SLI mobo...only 1 PCI x16 slot?

[cykososhull]

I am looking to upgrade mobo's so I can SLI my new 9800gtx+'s and am interested in the EVGA 141-BL-E757-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX X58 SLI LE Intel Motherboard from Newegg. I am new to the SLI business, but don't you need two/three PCI x16 slots to SLI? Why does this board claim to SLI but only offer 1 PCI x 16 slot? Any other recommendations on an SLI board would be great.

 

[masterjaw]

You could use the 2 PCI-e x8 slot for dual-card SLI. For tri-SLI, just plug the third card to the PCI-e x16 and the other 2 to the PCI-e x8 slots.

 

[cykososhull]

You could use the 2 PCI-e x8 slot for dual-card SLI. For tri-SLI, just plug the third card to the PCI-e x16 and the other 2 to the PCI-e x8 slots.

So there is no performance drawback to using the pci x8 slots? What are your opinions on this board, good/bad..so so?
Newegg has this board for $209 after a $20 mir.

 

[masterjaw]

I've read somewhere that there are no noticeable performance difference in using x8 over x16 slots unlike using x4 or even x1 slots. Didn't tested them myself so I don't have the rights to say anything solid about it.

Honestly, I'm not quite familiar yet with lga1366 mobos 'coz I'm an AMD guy. (Will learn about that some time).

check this one for feedbacks about that mobo.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=609053

Apologies for the lack of concrete answers.

 

[cykososhull]

Thanks for the article. It has good feedback, but there are still few debating that x16 2.0 vs x8 will bottleneck a higher end card and some disagree. I like all the features of this board, I just have to find out if it will 'choke' my dual 9800gtx+'s or even tri SLI if I buy another.

 

[masterjaw]

check this review done by xbit labs.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/evga-x58-sli-le.html

 

[Yoosty]

So there is no performance drawback to using the pci x8 slots? What are your opinions on this board, good/bad..so so?
Newegg has this board for $209 after a $20 mir.

Go with this Evga mobo instead, it offers 16x speed on both pci-e slots and is the same price as the other but does not have free shipping.
EVGA 121-BL-E756-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX SLI Micro Intel Motherboard - Retail $209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188051

More info on the board from EVGA site.
http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=121-BL-E756-TR

Two other mobo's you should look at are these, both will do 16x speed SLI.
ASUS Rampage II GENE LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $219.99 Free Shipping*
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131371

More info from Asus site.
http://usa.asus.com/Product.aspx?P_ID=6i86Hj0lGriFHfY9&content=specifications

Full size mobo
ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157163

More info from Asrock site.
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=X58%20Extreme&s=

For Ram I suggest you get this set from Amazon.com they are over $30.00 cheaper then what NewEgg has them for at this time.
OCZ OCZ3P1600LV6GK DDR3 PC3-12800 1600MHz 6GB Platinum XTC Triple Channel Kits $113.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-OCZ3P1600LV6GK-PC3-12800-1600MHz-Platinum/dp/B001NFZ5PQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251006988&sr=8-1

 

[ill b ben]

pci-e 2.0 x8 wont bottleneck that card.

Only high end cards like gtx295 will b bottlenecked by it, and even then were talking about 5% loss at most

 

[cykososhull]

What processor are you planning to use on that motherboard?

The Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920

 

[cykososhull]

Are the Micro ATX boards obviously smaller just to be more compact, because space is not an issue with my case.

 

[cykososhull]

Go with this Evga mobo instead, it offers 16x speed on both pci-e slots and is the same price as the other but does not have free shipping.
EVGA 121-BL-E756-TR LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX SLI Micro Intel Motherboard - Retail $209.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813188051

More info on the board from EVGA site.
http://www.evga.com/products/moreinfo.asp?pn=121-BL-E756-TR

Two other mobo's you should look at are these, both will do 16x speed SLI.
ASUS Rampage II GENE LGA 1366 Intel X58 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $219.99 Free Shipping*
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131371

More info from Asus site.
http://usa.asus.com/Product.aspx?P_ID=6i86Hj0lGriFHfY9&content=specifications

Full size mobo
ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail $169.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157163

More info from Asrock site.
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=X58%20Extreme&s=

For Ram I suggest you get this set from Amazon.com they are over $30.00 cheaper then what NewEgg has them for at this time.
OCZ OCZ3P1600LV6GK DDR3 PC3-12800 1600MHz 6GB Platinum XTC Triple Channel Kits $113.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/OCZ-OCZ3P1600LV6GK-PC3-12800-1600MHz-Platinum/dp/B001NFZ5PQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251006988&sr=8-1

Thanks for the feedback, the ASRock X58 Extreme LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard is killer for the price, no wonder newegg is always out of stock. After a little more research, if I don't stumble upon another mobo ASSrock might be my final choice.