With CPU Grade How many PCIe Gen 4 Do I Unlock On Motherboard?

[Spainz]

Hello everyone!

 

This is my current build as it is assembled:

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/D2Dj4s

 

I have an i7-11700K on hand I will soon swap out with the current one (i7-10700k). I know my Motherboard is compatible with a BIOS update. I'm aware this upgrade will unlock the PCIe gen 4 capability of the motherboard.

 

I'm not tech savvy enough to know how many of those lanes are unlocked with the new CPU, and I also don't know what is meant by PCIe "lanes" though as I understand it to mean where the GPU slots into, and maybe SSD or RAM?

 

I know that I'll be able to use PCIe Gen 4 GPU's in the future which is good, I want my build to be a long-term arrangement with room for future performance increases in games as I don't use the PC for productivity beyond web browsing and the occasional college assignment.

 

I know that by upgrading my motherboard with the i7-11700k I can use PCIe Gen 4, but I need your help in scanning the specs and explaining if it means I won't be able to run certain modules while others are running, at PCIe Gen 4 speeds.

 

Lastly... anyone know if my motherboard supports DDR5 ram? I don't recall it supporting it but would be good to know. You don't need PCIe Gen 4 to run DDR5 ram correct?

(go easy I'm still a new to windows computers lol)

[Zando_]

PCIe 4.0 isn't decided by a BIOS update, it's decided by the CPU. The 11th gen chip you're putting in will run PCIe 4.0 on PCIe slots linked to the CPU, in this case PCI_E1 & PCI_E3 - these are usually labeled on the motherboard itself. 

11 minutes ago, Spainz said:

PCIe "lanes" though as I understand it to mean where the GPU slots into, and maybe SSD or RAM?

Literally lanes, like a highway. The CPU has a limited amount, it's shared between all the devices that use PCIe. So GPU, any other devices that use a PCIe slot, an M.2 NVMe drive (an M.2 SATA drive won't use PCIe lanes), etc.

11 minutes ago, Spainz said:

anyone know if my motherboard supports DDR5 ram? I don't recall it supporting it but would be good to know.

It does not. Each DDR spec needs a different slot (as the pinout is different they force this to make sure people don't get confused and slot in the wrong RAM), no motherboard can support 2 standards without having separate slots for each. 

11 minutes ago, Spainz said:

You don't need PCIe Gen 4 to run DDR5 ram correct?

Correct, PCIe and DDR spec are separate things. 

[Windows7ge]

According to Intel.ARK the i7-11700K has 20 PCI_e lanes. More than likely your GPU (if modern) uses 16 of those in the top-most slot. (x16 being/meaning 16 PCI_e lanes). After this you have 4 left which with a M.2 PCI_e SSD will take up.

 

Now lanes are usually reserved for the chipset. Typically 4 or 8. This handles storage and sometimes offers additional PCI_e slots or M.2 slots but for the best performance don't use these for your primary graphics or storage. Using SATA for a SATA SSD is just fine though.

 

As for DDR5. Based on what I'm reading from your motherboards Memory QVL it's looking like the answer is no regardless of CPU generation.