Why 3 pci-express slots?

[Crescent13]

I was browsing newegg and I found this MoBo. What do you think the third pci-express slot is for? Using forceware 77.72, do you think you could do a triple sli? Three 7800GTXs....

 

[DaveSimmons]

No, many mobos have x1 slots for disk controllers or other cards that need more bandwidth than old PCI.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
No, many mobos have x1 slots for disk controllers or other cards that need more bandwidth than old PCI.

That one actually does have three x16 pci-e slots....

 

[imported_Kensai]

Haha, 3 PCI-E x16 slots... Only 20 PCI-E pipes though.

 

[Crescent13]

^ never thought of that

 

[mwmorph]

maybe in the future there wil be something like a pci-e 16x scsi controller or something(PPU?)

 

[egkenny]

The three slots is to simplify SLI installation.
If you want to use SLI install two video cards into the green PCI-E slots.
If you do not want SLI install a single video card into the middle yellow slot.

For SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = 1st video card
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = unused
3 Green PCI-E slot = 2nd video card

For non-SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = unused
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = video card
3 Green PCI-E slot = unused

 

[CrashX]

Originally posted by: egkenny
The three slots is to simplify SLI installation.
If you want to use SLI install two video cards into the green PCI-E slots.
If you do not want SLI install a single video card into the middle yellow slot.

For SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = 1st video card
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = unused
3 Green PCI-E slot = 2nd video card

For non-SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = unused
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = video card
3 Green PCI-E slot = unused

So it's basically just an auto-SLI setup. Instead of having a jumper pack or daughter board that needs to be flipped, it does it automatically depending on the slots you use. Cool, but a waste of a space.

 

[The Pentium Guy]

That board looks awesome, but the sound of "JETWAY" turns me around.

 

[egkenny]

Originally posted by: CrashX

Originally posted by: egkenny
The three slots is to simplify SLI installation.
If you want to use SLI install two video cards into the green PCI-E slots.
If you do not want SLI install a single video card into the middle yellow slot.

For SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = 1st video card
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = unused
3 Green PCI-E slot = 2nd video card

For non-SLI:
1 Green PCI-E slot = unused
2 Yellow PCI-E slot = video card
3 Green PCI-E slot = unused

So it's basically just an auto-SLI setup. Instead of having a jumper pack or daughter board that needs to be flipped, it does it automatically depending on the slots you use. Cool, but a waste of a space.

You still need the SLI bridge. No jumpers are needed to make the changeover.