Issue with QuestionRTX 5070 on Z390 board - PCIe 3.0 x8 stuck, no changes made
Issue with QuestionRTX 5070 on Z390 board - PCIe 3.0 x8 stuck, no changes made
Hi everyone,
My new Gigabyte Windforce RTX 5070 is operating at PCIe 3.0 x8 instead of the expected x16. The BIOS lists "x8 Native Link" for the GPU slot.
System details:
CPU: Intel i7-9700K
GPU: Gigabyte Windforce RTX 5070
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix Z390-F Gaming (latest BIOS)
RAM: 4x8GB G.Skill DDR4 3200MHz
Storage: 4x SATA drives, 2x NVMe drives
What I've attempted:
- Removed all NVMe and SATA drives (still x8)
- Checked in GPU-Z: idle at Gen2 x8, loads at Gen3 x8
- Updated BIOS to the latest version
- Set BIOS to PCIe Gen3 mode
- Inspected CPU socket pins – all appear intact
- Reset CMOS several times
- Tested other PCIe slots and reinserted GPU
- Cleaned contacts and cleaned out the slot with compressed air
Additional notes:
My previous GTX 1080 worked without issues (I don’t remember it being x8). No other system is available for testing. The PCIEX16_2 slot is empty, and all M.2 slots remain empty, still showing x8.
I’ve heard that RTX 50-series GPUs might face compatibility problems with older PCIe 3.0 boards, which could be resolved via BIOS updates. My board is already on the latest BIOS. Is this a recognized problem with the RTX 5070 on Z390 boards? Should I consider upgrading to a newer platform, or are there other steps I should try?
Thanks in advance!
For consistency, please specify the BIOS version.
Ensured CMOS was cleared after confirming successful BIOS flash.
Missing details about PSU make, model, and age.
No reference to DDU in the process; did you remove all GPU drivers via DDU in Safe Mode before replacing the RTX 5070?
There are no recognized hardware incompatibilities between the RTX 5070 and X370 boards, though certain users have experienced problems possibly linked to BIOS or driver issues. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that the RTX 5070, similar to the 5090, might face rare production defects.
American Megatrends Inc. 2102, 03-05-2024
Yes, I did clear the CMOS after bios flash
My PSU is EVGA SuperNOVA 850 G3 850 W 8+ Gold (7~ years old)
I tried DDU twice, however not in safe-mode. I can't see how this is could be an issue, as BIOS doesn't register it as x16.
Idling at PCIe 2.0 x8 indicates the GPU isn't shutting down correctly to the expected PCIe 1.1 x1 or x4 during idle. Viewing content such as a YouTube video or opening Discord should still display the GPU at PCIe 1.1 x1 when using GPU-Z.
The Nvidia Control Panel --> Help --> System Information section provides the PCIe bus specifications.
I just reinstalled Windows 11, no difference. Newest version
I don't think there is any debris, as I blew out all the slots, and tried different ones all with the same result.
And as I just today reinstalled Windows, with default settings it's still stuck at x8.
The driver is the newest version aswell.
As mentioned, BIOS reports x8 Native Link :/