The system detects your GPU connected via PCI-Express x4, not x16.
The system detects your GPU connected via PCI-Express x4, not x16.
Hello everyone, I have a brief inquiry about my GPU. It seems it's running at x4 instead of x16 even though it's in the top PCIe lane on my ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero motherboard. I attempted to use GPU-Z for testing, but the result didn't change. Also, it remains consistent under stress. I switched the BIOS setting from Auto to Gen3 without any noticeable impact. Does this influence my GPU performance? Thanks for your help!
I’d consider repositioning the GPU to verify all connections are secure. I’d also review additional software tools to rule out other issues beyond a simple CPU-Z reading (like hwinfo). I used an older Alienware machine with direct PCIe X4 for eGPUs, which achieved top performance with a GTX 1080, so you’re likely experiencing reduced speed in certain titles due to limited PCIe lanes on the 2080 Ti.
I'm looking into this because my RX580 also runs at x4 like yours. I can't figure out why it's stuck there, but I want to know how it performs. A video demonstrates an RTX 3070 running at x4, x8, and x16 speeds. X4 is the slowest, but the gap to x16 isn't huge. Personally, I can play modded Skyrim smoothly on my RX580 with PCIe 3.0 x4, reaching around 75 fps on a 75Hz monitor. Updated: Swapping the motherboard didn't fix the issue either. It seems like a hardware limitation on my side.
I thought about updating this for future reference. I took out the CPU, inspected the socket for bent pins—none found—and reinserted it. After that, I reapplied thermal paste. Then I purchased a CompuCleaner Xpert to clean the PCIex16_1 slot and the motherboard backside. When I powered the system back on and entered BIOS, it switched from x4 Native to x16 Native. Let me know if this helps anyone later.