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SLI question

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I have two 1080's, and I was wondering if they both have to go in the first two pcie 3.0 lanes, or can they go in say, 1 and 3, 2 and 5 etc?

Thanks

EDIT: Motherboard is MSI X99A Godlike Carbon
 
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Use the top two slots if possible, but should work in any of the 3 slots on that board.
 

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1 and 2, or 1 and 3. It depends on how your board is configured.
 
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Use the top two slots if possible, but should work in any of the 3 slots on that board.
I got a new board that has 5 pcie 3.0 slots, would any of the 5 work?
 

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I got a new board that has 5 pcie 3.0 slots, would any of the 5 work?
Again check the board's config. Go look on the manufacturer's site.
 

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I got a new board that has 5 pcie 3.0 slots, would any of the 5 work?

Letting us know what board you got would help a lot.
 
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Ideally you put as much space between them as possible to reduce heat.

Most modern boards will allow any configuration as long as you have a GPU occupying the first (top slot /nearest CPU), e.g. 1,3 or 1,4 etc. Note that you can run a single card in any slot, however the board may freak out if you try and use multi GPUs without one of them in that first PCI E lane. Premium level motherboards may allow placement anywhere.

The thing to watch out for is the 3rd/4th lanes being locked at 1x/4x PCI E speeds.

The Z170 OC Formula was awesome for PCI E flexibility.
 
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Letting us know what board you got would help a lot.
Ideally you put as much space between them as possible to reduce heat.

Most modern boards will allow any configuration as long as you have a GPU occupying the first (top slot /nearest CPU), e.g. 1,3 or 1,4 etc. Note that you can run a single card in any slot, however the board may freak out if you try and use multi GPUs without one of them in that first PCI E lane. Premium level motherboards may allow placement anywhere.

The thing to watch out for is the 3rd/4th lanes being locked at 1x/4x PCI E speeds.

The Z170 OC Formula was awesome for PCI E flexibility.

Will update my info when I get home, sorry. The motherboard is an MSI X99 godlike gaming carbon. I had a look on the MSI site, but couldn't find anything there nor in the manual.
 

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Motherboard is probably configured like this:
1st slot 16x/2nd slot 16x/3rd 8x.

So you can use 1 and 3 or 2 and 3 or 1 and 2. Also depends which sli bridge you have, you need a longer one when you use slot 1 and 3 for example.

As for what's best: 1 and 3 is most likely the best for sli because the 1st card has more space to breathe then. Performance isn't different 8x pci-e 3.0 is easily fast enough too.
 
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Motherboard is probably configured like this:
1st slot 16x/2nd slot 16x/3rd 8x.

So you can use 1 and 3 or 2 and 3 or 1 and 2. Also depends which sli bridge you have, you need a longer one when you use slot 1 and 3 for example.

As for what's best: 1 and 3 is most likely the best for sli because the 1st card has more space to breathe then. Performance isn't different 8x pci-e 3.0 is easily fast enough too.
Thanks for the replies. Here is a picture of what it says in the manual http://imgur.com/F9oJtUL. So you think it wouldn't work unless I have one GPU in the first slot?
 

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Gotta have one in the first as a rule of thumb.
 
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Gotta have one in the first as a rule of thumb.

Ahh okay. That's a pain :\ When I have one in the first slot, it doesn't look as nice because the card's backplate is touching the RAM. The tubing is also much harder to configure :(
 

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Ahh okay. That's a pain :\ When I have one in the first slot, it doesn't look as nice because the card's backplate is touching the RAM. The tubing is also much harder to configure :(
I think it should be np to use 2# and 4# - the 2nd slot is a pci-e 16x right?

Edit: yes I saw it now. Should be possible.
 
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according to the manual to get both cards running as pcie 3.0 16x you want them in 1 and 4.

it doesn't say what they'll run at in 2 and 4. but I'm sure they'll run there.

pdf version of manual that's easier to read
http://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/E7883v1.1.zip
 
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I think it should be np to use 2# and 4# - the 2nd slot is a pci-e 16x right?

Edit: yes I saw it now. Should be possible.

according to the manual to get both cards running as pcie 3.0 16x you want them in 1 and 4.

it doesn't say what they'll run at in 2 and 4. but I'm sure they'll run there.

pdf version of manual that's easier to read
http://download.msi.com/archive/mnu_exe/E7883v1.1.zip

how about 2 and 5? I am not sure, but all are pie 3.0

Thanks for the link.
 
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how about 2 and 5? I am not sure, but all are pie 3.0

Thanks for the link.
depending on which proc you have in there slot 5 can be either 8x or 4x. having a card there may also give you problems accessing the usb headers
since it looks like you'll have these under water there shouldn't be a heat issue with using 2 and 4.
 

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how about 2 and 5? I am not sure, but all are pie 3.0

Thanks for the link.
Yeah is possible too but don't forget that the bridge must be longer.

Rather use 2 and 4.
 
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depending on which proc you have in there slot 5 can be either 8x or 4x. having a card there may also give you problems accessing the usb headers
since it looks like you'll have these under water there shouldn't be a heat issue with using 2 and 4.
Yeah is possible too but don't forget that the bridge must be longer.

Rather use 2 and 4.

My cpu is a 6900k if it makes any difference. So what exactly would it mean if I ran the two 1080's in pcie 8x instead of 16x, or one in 16x and one in 8x? What is the difference between 8x and 16x? All the explanations I've read online are not so clear.
 

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Difference is 1% less performance more or less. 8x pci-e 3.0 is like 16x 2.0. I wouldn't worry about it.

It's actually good you have the 6900k not the 6800k because it has more lanes and you need them to use those slots with full speed.
 
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Difference is 1% less performance more or less. 8x pci-e 3.0 is like 16x 2.0. I wouldn't worry about it.

It's actually good you have the 6900k not the 6800k because it has more lanes and you need them to use those slots with full speed.

Oh that's great. So all lanes would run at 16x? I just realised I can also swap 2 and 5 to 1 and 4 without changing the cooling as the spacing between is the same :D Would 1 and 4 be better?

Thanks for the help :)
 
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Oh that's great. So all lanes would run at 16x? I just realised I can also swap 2 and 5 to 1 and 4 without changing the cooling as the spacing between is the same :D Would 1 and 4 be better?

Thanks for the help :)
1 and 4 are the preferred slots. as they are known to run at 16x with 2 cards according to the manual

2 and 5 were probably running at 8x. but the manual doesn't state the number of lanes available when using that for 2 cards.

it also free's up slot 3 ( which you many or may not care about)
 
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