Expansion Slots (Pci Express Slots) - ASROCK Z77 Extreme4-M User Manual

2.6 Expansion Slots (PCI Express Slots)

There are 4 PCI Express slots on this motherboard.
PCIE slots: PCIE1 (PCIE 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x16 lane width
graphics cards, or to install PCI Express graphics cards to support
CrossFireX
PCIE2 (PCIE 2.0 x1 slot) is used for a PCI Express x1 lane width card,
such as a Gigabit LAN card or SATA2 card, etc.
PCIE3 (PCIE 3.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x8 lane width graph-
ics cards, or to install PCI Express graphics cards to support CrossFi-
TM
reX or SLI
PCIE4 (PCIE 2.0 x16 slot) is used for PCI Express x4 lane width graph-
ics cards, or to install PCI Express graphics cards to support 3-Way
CrossFireX
1. In single VGA card mode, it is recommended to install a PCI Express
x16 graphics card on PCIE1 slot.
2. In CrossFireX
x16 graphics cards on PCIE1 and PCIE3 slots. Therefore, PCIE1 will
work at x8 bandwidth, while PCIE3 works at x8 bandwidth.
3. In 3-Way CrossFireX
graphics cards on PCIE1, PCIE3 and PCIE4 slots. Therefore, PCIE1
and PCIE3 slots will work at x8 bandwidth while PCIE4 slot will work
at x4 bandwidth.
4. Please connect a chassis fan to the motherboard's chassis fan
connector (CHA_FAN1 or CHA_FAN2) when using multiple
graphics cards for better thermal environment.
5. Only PCIE1 and PCIE3 slots support Gen 3 speed. To run the PCI
Express in Gen 3 speed, please install an Ivy Bridge CPU. If you
install a Sandy Bridge CPU, the PCI Express will run only at PCI
Express Gen 2 speed.
TM TM
or SLI function.
TM
function.
TM
, and for installing ASRock Game Blaster.
TM
mode or SLI
TM
mode, please install PCI Express x16
22
TM
mode, please install the PCI Express