23
PCIE Slot Configurations
PCIE1 PCIE3 PCIE4 PCIE5 PCIE7
Two Graphics Cards in
x16 N/A N/A x16 N/A
CrossFireX
TM
or SLI
TM
Mode
Three Graphics Cards in
x16 x8 N/A x16 N/A
3-Way CrossFireX
TM
or
x16 N/A x8 N/A x8
3-Way SLI
TM
Mode
Four Graphics Cards in
x16 x8 N/A x8 x8
4-Way CrossFireX
TM
or
4-Way SLI
TM
Mode
2.6 Expansion Slots (PCI and PCI Express Slots)
There are 7 PCI Express slots on this motherboard.
PCIE slots:
PCIE1 / PCIE3 / PCIE4 / PCIE5 /PCIE7 (PCIE 3.0 x16 slots) are used
for PCI Express graphics cards.
PCIE2 / PCIE6 (PCIE2.0 x1 slots) are used for PCI Express cards with
x1 lane width. Such as Gigabit LAN card or SATA2 cards, etc.
1. In single VGA card mode, it is recommended to install a PCI Express
x16 graphics card in the PCIE1 slot.
2. In CrossFireX
TM
mode or SLI
TM
mode, please install the PCI Express
x16 graphics cards in PCIE1 and PCIE5 slots. Both these two slots
will work at x16 bandwidth.
3. In 3-Way CrossFireX
TM
or 3-Way SLI
TM
mode, please install the PCI
Express x16 graphics cards in PCIE1, PCIE3 and PCIE5 slots. PCIE1
and PCIE5 will work at x16 bandwidth, while PCIE3 works at x8
bandwidth. Or install the PCI Express x16 graphics cards in PCIE1,
PCIE4 and PCIE7 slots. PCIE1 will work at x16 bandwidth, while
PCIE4 and PCIE7 works at x8 bandwidth.
4. In 4-Way CrossFireX
TM
or 4-Way SLI
TM
mode, please install the PCI
Express x16 graphics cards in PCIE1, PCIE3, PCIE5 and PCIE7
slots. PCIE1 will work at x16 bandwidth, while PCIE3, PCIE5 and
PCIE7 works at x8 bandwidth.
5. Please connect a chassis fan to the motherboard’s chassis fan
connector (CHA_FAN1, CHA_FAN2 or CHA_FAN3) when using
multiple graphics cards for better thermal environment.
6. Currently Intel
®
Socket 2011 Sandy Bridge-E Processors don’t
support PCIE 3.0, but this motherboard is already PCIE 3.0 hardware
ready. It depends on Intel’s CPU to enable PCIE 3.0. Please check
Intel’s website for information on future CPU updates and releases.
