ASUS P9X79-E WS Motherboard Review
Posted
January 14, 2014
by Kenny in CPU & Motherboards
Overview
Hardware: CPU & MotherboardsWHAT WE LIKED:
Feature and Performance Packed, Intuitive Software package, Large CPU and Memory Support List and Overclocking StableWHAT WE DISLIKED:
A bit expensive, but makes sense for a workstation motherboardBOTTOM LINE:
ASUS Workstation platform hits the mark with great feature and performance capabilities without compromise. This is a must have for all WS builders!
Full Article
If the P9X79-E WS only has 40 PCI-E 3.0 lanes… then how does it run 3-way SLI or 4-way SLI at x16 speeds? I thought that it had to equal the total number of lanes (i.e., 40)? So then 40 lanes would be achieved by:
3-Way SLI: x16 +x8 +x16 = 40 lanes
4-Way SLI: x16 +x8 + x8 + x8 = 40 lanes
So how do they pull off 3-Way or 4-Way SLI with each card running at PCI-E 3.0 x16 speed (which would seem to require 48 lanes or 64 lanes respectively)? Am I misunderstanding something?
Hi Archangel,
This motherboard uses two PLX PEX 8747 chips to increase the number of PCIe 3.0 lanes on the motherboard from 40 to 72. That is how the board is able to handle the full X16 lanes on the PCIe slots.
or respectively x16/x16/x16/x16 and x16/x8/x8/x8/x16/x8/x8.
Sorry this information was not touched on in the review, I will be sure to update it.
Thanks!
This motherboard uses 2x plx chip to achieve 4 way 16x sli , Asrock extreme 11 uses somthing similar.