GTX 780Ti which PCie port to use?

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DxBStriker

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Hey guys, this might sound a bit dumb but I'm a beginner and I want to install a new graphics card on my Asus rampage iv extreme motherboard, So I bought a new gtx 780ti to upgrade my old graphics card but I don't know which PCI-E ports I should connect from my power supply to the graphics card Here are the required specs :
Motherboard : Asus rampage iv extreme
Power Supply : Silent Pro Hybrid 1050 watts
new graphics card : gtx 780 ti superclocked with acx/cooler

Any help would be appreciated please , also if anyone could explain whats with the x16 ports and the x8 ports or whatever because I'm confused.
 
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dav_jw

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The x16, x8, x4, x1 number can mean two different things:
1) It is a designation referring to different slot length. Look at this image: http://blog.duropc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/PCIe-slots.gif Video cards will usually fit in the x16 slot, where other cards (sound card, network, RAID cards...) will use the other lengths.

2) The available bandwidth for a slot. Each pcie slot has a number (16, 8, 4, 1) of "lanes" grouped together. Each lane will have a fixed amount of bandwidth (about 1GB/s for PCIe 3.0). The x16 connector can use a maximum of 16 lanes, the x8 8 lanes, and so on. However, many motherboards will have more slots than the maximum number of lanes (the CPU can only provide physical connection for a limited number). On a socket 2011 CPU, that number is 40. Half that on LGA1155 and 1150.

When there are more slot on the motherboard than lanes on the CPU, some of them will be limited in bandwidth (depending on the MB) to a lower number than the connector could provide. So, for example, on your Motherboard, if you use more than 2 video cards, the x16 slots will be capped at x8 (which is half the bandwidth of the x16), as your CPU cannot handle more than 40 lanes simultaneously (4x8 = 32).

Some slots, even if full-sized (x16, the longest connector), will also be capped at a lower number even if nothing is installed.

Finally, to answer your first question, you should use the top slot on most motherboards, which is usually the one that will work at full speed. For you motherboard, the first red slot and/or the third are the one you should use if you have two video cards or less.
 
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DxBStriker

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Hey man thanks alot for the answer it helped me out alot , But I still have 2 more questions

1) http://postimg.org/image/n3o497hg3/ see this link , I feel that the first PCI-E red slot is too close to the ram can I use the second one and will it decrease my performance , or u can just tell me which to connect to according to the numbers in the picture

2) http://postimg.org/image/yxoh93q4v/ Also here , what are those two called? On my old graphics card it has the same 2 things but both have 8 squares on them unlike the new one , One has 6 and the other has 8 , should I connect them both? I have the Silent Pro Hybrid 1050 watts.
 
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DxBStriker

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So I should connect the graphics card to the PCI-e number 1? http://postimg.org/image/n3o497hg3/ ( According to this picture ) , I do feel its too close to the ram or is it slower to install it on the the second red PCI-e slot?
 
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AznGOD

AznGOD

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I think the second slot for your high-end motherboard has the same speed as the first one.

So, I don't think it matters if you put it in first or second.

Even if the second one was slower,which is unlikely, the difference would be only like 1%


SHHH secret, I put my R9 290 on my third slot PCIE x 8 (Half of x 16), and there is literally no noticeable difference.
 
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DxBStriker

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lol , But what about this? http://postimg.org/image/yxoh93q4v/ what are these 2 called? and my old graphics card has 2 of those but with both connectors have 8 squares on each unlike the GTX 780TI it has one with 6 squares and the other one has 8? should I connect both?
 
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DxBStriker

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lol , But what about this? http://postimg.org/image/yxoh93q4v/ what are these 2 called? and my old graphics card has 2 of those but with both connectors have 8 squares on each unlike the GTX 780TI it has one with 6 squares and the other one has 8? should I connect both?
 
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AznGOD

AznGOD

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Thats where you attach two power lines from the power supply to the card(1 six pin and 1 eight pin)
 
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DxBStriker

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I seen some people connect only one of them not two? whats the difference? and the HD 7990 has 2 8 Pins on it , while the GTX 780 ti has one six pin and the other 8 pin , what should I do with the two extra pin connecters from the power supply? or should I just connect both of them?
 
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oxiide

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The 780 Ti draws more power than your previous card, so it needs a few extra power connector pins.

I'd recommend checking your motherboard manual to identify which of your PCIe slots are 16x. Its probably also printed on the PCB right next to the slot. Don't worry about it being close to the RAM; that's the "flat" side of the video card anyway. The big, fat cooler actually hangs under it, facing the bottom of your case, so I don't think it would interfere.
 
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DxBStriker

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Yeah thanks for the help , I also figured out it wouldn't matter if I installed my new graphics card under the first PCIe Slot because both of them are 16x and that way I can feel more safe for the video card not being too close too the ram. Anyways thanks for your help and everyone else , Appreciate it :)
 
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