Dual graphics not running same speed ?

[FlugzNutz]

I just got a 2nd r9 270x for my system my mobo is a asrock fm2a85x extreme 4 and it has two pci-e slots both are 2.0 x16 slots but why when in crossfire top card reads x16 and the other card reads x4.  It stays that way while playing games and other tasks could any one explain this or is there a way to fix this ?? thanks 

[0s4x]

Firstly, I apologise if the image is huge and stretches the page.

 

Secondly, do you see the solder points at the base of each PCI-E slot? The top slot has them all the way to the end, but the one lower down only has them part way along the slot. This is what's causing it to be read as x4, and cannot be changed AFAIK.

[ZetZet]

Yup. The socket is 16x, the connection is 4x. No way to change that.

[FlugzNutz]

ok well that sums it up thank you 

[FlugzNutz]

is there a board out there that can support both cards running at x16 and with a fm2 socket by chance?

[Ringtail Jax]

Closest thing I could find was x16 with one and dual x8 with two http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130754

If you're gonna want dual x16, you're going to need to switch to another chipset. Heck, I'm not even sure if amd supports dual x16 (and if they do well I need to do more research )

[FlugzNutz]

thanks

[0s4x]

Or there's the Asus version of the same board that @178Sonic posted

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132054

 

EDIT: this one doesn't offer 3-way SLI/Crossfire, so if that's something you have then go for the MSI one (provided you do decide to change your board at all).

[Ringtail Jax]

Or there's the Asus version of the same board that @178Sonic posted

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132054

Nice pick

[Moredeath]

FYI Running 2 cards at 16x/16x will net you  1% in performance gains

[Moredeath]

Nice pick

 

 

is there a board out there that can support both cards running at x16 and with a fm2 socket by chance?

 

there are better boards for money

[Ringtail Jax]

FYI Running 2 cards at 16x/16x will net you  1% in performance gains

What do you mean?

[FlugzNutz]

Thanks for all you help guys I ordered a new board this morning went with the MSI a88x g45 it will give me x8 for crossfire than x4 and ill be happy with that.

[Moredeath]

Thanks for all you help guys I ordered a new board this morning went with the MSI a88x g45 it will give me x8 for crossfire than x4 and ill be happy with that.

 

You wasted money, the performance gain is literally negligible. 1-5% at most. 

[MeltyMoon]

Closest thing I could find was x16 with one and dual x8 with two http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130754

If you're gonna want dual x16, you're going to need to switch to another chipset. Heck, I'm not even sure if amd supports dual x16 (and if they do well I need to do more research )

They do, my am3+ MSI GD80 does 2 cards in 16x

[GzeroD]

You wasted money, the performance gain is literally negligible. 1-5% at most. 

That might even be over stating it.

 

There is a reason AMD says boards with a 4x PciE 3.0 slot are still crossfire ready. Because it has little to no impact and there have been more than a couple articles to corroborate it. (at least for pre r9 290 cards, I don't know if the extra communication over the bus might effect them but older card wirk just as well) 

[steffen_anywhere]

Yeah, people have run a 780Ti via Thunderbolt 2 (equivalent to 4 2.0 lanes), with almost no performance losses.