I'm planning to replace my AM5 motherboard so I can run two RTX 5070 Ti cards in an x8/x8 configuration. Several boards support PCIe bifurcation, but many place the second GPU in one of the bottom-most expansion slots. Since both of my smaller cards are about 2.5 slots wide, I'm concerned that the lower card would cover the motherboard's bottom headers and connectors.
The ASUS ProArt X870E-Creator seems to have the slot arrangement I need, with the GPUs separated by additional slots, but it costs more than I'd like to spend. Are there any less expensive AM5 boards with a similar layout? I'm specifically trying to avoid placing the second GPU in either of the final two expansion slots.
4 Answers
Before choosing a board, confirm the reason for running two GPUs. The RTX 5070 Ti does not support traditional SLI, and most games will not combine them for rendering. This setup makes more sense for workloads such as AI, rendering, compute, or running separate GPU-intensive applications.
The MSI MEG X870E GODLIKE has the GPUs spaced three slots apart, which should leave more room around the lower card and reduce the chance of blocking the bottom headers. It does fit the layout requirement, but it is considerably more expensive than your target budget.
The ASUS Crosshair series may be worth checking. One of the compatible models has a layout that could work, although pricing may be around $600, so it might not meet your budget.
You may want to look at workstation or server-oriented AM5 boards. Some provide several full-length PCIe slots with enough spacing for multiple GPUs, and used hardware could be more affordable. Be sure to verify the exact lane allocation and whether the slots can run at x8/x8 before buying.
Do you have a specific board in mind? I’m familiar with EPYC and Threadripper platforms, but not with many AM5 server boards.
That spacing would work, but the price is higher than I was hoping to pay.