Help with SLI

Saltymoo · Dec 6, 2014

I have two 970s and I can't SLI. I have 3 PCI express slots the first GPU sags over the second slot so for the SLI I have to use the first and third slot and SLI wont work.

MOBO: ASRock Z87M EXTREME4 Motherboard

GPU: Palit Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 JetStream Graphics Card (4GB, GDDR5, PCI Express 3.0)

I have an SLI bridge

Damn_Rookie · Dec 6, 2014

Saltymoo :

SLI will only work with the top two x16 slots I'm afraid. The third x16 slot is wired to the motherboard chipset and is limited to only x4 mode, and nVidia demand at least 8 lanes per card for SLI to be enabled, so that slot cannot be used for SLI.

Sadly the cooler on that particular 970 model is really a 2.5 slot cooler, as opposed to a normal 2 slot cooler (the fans and fan housing stick out slightly too far), so I'm not surprised you can't fit them next to one another on your mATX board.

Your options are either a replacement full ATX motherboard, that has an extra slot between the two x16 slots you'd use for SLI, or alternatively, replacing those 970s with models with less wide coolers.

beekermartin · Dec 6, 2014

What he said!

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 6, 2014

Time for a new board.

mlga91 · Dec 6, 2014

Or give a Pci extender cable a try:

http://www.amazon.com/PCI-E-Express-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBFTG

Saltymoo · Dec 7, 2014

What GPU would anyone recommend then?

Saltymoo · Dec 7, 2014

mlga91 :

How would I fit it into my case?

I have a Corsair 540

beekermartin · Dec 7, 2014

The PCI extender cable is a ribbon cable. You connect it to the pci express slot and then your video card to it. Then you will have to find a way to secure the card in the case. Zip ties maybe??? No this is not ideal but it is an option.

Saltymoo · Dec 7, 2014

mlga91 :

Will it work with PCIE 3.0 x16 so I will be able to SLI?

If so what ribbon

mlga91 · Dec 7, 2014

It will help you to put the second card on the second slot as is suposed to be in sli, both cards will work at x8, like any normal sli setup.

Saltymoo · Dec 8, 2014

I have ordered a ribbon so I will update you all on how it goes. Thanks for the help. The item should come tomorrow.

Saltymoo · Dec 9, 2014

Not necessarily.

Saltymoo · Dec 11, 2014

Hello people. I have done some slight modding to the case and rested the top GPU on the second one. I have also used cable ties and stuff. I am happy to say that the PCIE ribbon worked well.

No new motherboard or GPU for me!

Thank you mlga91 and beekermartin for being helpful.

I have also done some bench marking to check if this ribbon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/PCI-E-Express-Extender-Flexible-Extension/dp/B008BZBFTG/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t) makes any performance differences.

3D Mark Fire Strike
10126 without ribbon
10125 with ribbon

So no real difference whatsoever!

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Help with SLI

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