Check if your motherboard supports PCIe Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
Check if your motherboard supports PCIe Thunderbolt 3 connectivity.
You can definitely add a Thunderbolt 3 PCIe card to your system. Your current setup uses USB C 3.1 Gen 2, but you’re aiming for true Thunderbolt connectivity. The ASUS board you have doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3 directly, so you’ll need a compatible adapter. An Apple Thunderbolt Display (TB 2) paired with an Apple Thunderbolt 3 to TB 2 adapter works well. Just make sure the motherboard has the necessary headers and BIOS settings enabled for Thunderbolt 3. It’s not the same as USB C, but it will give you full Thunderbolt performance. If you need a replacement card, look for a PCIe 3.0 x4 or PCIe 3.1 x4 slot that supports Thunderbolt 3.
I understand what I was worried about. Appreciate the guidance—it really makes a difference. Maybe justifying the Neo 9 is a good idea now! Thanks for the details.