I'm about to upgrade my GPU and I came across a mention that motherboards have a primary PCIe slot designated specifically for graphics cards. I'm using an ASRock Z390M Pro4 motherboard, and I couldn't find any information about this on their website. Can anyone clarify if there's a specific PCIe slot I should be using for my GPU?
2 Answers
Yes, your motherboard does have a primary PCIe slot for GPUs. Check the Slots section on the specifications page or look at page 18 of the quick start guide linked on the site. It should clarify which slots are suitable for your graphics card setup.
You have a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot for your GPU. Just make sure not to get a PCIe 5.0 x8 card since that's not compatible with your setup. Also, considering your system's age, it might be better to opt for a used GPU, like the 2080 Ti, to keep costs down. Just make sure to keep your GPU choice in mind for later on, as modern GPUs may not perform as expected on older systems.
I see that point, but is there a significant difference between the two x16 slots available on my board?