Build planning - PCIe x1 capable GPU?

A

alaricljs

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
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Planning a new build that involves some virtualization. The motherboard I'm interested in has an x16 physical x1-x4 slot that I need to stick a GPU into. It needs to be 4k@60Hz capable, HDMI2 or DP doesn't matter. Quiet would be nice and unfortunately I need to shoot for single slot. Thankfully anything capable of meeting Intel integrated graphics performance should be fine.

NewEgg says there's only 1 card that matches all that, but no idea if it would run at x1: XFX RX460

Frustrating, but if I drop the single slot requirement then the important GPU gets dropped to x8.
 
Most cards can be forced to x1 in the BIOS and they'll work. I've never seen any performance testing at x1 though, so I have no idea how well it'd run [email protected] have to think you'd be getting into bandwidth starvation territory there though.
 
Well again - iGPU level... basically 2D desktop use only. Although I do have a 3D app it's technically 2D using 3D rendering, so I need the 3D API support. The actual intensity of the app is bottom of the barrel, worked fine on my i5-2520M (Intel HD 3000).
 
all gpus are 1x capable.

the slots how ever are the issue.

you have to find one that has the back open.

or cut off everything from the second set of pins at the 8th on the gpu itself.
 
Might be able to remove the plastic slot, cut it and put it back on. Some slots aren't really attached on anything other than the pins themselves (had such joy on a z87 sabertooth - the plastic slot came off together with the card...).
 
I'll just use my electric steak knife, it's cool... Thanks for all the responses.
 
Armenius said:
Use a bonesaw and be really careful? :cool:
Click to expand...

Bonesaw??

maxresdefault.jpg
 
I would think that the rx460 you linked would work fine. Actually, on my Powercolor one, it only has the 8x connectors on the card wired up (even though 16x slot length). From experience in setting up some crypto mining stuff, the cards work fine on a 1x to 16x pcie adapter as well (assuming they get the proper power from the connector). Hehe I also used a 1x slot adapter to recover some botched vga bios'. So you might loose a little bit of the potential performance of the card, but probably not really noticeable even when gaming ;) (fyi if memory serves me in pcie 3.0 terms on a 980ti 16x --> 8x is like <3% =16x 2.0, 8x-->4x is like 8% 4x-->1x is 20% )

I am confused though what mobo are you looking at, and is it a 16x mechanical slot with a 4x electrical connection or is it a 4x slot period?
 
I remember an article not too long ago that went into depth about how reducing the lanes for the video card would impact performance in 3d rendering. At x4 the impact was noticeable but not terrible iirc. So strictly pushing 2d shouldn't be any issue. They cropped lanes via bios, but id be willing to bet all (most) modern cards should be able to auto-negotiate link speed and lanes.
 
rhansen5_99 said:
I am confused though what mobo are you looking at, and is it a 16x mechanical slot with a 4x electrical connection or is it a 4x slot period?
Click to expand...

It's an x16 physical, x4 electrical - Gigabyte's AX370-Gaming 5, the bottom slot. Unfortunately it's on hold until IOMMU grouping gets a massive improvement.
 
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