EVGA Z490 DARK System manual

EVGA Z490 DARK (131-CL-E499)
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User Guide
EVGA Z490 DARK
Specs and Initial Installation

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Table of Contents
Before You Begin… .................................................................................................- 4 -
Parts NOT in the Kit............................................................................................................. - 5 -
Intentions of the Kit.............................................................................................................. - 5 -
Motherboard Specifications.................................................................................................. - 6 -
Unpacking and Parts Descriptions........................................................................................ - 8 -
EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard LED reference ............................................................. - 10 -
EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard Component Legend ..................................................... - 14 -
PCIe Slot Breakdown ......................................................................................................... - 27 -
M.2 / U.2 Slot Breakdown.................................................................................................. - 27 -
Preparing the Motherboard................................................................................................. - 28 -
Installing the CPU .............................................................................................................. - 28 -
Installing the CPU Cooling Device .................................................................................... - 29 -
Installing System Memory.................................................................................................. - 30 -
Installing the I/O Shield...................................................................................................... - 31 -
Installing the Motherboard......................................................................................- 31 -
Securing the Motherboard into a System Case................................................................... - 32 -
Installing M.2 devices.............................................................................................- 34 -
Installing M.2 Key-M Socket 3 Devices ............................................................................ - 34 -
Tested CPU and Memory ................................................................................................... - 37 -
Tested Memory................................................................................................................... - 37 -
Tested M.2 Key-M ............................................................................................................. - 38 -
Tested U.2........................................................................................................................... - 39 -
Tested M.2 Key-E............................................................................................................... - 39 -
Connecting Cables.............................................................................................................. - 40 -
Onboard Buttons................................................................................................................. - 52 -

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First Boot................................................................................................................- 53 -
M.2 SSD, PCIe SSD, and NVMe SSD Installation steps ................................................... - 55 -
Internal RAID Controller.........................................................................................- 57 -
Fan Header DC and PWM setup ...........................................................................- 92 -
Setting Up SLI and PhysX......................................................................................- 96 -
Realtek HD Audio Manager............................................................................................. - 101 -
EVGA NU Audio...................................................................................................- 119 -
The NU Audio Control Panel ........................................................................................... - 122 -
NU Audio Custom Settings:............................................................................................. - 130 -
Installing Drivers and Software ............................................................................- 141 -
Windows 10 Driver Installation........................................................................................ - 141 -
Warranty and Overclocking.............................................................................................. - 143 -
Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................- 144 -
Flashing the BIOS ............................................................................................................ - 144 -
Flashing the BIOS Without a CPU................................................................................... - 147 -
SSD / HDD is not detected ............................................................................................... - 148 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “C”........................................... - 150 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “55” ......................................... - 151 -
System does not POST, and POST code indicator reads “d7” ......................................... - 151 -
Have a question not covered above, or want some online resources? .............................. - 152 -
Multifunction LED indicator ............................................................................................ - 153 -
POST Beep codes............................................................................................................. - 155 -
POST Port Debug LED .................................................................................................... - 156 -
POST Codes........................................................................................................- 157 -
EVGA Glossary of Terms ................................................................................................ - 162 -
Compliance Information.......................................................................................- 165 -

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Before You Begin…
The EVGA Z490 DARK sets the standard for motherboards based on the
Intel®Z490 chipset. Much like the EVGA Z390 DARK, its predecessor, the
Z490 DARK is designed for ultra-enthusiasts looking to pull every last ounce of
performance from the new 10th Gen Intel®10-Core CPUs. The Z490 DARK
features an 18-Phase VRM design, along with two right-angle 8pin High
Current connectors to provide maximum power for overclocking. Two SMT
DIMMs enable high-frequency and low latency RAM overclocking. The 10-
layer PCB is studded with multiple sensors to track a variety of temperatures
and voltages across the board, which can be displayed on the dual-LED
displays.
For its other features, the Z490 DARK contains Realtek Audio with EVGA
NU Audio, one Intel®2.5 GbE NIC, one Intel®Gigabit NIC, mini-Display
Port, onboard power/reset/CMOS buttons, PCIe disable switches, triple BIOS
support, 8 smart fan headers, and many more premium features. If you’ve been
holding out for a serious motherboard to upgrade, the time is at hand.
Lastly, a motherboard is only as good as its BIOS, and the EVGA Z490 DARK
features EVGA’s newest UEFI/BIOS GUI with a focus on overclocking and
functionality in a lean, straightforward package. You won’t need to be an expert
to configure your motherboard, but if you are, you’ll find features unavailable
anywhere else.

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Parts NOT in the Kit
This kit contains all the hardware necessary to install and connect your new
EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard. However, it does NOT contain the
following items, which must be purchased separately in order to make the
system fully functional and install an Operating System:
Intel®Socket 1200 Processor
DDR4 System Memory
CPU Cooling Device
PCI Express Graphics Card
Power Supply
Hard Drive or SSD
Keyboard / Mouse
Monitor
(Optional) Optical Drive
EVGA assumes you have purchased all the necessary parts needed to allow for
proper system functionality. For a full list of supported CPUs on this
motherboard, please visit www.evga.com/support/motherboard
Intentions of the Kit
When replacing a different model motherboard in a PC case, you may need to
reinstall your operating system, even though the current HDD/SSD may
already have one installed. Keep in mind, however, you may sometimes also
need to reinstall your OS after a RMA even if your motherboard remains the
same due to issues that occurred prior to replacing the motherboard.

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Motherboard Specifications
Size:
EATX form-factor of 11.99 inches x 10.89 inches (304.5x276.6mm)
Microprocessor support:
Intel®Socket 1200 Processor
Operating Systems:
Supports Windows 10 64bit
System Memory support:
Supports up to 64GB Dual-Channel DDR4 up to 4800MHz+ (OC)
USB 2.0 Ports:
6x from Intel®Z490 PCH –6x internal via 3 FP headers
1x from Update Port for flashing the BIOS without CPU
Supports hot plug/wake-up from S3 mode
USB 3.2 Gen1 Ports:
4x from Intel®Z490 PCH –2x external (Type-A), 2x internal via 1 FP header
Supports transfer speeds up to 5Gbps with full backwards compatibility
Backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 support.
USB 3.2 Gen2 Ports:
2x from ASMedia ASM3142 –6x external (1x Type-C, 5x Type-A),
1x Type-C header
Supports transfer speeds up to 10Gbps with full backwards compatibility
SATA Ports:
6x SATA 6Gbps data transfer rate / Intel®Z490 PCH Controller
- Support for RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, AND RAID10
- Supports hot plug
2x SATA 6Gbps data transfer rate / ASMedia ASM1061
- No RAID or Hot-Plug Support
Onboard LAN:
Intel®i225V 2.5 GbE (10/100/1000/2500) Ethernet PHY
Intel®i219V Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet PHY
-Ethernet Teaming Supported
Intel®Dual-Band WiFi / BT

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Display Output:
Mini-DisplayPort
Onboard Audio:
Realtek ALC1220 High Definition Audio + EVGA NU Audio
-Supports 7.1 Channel audio with Optical S/PDIF Out
-EVGA NU Audio via the FP Audio header
Power Functions:
Supports ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface)
Supports S0 (normal), S3 (suspend to RAM), S4 (Suspend to disk - depends
on OS), and S5 (soft - off)
PCI Express Expansion Slots:
3x PCIe x16 slot 1x16/8*, 1x8/4*, 1x4*
1x PCIe x4 slot (via PCH)
*LANES PER SLOT CAN VARY BASED ON DEVICES INSTALLED.
PLEASE SEE PAGE 27 FOR LANE BREAKDOWN.
PCIe 3.0 Support:
Low power consumption and power management features
SLI and Crossfire Support:
NVIDIA®SLI®Ready, 2-Way Crossfire
Additional Expansion Slots:
2x M.2 Key-M 110mm slot PCIe/NVMe and Intel®Optane™
1x M.2 Key-E slot
1x U.2 slot
Single PS/2 port for keyboard or mouse
Fan Headers:
2x 4-pin PWM controlled headers (CPU1/CPU2)
6x 4-pin PWM/DC headers
-All fans can be controlled via Smart Fan in the BIOS.
ALL FAN HEADERS HAVE A MAXIMUM POWER LIMIT OF 2 AMP
@ 12 VOLTS (24 WATTS) EXCEDING THIS LIMIT WILL CAUSE
IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE BOARD.

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Unpacking and Parts Descriptions
The following accessories are included with the EVGA Z490 DARK
Motherboard:

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EVGA Z490 DARK (131-CL-E499)
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EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard LED
reference
The EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard has several LEDs indicating power, connectivity,
and activity. Below is the location of the LEDs and their function.

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1. M.2 Key-E Socket1 32mm
a. WHITE: M.2 can be used.
2. Multifunction POST Indicator
a. During boot it will cycle many different hexadecimal post codes with a
range of 00-FF and this indicates what aspect of the Power On Self Test
(POST) is currently running.
i. For a list of POST Codes, please see Page 157.
b. This indicator can be configured in BIOS to display hardware monitoring
information, such as voltage or temperature. After boot, these LEDs will
show either temperature or voltage, depending on user configuration in
the BIOS.
3. Memory DIMM 2 Status
a. OFF: DIMM detected and present
b. RED: DIMM/Memory has failed POST
4. Memory DIMM 1 Status
a. OFF: DIMM detected and present
b. RED: DIMM/Memory has failed POST
5. +5V Standby Power
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
6. CATERR - Catastrophic Error on the processor
a. RED: Processor error has occurred.
b. OFF: No error state detected in the CPU.
1. M.2 Key-EEnabled 13. VCCST Status 25. M.2 Key-MPM1 Enabled
2. Multi-function POST indicator 14. VCCSTG Status 26. U.2 PU1 Status
3. Memory DIMM2 Status 15. VCCIO_1_2 Status 27. U.2 PU1 Enabled
4. Memory DIMM1 Status 16. Power Button 28. PE2 Status
5. +5V Standby Power 17. Reset Button 29. PE2 Enabled
6. CATERR 18. BIOS 1 Active 30. M.2 Key-MPM2 Status
7. VCORE Status 19. BIOS 2 Active 31. M.2 Key-MPM2 Enabled
8. VDIMMStatus 20. BIOS 3 Active 32. PE3 Status
9. VSAStatus 21. SW Slow Mode ON 33. PE3 Enabled
10. VCCIO Status 22. PE1 Status 34 PE4 Status
11. VCCPLL Status 23. PE1 Enabled 35 PE4 Enabled
12. VPLL_OC Status 24. M.2 Key-MPM1 Status
LED Legend

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7. VCORE status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
8. VDIMM status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
9. VSA Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
10. VCCIO Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
11. VCCPLL Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
12. VPLL_OC Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
13. VCCST Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
14. VCCSTG Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
15. VCCIO_1_2 Status
a. WHITE: Voltage present (Does not mean PSU is outputting in-spec,
only that this specific voltage is detected)
b. Inactive with Comet Lake-S processors.
16. Power Button
a. RED: Motherboard is turned on and running.
17. Reset Button
a. WHITE: Reset button will typically flash in conjunction with HDD/SSD
LED. Depending on load, the button may flash or appear solid at times.
b. NVMe SSDs cannot be read for the purposes of the Reset LED.
18. BIOS1 Active LED
a. WHITE: Active BIOS Chip (only 1 will be lit at a time)
19. BIOS2 Active LED
a. WHITE: Active BIOS Chip (only 1 will be lit at a time)

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20. BIOS3 Active LED
a. WHITE: Active BIOS Chip (only 1 will be lit at a time)
21. SW Slow Mode ON
a. RED: Slow Mode switch has been set to enabled
22. PCIe Status for PE1. The LED stays off when PE1 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PE1 slot can be used with installed CPU.
23. PCIe Enabled for PE1. The LED stays off when PE1 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PE1 device present and detected.
24. M.2 Key-M Socket3 110mm (PM1) Status LED. The LED stays off when PM1
is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PM1 slot can be used with installed CPU.
25. M.2 Key-M Socket3 110mm (PM1) Enabled LED. The LED stays off when PM1
is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PM1 device present and detected.
26. U.2 PU1 Status
a. WHITE: Port is enabled.
b. OFF: No device is attached/Port is disabled.
27. U.2 PU1 Enable
a. GREEN: Port is connected to a working device.
b. OFF: No device is attached/Port is disabled.
28. PCIe Status for PE2. The LED stays off when PE2 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PE2 slot can be used with installed CPU.
29. PCIe Enabled for PE2. The LED stays off when PE2 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PE2 device present and detected.
30. M.2 Key-M Socket3 110mm (PM2) Status LED. The LED stays off when PM2
is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PM2 slot can be used with installed CPU.
31. M.2 Key-M Socket3 110mm (PM2) Enabled LED. The LED stays off when
PM2 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PM2 device present and detected.
32. PCIe Status for PE3. The LED stays off when PE3 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PE3 slot can be used with installed CPU.
33. PCIe Enabled for PE3. The LED stays off when PE3 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PE3 device present and detected.
34. PCIe Status for PE4. The LED stays off when PE4 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. WHITE: PE4 slot can be used with installed CPU.
35. PCIe Enabled for PE4. The LED stays off when PE4 is disabled or unpopulated.
a. GREEN: PE4 device present and detected.

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EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard Component
Legend
The EVGA Z490 DARK Motherboard with the Intel®Z490 and PCH Chipset.
Figure 1 shows the motherboard and Figure 2 shows the back panel connectors
FIGURE 1. Z490 DARK Motherboard Layout

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**For a FULL description of the above legend, please see Page 17.
1. CPU Socket LGA1200 14. PCIe Slot x16/x8 27. BIOS Selector Switch
2. Intel Z490 PCH 15. PCIe Slot x8/x4 28. CMOS Battery
3. PWM Fan Headers (2 amp) 16. PCIe Slot x4 29. PCIe Disable Switches
4. PWM/DC Fan Headers (2 amp) 17. PCIe Slot x4 (x16 Mechanical) 30. ProbeIt Header J3
5. DDR4 Memory DIMMSlots 1, 2 18. Power Button 31. ProbeIt Header J5
6. 24-pin ATX Power Connector 19. Reset Button 32. PC Speaker
7. 8 pin EPS Power Connector 20. CMOS Reset Button 33. BIOS Safeboot Button
8. Supplemental PCIe 6 pin power 21. Multi-function POST Indicator 34. USB to SPI for BIOS Flash
9. Intel Sata 6G RAID Ports 22. USB 3.2 Gen1 Header 35. SW Slow Switch
10. ASMedia Sata 6G Ports 23. USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Header 36. RGB LED Controller Header
11. U.2 (SFF-8643) Port 24. USB 2.0 Headers 37. ARGB LED Controller Header
12. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M110mm (PM1) 25. Front Panel Audio Connector 38. Rear Panel I/O (Figure 2)
13. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M110mm (PM2) 26. Front Panel Connectors
Component Legend

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Figure 2. Chassis Rear Panel Connectors
1. PS/2 (Keyboard+Mouse) 5. Intel i219V GbE NIC 9. USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C
2. USB 3.2 Gen1 6. Intel i225V 2.5GbE NIC 10. Optical Out
3. Intel® WiFi/BT 7. USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A 11. Analog Audio Jacks
4. BIOS/CMOS Reset 8. Mini-DisplayPort
I/O Hub
Intel i225V
Activity LED Status Description Speed/Link LED Status Description
Off No Data Transmission Orange 2.5Gbps data rate
Blinking (Green) Data Transmission Green 1 Gbps data rate
Off 10/100 Mbps data rate or No Link
Intel i219V
Activity LED Status Description Speed/Link LED Status Description
Off No Data Transmission Orange 1000Mbps data rate
Blinking (Green) Data Transmission Green 100 Mbps data rate
Off 10 Mbps data rate or No Link

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Component Legend Descriptions
1. CPU Socket 1200
This is the interface for the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and supports 10th
Gen. Intel Core i3, i5, i7 and i9 models compatible with the Intel®LGA1200
Socket, based on Comet Lake-S architecture.
2. Intel®Z490 PCH
The Platform Controller Hub (PCH) handles the role that was previously held
by the South Bridge. The PCH has 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and allocates bandwidth
to smaller PCIe slots, M.2, USB, audio, etc. In simplified terms, the PCH works
as a hub for peripherals that are less bandwidth-intensive.
3. PWM Fan Headers
4-pin fan headers that control the fan speed based on a configurable curve or
static percentage. PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) works by pulsing power to
the fan at a constant rate and sending the RPM signal to the fan’s controller via
a Sense cable, rather than adjusting fan speed by increasing and decreasing
voltage. This method is preferable because it eliminates voltage-based fan stall
points. Please see Page 92 for more in-depth PWM breakdown and PWM
controls within BIOS/UEFI.
These headers also support 12v. DC fans. However, DC fan speed is based on
decreasing voltage to the fan, starting at a default of 100%/12V. When using a
12v. fan, the minimum speed will vary depending on the motor because most
fan motors require a set amount of voltage before stalling.
4. PWM/DC Fan Headers
These ports may be used with both DC and PWM fans, and may be controlled
via Smart Fan or manually within the BIOS.
5. DDR4 Memory Slots
The memory slots support up to two 288-pin DDR4 DIMMs in Dual-Channel
mode. Dual-Channel mode will be enabled only upon using two sticks of
supported memory; using one stick of memory will lower the board to Single-
Channel mode, which may significantly lower performance. 64GB of RAM is
supported in a 2x32GB configuration. At the time of this manual’s release, this
motherboard officially supports up to 4800MHz+ speeds. These speeds cannot
be guaranteed, however, because Intel®only certifies the speed of the memory
controller up to 2933MHz for Comet Lake-S processors.

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6. 24-pin ATX power connector
The main power for the motherboard is located on the right side of the board
and parallel to the PCB; this is also described as a “90 degree / right-angle”
connector (See Page 41 for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated
wiring/pinouts). The 24-pin connector IS directional and the connector needs
the tab on the socket to line up with the release clip located on the 24-pin
connector from the power supply. This connector pulls the bulk of the power
for all components; other connectors, such as EPS and PCIe, have been added
to reduce the load and increase longevity due to wiring and trace limitations.
7. Dual 8-pin EPS Connectors
The +12V EPS are comprised of 90 degree right-angle dual-dedicated power
inputs for the CPU (See Page 42 for more specifics to the connector itself, and
associated wiring/pinouts). Carefully choose the correct power cable by
consulting with the installation manual for your power supply. This connector
is designed only to work with an EPS or CPU cable. System builders may make
the mistake of plugging in a PCIe 8-pin or 6+2-pin connector, which will
prevent the board from POSTing and possibly short or damage the board.
Although the cables appear similar, they are wired differently and attaching a
PCIe cable to an EPS connector may cause damage to the motherboard.
Alternatively, if no power cable is connected or detected, the system will not
POST and will hang at POST code “C.”
8. Supplemental PCIe 6-pin Power Connector
There is a 6-pin PCIe connector at the bottom of the motherboard (See Page 41
for more specifics to the connector itself, and associated wiring/pinouts). This
connector provides dedicated power to the PCIe x16 slots, augmenting the
+12V power provided by the 24-pin and the GPU directly.
This is optional for a single card solution, but is recommended for SLI, CFX,
and dual-processor video cards.
9. Intel®SATA 6Gbit/s Ports
The Intel®Z490 PCH has a 6-port SATA 3/6 Gbit/s controller (See Page 51
for specifics on the connectors). This controller is backwards compatible with
SATA and SATA II devices, and supports SSDs, HDDs and various types of
optical devices (CDROM, DVDROM, BD-ROM, etc). The controller also
supports NCQ, TRIM, hot swap capability, and RAID levels 0/1/5/10.

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10. ASMedia SATA 6Gbit/s Ports
This is a secondary SATA controller, the ASM1061 is a 2-port SATA3/6
Gbit/s controller with legacy support for older operating systems. This is
included largely for benchmarking and overclocking with very specific
programs, such as Super Pi, 3DMark, PCMark, etc. This board is not
guaranteed to fully support any OS prior to Windows 10 x64, as we offer no
drivers for legacy OS (See Page 51 for specifics on the connectors).
11. U.2 Port (SFF-8643)
U.2, originally known as SFF-8643, is a high bandwidth connection specifically
engineered for next generation SSDs. U.2 brings PCIe x4 (Gen3) NVMe
performance to a 2.5” SSD form factor and provides a solution to potential
heating problems that may be present in some M.2 solutions. Port function
depends upon BIOS Configuration. Note: SFF-8643 ports are located on the
motherboard side; SFF-8639 ports are located on the storage side.
12. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 110mm (PM1)
M.2 is an SSD form factor standard, which uses up to four PCIe lanes and
utilizes Gen3 speeds. Most popularly paired with NVMe SSDs, this standard
offers substantially faster transfer speeds and seek time than SATA interface
standards. All M.2 devices are designed to connect via a card-bus style
connector and be bolted into place and powered by the connector, rather than
by a dedicated data cable and power cable.
This socket will support Key-M devices of 110mm, 80mm, 60mm, and 42mm
length.
This connector can utilize only PCIe/NVMe-based M.2 SSDs, or Intel®
Optane™ NVMe devices.
13. M.2 Socket 3 Key-M 110mm (PM2)
M.2 is an SSD form factor standard, which uses up to four PCIe lanes and
utilizes Gen3 speeds. Most popularly paired with NVMe SSDs, this standard
offers substantially faster transfer speeds and seek time than SATA interface
standards. All M.2 devices are designed to connect via a card-bus style
connector and be bolted into place and powered by the connector, rather than
by a dedicated data cable and power cable.
This socket will support Key-M devices of 110mm, 80mm, 60mm, and 42mm
length.
This connector can utilize only PCIe/NVMe-based M.2 SSDs, SATA M.2, or
Intel®Optane™ NVMe devices.

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14. PCIe Slot x16/x8*
PCIe x16/x8 slots are primarily used for video cards. These full-length slots
will provide 8 or 16 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwards-
compatible with x8, x4, and x1-length cards.
Comet Lake-S has 16 PCIe lanes available for routing.
15. PCIe Slot x8/4*
PCIe x8/4 slot can be used for video cards or other devices. PE2, the only
x8/x4 slot on the board, receives either x8 lanes or x4 from the CPU (Page
27), depending upon the peripheral configuration. These full-length slots will
provide up to 8 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and are backwards-
compatible with x8, x4, and x1-length cards.
Comet Lake-S has 16 PCIe lanes available for routing.
16. PCIe Slot x4*
PCIe x4 slot PE3 uses up to 4 Gen 3 lanes from the PCH. This slot is typically
used for sound cards, WiFi, USB, LAN or other peripheral cards. Using this slot
will have no effect on the bandwidth or throughput of the x16 slots used for
SLI because this slot uses only PCH bandwidth.
17. PCIe Slot x4* (x16 Mechanical)
PCIe x4 slot can be used for video cards or other devices. PE4, the only full
x16 mechanical slot that runs at x4 electrically, receives either x4 lanes or x0
from the CPU (Page 27), depending upon the peripheral configuration. These
full-length slots will provide up to 4 lanes of bandwidth to a full-size card, and
are backwards-compatible with x1-length cards.
PCIe x4 slot PE4 uses up to 4 Gen 3 lanes from the CPU. This slot shares 4
lanes with PE2, and will change both PE2 and PE4 to x4 lanes. Using this slot
will disable SLI because SLI requires at least 2 slots capable of x8 bandwidth.
Comet Lake-S has 16 PCIe lanes available for routing.
18. Power Button
This is an onboard power button, and may be used in place of, or in
conjunction with, a front panel power button wired to the board.
Benching systems, or test benches before final assembly, are best served by
using the onboard power because it removes the need to wire a Power/Reset
button or cross posts with a screwdriver, which is a semi-common practice.
This button provides a safer and easier option than jumpering the Power posts.