PCI Express 8x for GTX 460 (768mb)?

[Kieli]

Hi, Hardware Canuckers!

I just built a computer 3 days ago, and I'm currently am enjoying it to the fullest! However, I have some nagging questions... such as this particular one: will utilizing the 8x PCI-e slot adversely affect my performance?

My MSI motherboard is not designed very well... while the two PCI-e slots are positioned fairly far away from each other, the 16x slot is way too close to the CPU heatsink that I have installed (a CoolerMaster Hyper 212+). Thus, I installed my graphics card in the 8x slot which is further away from the heatsink. Also, the CPU on the motherboard is located in such a place that it makes the CPU-cutout on the Haf 922 useless... but that's beside the point.

The CoreTemp program reports that my GPU is 24*C at idle and rises up to the low forties when gaming. Will the increase in performance that I might gain from going up to 16x justify the extra heat that my video card will experience?

To clarify, I mean that, because the GPU will be so close to the heatsink (probably 2 centimeters away from the edge of the heatsink), it will most likely have a shorter lifespan. If I can gain a respectable increase in performance (8% sounds good to me), then perhaps I will be willing to subjugate my video card to more pain, albeit reluctantly.

In case anyone is curious, my video card is a MSI Cyclone and my CPU is an i5-760. The temperatures of the CPU range from the low twenties during idle (again, from CoreTemp) to mid-30s to very low 40s during periods of gaming.

[_dangtx_]

the difference is there, but not earth shattering. check this out

GeForce GTX 480 PCI-Express Scaling Review - Page 1/25 | techPowerUp


now thats for a top dog, so id imagine a lower end card be impacted less? :)