Does it matter which PCIe slot I use on PSU?

A PCIE slot is what you plug the graphics cards into on the motherboard. It doesn’t really matter which connectors you plug into the graphics card as long as all of the slots are plugged in on the graphics card so that it can receive enough power because all of the connectors serve the same function.

Are all PCI Express slots the same?

The types of PCIe slots available in your PC will depend on the motherboard you buy. PCIe slots come in different physical configurations: x1, x4, x8, x16, x32. The number after the x tells you how many lanes (how data travels to and from the PCIe card) that PCIe slot has.

What are the different types of PCI Express slots?

The common PCI Express slots we see on motherboards are PCIe x1, PCIe x4, PCIe x8, and PCIe x16. The number that comes after the “x” letter tell us the physical dimensions of the PCI Express slot, which, in its turn, is determined by the number of pins on it.

How many PCIe slots does a motherboard have?

Many Intel desktop class motherboards have just one x16 slot (usually the one nearest the CPU) and two x8 slots, there are quite a few other slot combinations that are possible it all depends on the how the manufacturer divides up the 20 CPU PCIe lanes available to desktop class CPU’s.

What is the purpose of the middle PCIe slot?

The middle slot is primarily used after the first slot is already populated, and the PCIe lanes are split x8 x8 between the top two slots. Knowing this, some manufacturers make the second slot x16 physically but only x8 electrically to save money, since it has no effect on dual GPU setups and only impacts if you use the second slot only.

How to tell if a PCIe slot is x16 or X8?

It depends on the motherboard manufacturer, and the easiest way to find out is to try it and see. The top x16 slot is definitely physically and electrically x16. The middle slot is primarily used after the first slot is already populated, and the PCIe lanes are split x8 x8 between the top two slots.