PCI-e slot for SLI

[dellguyz]

HI, I'm lookging forward to buy an Asrock X99M Killer or X99 Extreme 4 motherboard, together with two GTX970 graphic cards for SLI gaming rig. Just saw that some graphic cards occupied 2.5 slot space. How to tell if the motherboard I picked are capable for install graphic card with 3 slot spacing?

Thank you.

 

[renz496]

Looking at much recent mobo the first and second slot have enough space for triple slot cooler. Although it might not going to give the top card much room to breath compared to using cards that only occupied 2 slots. But even cards like 980 only use dual slots. I haven't seen 980/970 with triple slots yet.

 

[dellguyz]

Looking at much recent mobo the first and second slot have enough space for triple slot cooler. Although it might not going to give the top card much room to breath compared to using cards that only occupied 2 slots. But even cards like 980 only use dual slots. I haven't seen 980/970 with triple slots yet.

I'm looking on 3 cards - EVGA SC ACX2.0, Zotac Amp! Extreme and Palit. EVGA tell from spec it use 2 slot but Zotac and Palit are 2.5. I'm wondering if there are no space for breathing with 2.5 slot card on the mATX board.

I want to build a smaller rig, so mATX board is my first choice, at the same time I will run SLI. If those hot beasts can't breath freely then I have to re-plan it on ATX form factor

 

[Wolfshadw]

Just read the manuals for each motherboard to determine which PCI-Ex16 slots you will need to use for your SLI set up. Then make sure there are at least two expansion slots between the two slots you need for SLI. I'm sure the card designers made the cooling apparatus 2.5 slots wide to specifically give that extra space between two cards for cooling purposes.

-Wolf sends