Crossfire Help Needed

[Tattsyrup]

Will my mobo (MSI z87-g43) be ok to run dual cards without affecting it because the second pci 16x slot is 2nd gen and only running at 4 x

[SkilledRebuilds]

Hey Hey, My Old Board

 

If your running a 2nd Gen Intel then your limiting your second card a little (90-100% efficiency) being PCIE 2.0 4x on the second slot of your motherboard.

 

However, you'll be fine if your using a 3rd Gen Intel CPU which enables the PCIE 3.0 aspect and even PCIE 3.0 4x is PCIE 2.0 8x and you'll be fine then.

Unless your mobo states that its second slot is specifically PCIE 2.0 all the time, then your at 4x and will still be limiting your card a very small degree.

Think 100% jumping to 190-200% instead of 100>200% perfect scaling.

[ShadowCaptain]

Will my mobo (MSI z87-g43) be ok to run dual cards without affecting it because the second pci 16x slot is 2nd gen and only running at 4 x

 

The G43 only supports Crossfire, it does not support Nvidia SLI

 

BTW the second slot is a PCI 3 8x slot (or PCI 2 16x)

 

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/2013/07/msi-z87-g43-motherboard-review/

[Tattsyrup]

Hey Hey, My Old Board

 

If your running a 2nd Gen Intel then your limiting your second card a little (90-100% efficiency) being PCIE 2.0 4x on the second slot of your motherboard.

 

However, you'll be fine if your using a 3rd Gen Intel CPU which enables the PCIE 3.0 aspect and even PCIE 3.0 4x is PCIE 2.0 8x and you'll be fine then.

im using a 4670k

[Tattsyrup]

The G43 only supports Crossfire, it does not support Nvidia SLI

yeah im usinf r9 280x's

[ShadowCaptain]

yeah im usinf r9 280x's

 

Then thats fine, the second slot is an 8x slot

 

It will run perfectly fine

 

(also I have this motherboard in my server, high five)

[Tattsyrup]

Hey Hey, My Old Board

 

If your running a 2nd Gen Intel then your limiting your second card a little (90-100% efficiency) being PCIE 2.0 4x on the second slot of your motherboard.

 

However, you'll be fine if your using a 3rd Gen Intel CPU which enables the PCIE 3.0 aspect and even PCIE 3.0 4x is PCIE 2.0 8x and you'll be fine then.

Unless your mobo states that its second slot is specifically PCIE 2.0 all the time, then your at 4x and will still be limiting your card a very small degree.

Think 100% jumping to 190-200% instead of 100>200% perfect scaling.

itr says it 2nd gen 4 x http://www.newegg.com/global/uk/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130694

[SkilledRebuilds]

The G43 only supports Crossfire, it does not support Nvidia SLI

 

BTW the second slot is a PCI 3 8x slot (or PCI 2 16x)

 

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/2013/07/msi-z87-g43-motherboard-review/

MSI's website says otherwise.

• PCI-E Gen
• Gen3 (16), Gen2 (4)

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/z87g43.html#hero-specification

 

 

itr says it 2nd gen 4 x http://www.newegg.com/global/uk/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130694

^Thats what I originally thought, had to make sure.

The difference may be noticeable in certain games more than others, maybe frame pacing also covers this small bandwidth difference and maybe you won't notice it at all.

[Tattsyrup]

 

MSI's website says otherwise.

• PCI-E Gen
• Gen3 (16), Gen2 (4)

http://www.msi.com/product/mb/z87g43.html#hero-specification

 

 

^Thats what I originally thought, had to make sure.

The difference may be noticeable in certain games more than others, maybe frame pacing also covers this small bandwidth difference and maybe you won't notice it at all.

 

so how much will it limit the cards and is it worth buying a new mobo like the g55?

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

Oh yeah so it does (why didnt I think of looking there lol)

 

It will effect performance a small amount but performance will still be improved over a single card

[Tattsyrup]

Oh yeah so it does (why didnt I think of looking there lol)

 

It will effect performance a small amount but performance will still be improved over a single card

what will do it instead of 200% scaling (never hapens but theoretically) what scaling will it be

[SkilledRebuilds]

Oh yeah so it does (why didnt I think of looking there lol)

 

It will effect performance a small amount but performance will still be improved over a single card

 

so how much will it limit the cards and is it worth buying a new mobo like the g55?

Pretty much what SC states.

Youtube search 16x/4x crossfire results (whatever cards doesnt matter, your after GPU usage not FPS) (people would have made them hopefully with MSI afterburner on) to show the GPU usage of both cards in sync.

If I remember right I looked up a while ago, ... a 7950 Crossfire 16x/4x setup it was having the second card at 92-95% of its 100%, meaning stuff all difference that you would notice.

[ShadowCaptain]

what will do it instead of 200% scaling (never hapens but theoretically) what scaling will it be

 

As above, you will maybe only get 90+% performance of the second card instead of 100% extra performance

 

Scaling is never 200%

 

Lets imagine its 180% with x8... with one being a 4x slot you might get 170%...its not really worth buying a new motherboard over, but definitely worth getting a second card for

[SpyRosL]

what will do it instead of 200% scaling (never hapens but theoretically) what scaling will it be

 

 

As above, you will maybe only get 90+% performance of the second card instead of 100% extra performance

 

Scaling is never 200%

 

Lets imagine its 180% with x8... with one being a 4x slot you might get 170%...its not really worth buying a new motherboard over, but definitely worth getting a second card for

100% scaling is exactly double the performance. 200% is double x2=4x performance.You can't have more that 100% with 2 cards,not even in theory.

200% is only obtainable in 4 way crossfire/sli(always in theory) and not 2-way

 

Or i am seriously missing something here..

[ShadowCaptain]

100% scaling is exactly double the performance. 200% is double x2=4x performance.You can't have more that 100% with 2 cards,not even in theory.

200% is only obtainable in 4 way crossfire/sli(always in theory) and not 2-way

 

Or i am seriously missing something here..

 

sorry I was talking 200% as in 2x the performance of one card...not 200% scaling between 2 cards

[SpyRosL]

sorry I was talking 200% as in 2x the performance of one card...not 200% scaling between 2 cards

Ahh,same thing. Ok

[SkilledRebuilds]

Maths and figures...... bloody maths... tell ya what...!!!

I hate the stuff, can't swallow it, can't keep warm with it..

Useless

Hope you enjoy the almost flawless performance of Crossfire buddy.

[ShadowCaptain]

Ahh,same thing. Ok

 

 

yeah sorry I should have said..NUMBERS YO

 

Maths and figures...... bloody maths... tell ya what...!!!

I hate the stuff, can't swallow it, can't keep warm with it..

Useless 

Hope you enjoy the almost flawless performance of Crossfire buddy.

 

[SpyRosL]

Maths and figures...... bloody maths... tell ya what...!!!

I hate the stuff, can't swallow it, can't keep warm with it..

 

Who doesn't?!

 

 

 

yeah sorry I should have said..NUMBERS YO

 

 

 

This picture almost killed me