Dual GPU Motherboard Build Help

[gio]

Hi everyone, this is my first post, Im a usual reader of the blog, but couldn't find an answer to my question there.

Main uses: Cinema 4D, Redshift, After Effects. Xparticles

CPU: 10700k or 11700k
Mobo: Unknown
GPU 1: RTX 3070 ti
GPU 2: RTX 3060

I've searched but I cant seem to find a motherboard that runs both GPUs at x16 lane speed. It seems that if I run 1 GPU at x16, then the other runs at x8 or both run at x8. I've read that the difference in speeds are negligible, but I would like to future-proof the mobo as I dont plan on building again anytime soon.

Is there are motherboard that runs 2 GPUs at x16 speeds? If not, what is a good suggestion? I've been looking at:

• Gigabyte Vision D
• MSI MPG Gaming Carbon Z590
• Asus ROG Strix Z590-E
• Aorus Gigabyte Z490 Master (I can get this one from a friend for really cheap)

Or any other motherboard is fine, as long as its running dual GPUs at x16 or the highest possible.

Thanks for the help

 

[Alex Glawion]

This is usually not possible because the CPU does not have support for that many PCIe Lanes. Mainstream CPUs are just limited in that regard. If you want to drive multiple GPUs at high PCIe-Bnadwidths you'll need an HEDT/Workstation CPU such as the Threadripper CPUs from AMD.

As far as I can tell, even with PLX chips, 2x x16 is not possible on LGA1200. There is one Motherboard from Supermicro that seems to be able to drive 2x pcie3.0 x16 GPUs: Supermicro Supero C9Z490-PG

That said, you can easily drive the GPUs you listed at x8 PCIE Speeds, as they don't saturate a x8 PCIE Bus.

 

[gio]

Hi Alex, appreciate you breaking this down for me.

I am for sure not building an HEDT right now, so it seems to be mostly out of the question.

So that means most of Z590 motherboards in the $300 range should be able to accomplish at least x8 speeds on both slots with 2 GPUs.

Thanks for clearing that up, really was getting confused trying to read the manufacturer spec sheets.