Question Best placement for my second GPU?

[JohnGeek]

I'm planning to add a second GPU to my PC. My motherboard has 3 PCIe slots, with the old GPU in the top one, as you can see in the image. So I'm wondering which of the 2 remaining slots I should use.

Both the new GPU and the old one have the fans at the bottom.

Which would better for extending my GPUs' lifespan: The middle PCIe slot, meaning than the old GPU would be blowing air onto the new one? Or the bottom slot, in which case the new GPU would be blowing onto the PSU? My guess is the later, but I'm far from an expert, so I'd like opinions.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lutfij]

Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model(although I can assume you have a bad quality PSU just by seeing that SMART sticker in your picture).

My suggestion, get the single most powerful GPU your wallet can afford you, multi GPU's are a waste of all resources.

 

[JohnGeek]

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz, 3401 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
CPU cooler: just a rear fan (see pic)
Motherboard: Z170X-Gaming 3
Ram: 16 GB
SSD/HDD: 2TB HDD x 2 + 4TB HDD + 256GB SSD
GPU: GTX 970 + RTX 3060 TI (the one I'm about to install)
PSU: 650W, 7 year old (EDIT - it's a Thermaltake Smart 650W 80 Plus Bronze)
Chassis: don't know the exactly model, but it's a 7-year old Sentey gaming case (50 x 50 x 20)
OS: Win 10 x64
Monitor: just an old Samsung SyncMaster B1930 (I use my TV for most of my gaming)

Oh, I should have specified. The dual GPUs aren't for SLI (as you can obviously tell from the above; they're different GPUs). I'll be using one at once. I'm keeping the GTX 970 for old games that don't require a powerful GPU.

 

[CountMike]

CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz, 3401 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
CPU cooler: just a rear fan (see pic)
Motherboard: Z170X-Gaming 3
Ram: 16 GB
SSD/HDD: 2TB HDD x 2 + 4TB HDD + 256GB SSD
GPU: GTX 970 + RTX 3060 TI (the one I'm about to install)
PSU: 650W, 7 year old
Chassis: don't know the exactly model, but it's a 7-year old Sentey gaming case (50 x 50 x 20)
OS: Win 10 x64
Monitor: just an old Samsung SyncMaster B1930 (I use my TV for most of my gaming)

Oh, I should have specified. The dual GPUs aren't for SLI (as you can obviously tell from the above; they're different GPUs). I'll be using one at once. I'm keeping the GTX 970 for old games that don't require a powerful GPU.

You are complicating things to high degree. Why would you need older GPU to run such games when 3060 would do better job easier and is capable of 4 monitors ?

 

[JohnGeek]

You are complicating things to high degree. Why would you need older GPU to run such games when 3060 would do better job easier and is capable of 4 monitors ?

Because I like playing many games in 3d (call me a hipster if you will), so I have an alternate boot with old Nvidia drivers with 3D Vision support (later drivers dropped it). But the 3060 isn't compatible with them, unlike my old GTX.

 

[DSzymborski]

Bizarre, but if that's what floats you boats, no worries!

Really need a better description of the PSU than just the wattage. This is basically the absolutely most important bit of information invoving a second GPU and you just kinda skipped over the question Lutfij asked. That there's enough of a label that it might be a Thermaltake Smart 650W Bronze is a huge red siren, as it's a dirt-cheap, group-regulated PSU that isn't even a real 650W in any meaningful sense, and it shouldn't even be in the PC right now if you're that attached to your GTX 970.

 

[JohnGeek]

My bad, I just looked into it and it's indeed a Thermaltake Smart Pro RGB 850W Bronze. So should I find a better one before adding the new GPU? Keep in mind I won't be using the two GPUs simultaneously.

 

[DSzymborski]

That's a bit of a relief actually. That's actually one of the few Smart series PSUs that's on a halfway modern platform. I wouldn't personally use it, but it's not a disaster on the level of the other Smarts. It's still kind of a cheap Sirfa that they chucked some RGB lights into and it's still double-forward, but at least it's not group-regulated.

 

[JohnGeek]

Wait, sorry. I meant to say it's a Thermaltake Smart 650W 80 Plus Bronze.

So time to replace it?

 

[ilukey77]

Wait, sorry, I'm a dumbass. I meant to say it's a Thermaltake Smart 650W 80 Plus Bronze.

So time to replace it?

yeah id go a 750w /850w for piece of mind while using the 3060 !!

 

[DSzymborski]

Wait, sorry, I'm a dumbass. I meant to say it's a Thermaltake Smart 650W 80 Plus Bronze.

So time to replace it?

Beyond time, but late is always better than never!

 

[JohnGeek]

Ugh. I was told by the GPU seller that my current PSU would suffice.

Can I still insert the 3060 before getting the new PSU, just to test it a bit? Or would it be risky? Because the seller's warranty expires this Wednesday.

Also, back to the current question, which PCIe slot would be preferable?

 

[DSzymborski]

Top slot for the new GPU.

It's certainly enough to make sure it works, but I wouldn't want to push it on an old, group-regulated unit. And make sure the 970 is out of the system completely.

 

[JohnGeek]

I see.

Which slot should I use for the GTX when it add it back later, after getting a more powerful PSU? Middle or bottom?

Also, what wattage would be recommendable for the new PSU? Again, keep in mind I won't be doing SLI.

 

[DSzymborski]

I see.

Which slot should I use for the GTX when it add it back later, after getting a more powerful PSU? Middle or bottom?

Also, what wattage would be recommendable for the new PSU? Again, keep in mind I won't be doing SLI.

I'd check the manual and see which lower slots get reduced more by multiple GPUs (I can't I'm on my phone and that's kind of awkward). Generally, the higher the slot, the better. In realistic terms, none of the slots really make much of a difference because PCIE slots, even older ones, provide much more bandwidth than even very good GPUs need.

With any 30-series card that isn't a 3050, I'd give a Tier A PSU of at least 750W (the PSU tier list housed here isn't updated anymore so it's slowly getting out of date, but you can double-check on the PSU Cultists site).

 

[SkyNetRising]

I'm wondering which of the 2 remaining slots I should use.

RTX 3060 ti probably will not fit into lower PCIE x16 slot.
PSU is in the way.

Put 3060 ti in top slot.
Check if it doesn't obstruct middle PCIE x16 slot.
Install GTX 970 into middle PCIE x16 slot after you have upgraded your PSU (750W minimum for using both cards).

Top slot works in x16 mode.
With middle slot occupied they both switch into x8 mode.
3rd PCIE x16 slot works in x4 mode.

 

[JohnGeek]

This is what the manual says:

So middle slot (PCIEX8) would be best for the GTX?