Any 680i SLI boards that you can actually use the two PCI slots when also using SLI?

[Giffen]

It looks like the Striker board will only allow you to use one normal PCI slot if you have both PCI-e slots filled with the new cards (which are wide).

I need more than just one PCI slot, why are they making so few?

 

[Centurin]

Because most people don't use that many PCI slots. One is all I need, myself, for an X-fi.

 

[Giffen]

Then why even make a board with 2 pci slots?

 

[Jibboom]

I'm not looking at getting a 680 board, but I agree there is a need for two usable PCI slots with SLI. I use both a soundcard and a TV tuner card so I need to have two usable PCI slots.

 

[Skott]

Doesnt the Striker have a sound card riser thingy? (LOL...sorry, forget what its called). I think ASUS has that so people can use the spare slot for something other than a sound card. Of course people will still prefer something like a X-Fi over anything ASUS makes but ASUS hasnt figured this out yet apparently. I guess they need to go to a bigger mobo design if we want more slots.

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: Jibboom
I use both a soundcard and a TV tuner card so I need to have two usable PCI slots.

You can now get PCI-E tuners.
About the only thing that isn't yet available in PCI-E seems to be soundcards.

 

[Giffen]

Yes but the pci-e slots will be taken with 2 video and 1 physx card...

And I want at least a network card and sound card in pci.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Giffen
Yes but the pci-e slots will be taken with 2 video and 1 physx card...

And I want at least a network card and sound card in pci.

Why on earth do you need a PCI network card???

 

[Bibble]

This fact upsets me as well. I need a slot for a sound card and a wireless card (since the striker doesn't come with wireless). Once I go SLI this summer I will be forced to use onboard sound as internet access is more important than superb sound quality. This is a real shame considering I spent a lot of money on the logitech z-5500 and I sincerely doubt onboard sound will let them live up to their name.

 

[StrangerThanFiction]

As a semi-novice system builder, physical configuration seem to be among the murkiest and least-well covered issues. There are many guides to selecting compatible ram, cpu, cooling solutions, about overclocking, bios tweaking, etc, but very little on "will these components actually fit together in the available space?"

Given the oversized nature of items often spoken of in connection with 680i boards, like the 8800 GTX cards, the Tuniq tower, not to mention the bulky 680i motherboards themselves, choosing components that will actually all fit together in the same box seems like a potentially serious problem. Maybe more experienced builders have ways of figuring this out, but it is a mystery to me.

 

[TBSN]

I agree with the the above post. One can read volumes on selecting hardware and components, but when it comes to actually assembling the thing......

As a first-time computer builder, it would be great if someone had an illustrated guide on how the assembly process works... Ah well, it's just trial and error I guess.

 

[Skott]

Originally posted by: TBSN
I agree with the the above post. One can read volumes on selecting hardware and components, but when it comes to actually assembling the thing......

As a first-time computer builder, it would be great if someone had an illustrated guide on how the assembly process works... Ah well, it's just trial and error I guess.

Which is why we depend so heavily on people who post here, and other websites, about their rigs, experiences, and any pics they can share. I'd say if you want to see actual pictures and something closer to an actual guide the XtremeSyestems website has more of them than AT. Probably better detailed too. Of course those over at XS (and a good many readers here post & participate over there as well) are more hardcore Overclocking enthusiasts in nature but the average computer user/gamer can learn form them as well. Its all relative.

 

[LifeStealer]

Maybe he has that new "gamer" nic. Only reason I see to need a pci for a nic.

 

[StrangerThanFiction]

Originally posted by: Skott

Originally posted by: TBSNWhich is why we depend so heavily on people who post here, and other websites, about their rigs, experiences, and any pics they can share. I'd say if you want to see actual pictures and something closer to an actual guide the XtremeSyestems website has more of them than AT.

Fair enough, and thanks for the tip about XtremeSystems, but it seems like a good subject for an anandtech article, to me. If they send me a few cases, mobos, and assorted hardware I would be happy to write the 'n00bs gGuide to 680i hardware selection'.

Until then, I found some helpful images in this article on vr-zone, especially the third page.
A far as I can tell, the expansion slots on the EVGA version of the 680i are arranged like so:

1. PCI Express x1
2. PCI Express x16(SLI slot #1)
3. PCI Express x1
4. PCI Express x8(not for SLI)
5. PCI
6. PCI Express x16(SLI slot #21)
7. PCI

Short answer seems to be If you install 8800 gtxs, or other big 2-slot SLI graphics cards, you will be blocking one PCI slot and one PCI x 1 slot. This will leave one PCI Express x1, the PCI Express x8 and one regular old PCI slot available for expansion.

1. PCI Express x1---- open
2. PCI Express x16-- huge 8800 GTX card
3. PCI Express x1---- blocked
4. PCI Express x8---- open
5. PCI------------------- open
6. PCI Express x16-- huge 8800 GTX card
7. PCI------------------- blocked

 

[Sentry2]

This is by far the best pci and pci-e slot layout I've seen on an SLI board. The video cards are tall enough to clear the pci-e 8x and pci slots next to each other so you don't have to worry about adding a sound card and possibly a physics card because they will fit.