PCIE Arrangement

[stealth80]

Hi,

    Im currently using an Asus Z97 Ranger Motherboard with 4790k CPU in my Sig Build. The current configuration is using a single 970GTX, a Sandblaster Z and a Samsung Xp941 (in PCIE adapter) in a PCIE slot to get PCIEx4 (rather then the bandwidth limiting x2 m.2 slot)

 

Here's the issue ....

 

I've finally bitten the bullet and purchased a second 970GTX for SLI. Meaning less lanes from the CPU. Will be able to use the 2x8X PCIE for the SLI 970's, and still have PCIE lanes available for the M.2 SSD + the Sandblaster Z? Or Am I going to have to get reduced to 800Mb/s reads on the XP941 in the dedicated m.2 slot?

[Glenwing]

Hi,

    Im currently using an Asus Z97 Ranger Motherboard with 4790k CPU in my Sig Build. The current configuration is using a single 970GTX, a Sandblaster Z and a Samsung Xp941 (in PCIE adapter) in a PCIE slot to get PCIEx4 (rather then the bandwidth limiting x2 m.2 slot)

 

Here's the issue ....

 

I've finally bitten the bullet and purchased a second 970GTX for SLI. Meaning less lanes from the CPU. Will be able to use the 2x8X PCIE for the SLI 970's, and still have PCIE lanes available for the M.2 SSD + the Sandblaster Z? Or Am I going to have to get reduced to 800Mb/s reads on the XP941 in the dedicated m.2 slot?

The lanes from the PCIe 2.0 x4 slot on the bottom of the board shares lanes with the M.2 slot and the PCIe 2.0 x1 slots. It doesn't look like it uses any lanes from the CPU, so it looks like you should be able to keep using it with your GPUs in SLI, and won't have to use the M.2 slot.

[stealth80]

The lanes from the PCIe 2.0 x4 slot on the bottom of the board shares lanes with the M.2 slot and the PCIe 2.0 x1 slots. It doesn't look like it uses any lanes from the CPU, so it looks like you should be able to keep using it with your GPUs in SLI, and won't have to use the M.2 slot.

 

Would this still allow lanes to carry on using the Soundblaster Z as well?

 

Thanks

[thekeemo]

Would this still allow lanes to carry on using the Sandblaster Z as well?

 

Thanks

after comparing onboard audio to my zx I felt no change. I recommend you try the same.