied would cause any issues. This is the only reason I dislike this MoBo. Should have planned better with the sound card. But the combo at my local pc shop was too good to pass up. Buy the mobo get the fatal1ty recon3d sound card for free!

NdMk2o1o · Nov 30, 2012, 06:54 PM

I run a PCI-E soundcard in the same position on my board with no issues, it's close to the 7950 (milimeters) but it causes no issues.

newtekie1 · Nov 30, 2012, 07:23 PM

Why not put the sound card in the bottom PCI-E x16 slot, and put the graphics card in the top slot. It won't really make a difference, but IMO it would be more visually appealing.

ThE_MaD_ShOt · Dec 1, 2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtekie1

Why not put the sound card in the bottom PCI-E x16 slot, and put the graphics card in the top slot. It won't really make a difference, but IMO it would be more visually appealing.

I was going to suggest the same thing.

newtekie1 · Dec 1, 2012, 08:40 PM

Actually, I just realized the board does x16/x16. So put the graphics card in the top slot, and put the sound card in either one of the two other PCI-E x16 slots, it won't matter.

Jack1n · Dec 1, 2012, 08:45 PM

or just dont bother and keep it the way it is since its all the same.

newtekie1 · Dec 2, 2012, 01:00 AM

Yeah, he could do that as I said, but my OCD bothers me if the graphics card isn't in the top slot...

cdawall · Dec 2, 2012, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack1n

The performance will be the same,the 1st and 2nd 16x slots are capable of full 16x 2.0 bandwith,the 3rd can only do 8x.

3rd slot is x4 not x8 board can only do 16/16/4.

Jack1n · Dec 2, 2012, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdawall

3rd slot is x4 not x8 board can only do 16/16/4.

Yep that is true,my bad.

Nov 30, 2012, 06:04 PM	#1
superbeast0 Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 3 (0.01/day) Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Which slot to use? I have a Asrock Fatal1ty 990fx Pro motherboard. Here is a pic for reference. I am currently running a 7950 and I am having to put in in the middle PCI Express slot due to the sound card not fitting in the 1st pci 1x slot due to the heatsink directly below it. My question is this... Will I have any performance drops due to using the second pci x16 slot for my graphics card?

Nov 30, 2012, 06:31 PM	#2
Jack1n Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Israel Posts: 667 (2.62/day) Thanks: 41 Thanked 138 Times in 131 Posts System Specs	The performance will be the same,the 1st and 2nd 16x slots are capable of full 16x 2.0 bandwith,the 3rd can only do 8x. __________________

Processor:	Intel Core i5 3570K @ 4.5Ghz
Motherboard:	Gigabyte Z77X UD5H
Cooling:	Antec H20 920
Memory:	Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR3 2x4GB 2000mhz 9-11-10-24 CR-1
Video Card:	Gigabyte 7950 WF3 Rev2 1150/1450
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Optical Drive:	Samsung DVD Writer
CRT/LCD Model:	Samsung T220P 1920x1200
Case:	Coolermaster 690
Sound Card:	Creative X-FI Titanium + Sennheiser PC360
PSU:	Corsair TX850 (2009 version)
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Nov 30, 2012, 06:54 PM	#4
NdMk2o1o Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Redditch, Worcestershire, England Posts: 2,683 (2.32/day) Thanks: 336 Thanked 865 Times in 612 Posts System Specs	I run a PCI-E soundcard in the same position on my board with no issues, it's close to the 7950 (milimeters) but it causes no issues. __________________ Bioshock Infinite, FC3, Crysis 3, Shogun 2, Dirt Showdown AMD bundle keys for sale: http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=182837

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Video Card:	XFX HD 7950
Hard Disk:	Hitatchi 500GB HDD
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CRT/LCD Model:	Shimian 27" 2560x1440
Case:	OEM black
Sound Card:	Onboard
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Software:	Win 7 x64 Home Premium

Nov 30, 2012, 06:49 PM	#3
superbeast0 Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 3 (0.01/day) Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks, I was pretty sure it was full 16x but didn't know if not having the 1st slot occupied would cause any issues. This is the only reason I dislike this MoBo. Should have planned better with the sound card. But the combo at my local pc shop was too good to pass up. Buy the mobo get the fatal1ty recon3d sound card for free!

Nov 30, 2012, 07:23 PM	#5
newtekie1 Semi-Retired Folder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 17,904 (6.47/day) Thanks: 785 Thanked 5,185 Times in 3,754 Posts System Specs	Why not put the sound card in the bottom PCI-E x16 slot, and put the graphics card in the top slot. It won't really make a difference, but IMO it would be more visually appealing. __________________ Rig1: System Specs. Rig2: A8-5600K@4.4GHz / AsRock FM2A75 Pro4 / 8GB Corsair DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24 / HD7560D / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB WD Green + 3x3TB WD RED in RAID5 Rig3: Athlon X2 4200+ / M4A79 Deluxe / 4GB G.Skill Pi DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 / GT430 / Sony DVD-Burner / 500GB WD Rig4: Phenom II x6 1605T @ 3.6GHz / Asus M5A99X Evo / 8GB PNY DDR3-1600 9-9-9 / GTX470 & GTX470 / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB Seagate

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Video Card:	ASUS GTX 670 4GB DirectCU II @ 1015/3600
Hard Disk:	1TB Seagate 7200.12(OS), 3x 1.5TB Seagate 7200.11 in RAID 5
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CRT/LCD Model:	HP 25" 2509m 1080p LCD
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Sound Card:	Onboard is good enough for me
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Dec 1, 2012, 08:40 PM	#7
newtekie1 Semi-Retired Folder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 17,904 (6.47/day) Thanks: 785 Thanked 5,185 Times in 3,754 Posts System Specs	Actually, I just realized the board does x16/x16. So put the graphics card in the top slot, and put the sound card in either one of the two other PCI-E x16 slots, it won't matter. __________________ Rig1: System Specs. Rig2: A8-5600K@4.4GHz / AsRock FM2A75 Pro4 / 8GB Corsair DDR3-1600 9-9-9-24 / HD7560D / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB WD Green + 3x3TB WD RED in RAID5 Rig3: Athlon X2 4200+ / M4A79 Deluxe / 4GB G.Skill Pi DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 / GT430 / Sony DVD-Burner / 500GB WD Rig4: Phenom II x6 1605T @ 3.6GHz / Asus M5A99X Evo / 8GB PNY DDR3-1600 9-9-9 / GTX470 & GTX470 / Samsung DVD-Burner / 1.5TB Seagate

Dec 1, 2012, 08:45 PM	#8
Jack1n Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Israel Posts: 667 (2.62/day) Thanks: 41 Thanked 138 Times in 131 Posts System Specs	or just dont bother and keep it the way it is since its all the same. __________________

Dec 2, 2012, 01:00 AM	#9
newtekie1 Semi-Retired Folder Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 17,904 (6.47/day) Thanks: 785 Thanked 5,185 Times in 3,754 Posts System Specs	Yeah, he could do that as I said, but my OCD bothers me if the graphics card isn't in the top slot...

System Name:	Deployment build
Processor:	Phenom II B97@4080mhz 1.6v (24/7 4800mhz max clock) (FX9590?)
Motherboard:	Asus Crosshair V Formula
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Video Card:	2x Sapphire HD 7950 3GB Dual X (3L short PCB) @1150/1500 1.25v
Hard Disk:	2x32GB STT SSD's raid 0, 1.5TB Seagate 7200.11
CRT/LCD Model:	STi 22"
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