Hey everyone! I recently picked up an RX 470 to use as a secondary GPU for passing my 6600XT through to a VM. I’ve got some concerns about possible bandwidth limitations since it’s running in a physical x16 slot but is electrically x8. It’s plugged into a PCIe 4.0 slot, but my RX 470 is a PCIe 3.0 card, so it’ll be working at 3.0×8, while my 6600XT is in an x16 slot with full PCIe 4.0 support. I’d prefer not to move the 6600XT since it’s connected directly to the CPU, which should lead to better performance. The RX 470 is fine in the x8 slot connected to the chipset. I mainly plan to use it just for basic video output while running Hyprland and a VM client, but if the bandwidth is a major concern, I can swap their positions. Here’s my setup for reference:
* Intel Core i5-12400F
* MSI B660M-A DDR4
* 32GB 3200MT/s CL16 DDR4 RAM
* ASRock RX 6600 XT Challenger Pro OC
* GIGABYTE RX 470 G1 Gaming
Oh, edit: I mistakenly stated the slot configuration, the bottom slot is actually 3.0×4. Appreciate any insights!
3 Answers
From what you’ve described, it should be fine. The RX 470 isn’t going to be demanding much bandwidth anyway, and for the basic tasks you’ve outlined, it’s completely irrelevant. Just focus on getting the setup working for what you need!
I think there’s some confusion around your slot specs. The second slot isn’t PCIe 4.0 x8; it’s more likely a PCIe 3.0 x4 based on the motherboard’s spec sheet. That said, I still believe the performance impact on an RX 470 will be negligible, especially if it’s for video output.
Honestly, I doubt you’ll run into any serious bandwidth limitations with the RX 470 in that setup. It’s not a powerhouse GPU, so even if it’s running at x8, it’s not going to max out the bandwidth. Since you’re mainly using it for basic output to a VM, it should work fine without significant issues.
Thanks a lot for your input!
Yeah, I might’ve messed that up, so I really appreciate the clarification!