[SOLVED] 3080 fan blocked by thunderbolt 3 card

JMusic7

Commendable
Mar 11, 2021
41
0
1,530
Hi. My 3080 rog strix card is so large that the thunderbolt 3 card I have in the second pci slot, is blocking the majority of the card's far left fan. It's situated right underneath the fan.

I read that switching lanes will affect gpu performance due to the smaller bandwidth of the bottom PCI slot.

Will it be fine to leave it this way or will blocking a large portion of just one fan cause heat issues for the gpu?
 
Solution
I believe the manual states both lanes are x16. And that they also share bandwidth.
Nope.
First PCIE x16 slot operates in x16 mode (PCIE 3.0 or PCIE 4.0 depending on cpu used).
Second PCIE x16 slot operates in x4 mode. Second slot doesn't impact first slot.

Still would like to see photo of inside view of your system.
Judging from motherboard photos on web, there should be enough space between 3080 rog strix and thunderboltex 3-tr card.
Slots are 3 slots apart and 3080 rog strix is 2.5 slot card.
Well to what extend it will disrupt the airflow of the card I cannot say... but it might be dramatic (or not so much).... either way it's not something I personally would do or recommend, videocards usually run pretty hot and the newer 3xxx series are really power hungry, so you have to find another way to use your thunderbolt card, don't block the card breathing space.
 

JMusic7

Commendable
Mar 11, 2021
41
0
1,530
Motherboard is an Asus ROG strix b550-f gaming (wifi). I believe the manual states both lanes are x16. And that they also share bandwidth.

The thunderbolt card is a thunderboltex 3-tr.
 
I believe the manual states both lanes are x16. And that they also share bandwidth.
Nope.
First PCIE x16 slot operates in x16 mode (PCIE 3.0 or PCIE 4.0 depending on cpu used).
Second PCIE x16 slot operates in x4 mode. Second slot doesn't impact first slot.

Still would like to see photo of inside view of your system.
Judging from motherboard photos on web, there should be enough space between 3080 rog strix and thunderboltex 3-tr card.
Slots are 3 slots apart and 3080 rog strix is 2.5 slot card.
 
Solution