Question Can A520 boards support multiple GPUs?

[Yellowblueberry]

I could use some help, there are some conflicting information so I wanted to check:

Can A520 boards (with multiple x16 slots, of course) support multiple GPUs?

For example something like this:

ASRock A520M Phantom Gaming 4
https://pg.asrock.com/mb/AMD/A520M Phantom Gaming 4/index.us.asp

or this

ASRock A520M Pro4
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/A520M Pro4/index.us.asp

They have 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, granted the second one can only run at x2, but it should still run, right?


And a related question - what would be better - a second GPU running on PCIe 3.0 x16 (x2) or on PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4)?

Also, in a budget build (so no B550 or better), what would be the better option - A520 chipset or B450 chipset based board?


Thanks!

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

They have 2 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, granted the second one can only run at x2, but it should still run, right?
You're going to need at least 4 lanes. If the second slot will grant you 2 lanes, then you're looking at low bandwidth expansion cards like a sound card, not a discrete GPU.

How about you state why you're in need of a multi GPU setup? As of late Crossfire and SLI are dead, with little to no support from either camps if you want to run a multi GPU setup. Not to mention that they draw a lot more power.

You should consider buy the single most powerful GPU your wallet and system will allow.

Also, in a budget build (so no B550 or better), what would be the better option - A520 chipset or B450 chipset based board?
We're going to need context = more info. Budget is a relative term. How much have you allocated for your build? What is the purpose of the build? Where are you located?

 

[Yellowblueberry]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Thanks

How about you state why you're in need of a multi GPU setup?

Why not? For fun, to mess around with some hardware laying around currently unused. To try and get lossless scaling working on a separate GPU. To have some fun.

I already have everything else, except the motherboard with multiple PCIe x16 slots, and a cheap one would provide a cheap way to tinker with some stuff. Buying a more expensive board would be less sensible for such a use case. Or I guess technically I could buy a cheaper B550 board if it would be significantly better option than A520 and B450.

 

[Yellowblueberry]

Also to add: I have everything else, I only need the motherboard, and I will be getting a reasonable priced one anyway, so I was thinking why not get one with extra PCIe x16 slot to tinker a bit. If the second GPU is not usable it can always be taken out and PC can be used with one GPU, the other way around would be more difficult.

 

[CountMike]

Also to add: I have everything else, I only need the motherboard, and I will be getting a reasonable priced one anyway, so I was thinking why not get one with extra PCIe x16 slot to tinker a bit. If the second GPU is not usable it can always be taken out and PC can be used with one GPU, the other way around would be more difficult.

Of course, you can run 2 GPUs or any number as x16 slots but also over USB with appropriate adapter. Your PsU would also have to have appropriate cables. In MBs that explicitly say 2*x16 PCie (expensive top end) that can run at full speed, They would share lines so two x16 GPUs would run as x8. losing some performance. If second PCIe slot is tied to chipset (like that one) than it woldn't.
PS. A320, A520 have pretty low VRM sections, suitable for low end CPUs. B350, 450 and 550 have much better VRM and richer options from chipset itself.
as for
"And a related question - what would be better - a second GPU running on PCIe 3.0 x16 (x2) or on PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4)?" it would be dead race.
The "X" denotes number of PCIe lanes andPCIe generation, each higher one has twice the bandwidth/frequency of previous one which affects it's performance..