Advice on Thunderbolt 2 card

[highhrider]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to purchase parts to build a CustoMac mATX. I'll be using:

ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-G GAMING (WI-FI AC)
Core i7-8700K
Corsair H60 (Water)
Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8GB
Crucial Ballistix Sport LT (32GB)
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
Corsair CS 550 Watt
BitFenix Phenom M (White)
TP-Link Archer T9E 802.11AC AC1900

My question:
Can I install a Thunderbolt 2 port?
What do I need to buy?
What needs to be configured?

Thank you in advance!!

 

[Jamesbond007]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to purchase parts to build a CustoMac mATX. I'll be using:

ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-G GAMING (WI-FI AC)
Core i7-8700K
Corsair H60 (Water)
Sapphire RX 580 Pulse 8GB
Crucial Ballistix Sport LT (32GB)
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
Corsair CS 550 Watt
BitFenix Phenom M (White)
TP-Link Archer T9E 802.11AC AC1900

My question:
Can I install a Thunderbolt 2 port?
What do I need to buy?
What needs to be configured?

Thank you in advance!!

The specified motherboard does not have a Thunderbolt header, so it is not possible to add a Thunderbolt 3 port via an add-in card, and the motherboard also has no Thunderbolt support either. So it is not possible to have Thunderbolt 3 (and 2) if you are going to use this motherboard.

 

[highhrider]

@Jamesbond007 , thanks for replying. Do you know which motherboard I could use that would allow Thunderbolt 2 or 3 support and support an 8th gen Intel chip?

Thanks

 

[Jamesbond007]

@Jamesbond007 , thanks for replying. Do you know which motherboard I could use that would allow Thunderbolt 2 or 3 support and support an 8th gen Intel chip? Thanks

The Gigabyte motherboards GA-Z370-Aorus Ultra Gaming / GA-Z370-Aorus Gaming 5 / GA-Z370-Aorus Gaming 7 have a Thunderbolt header on the motherboard, and theoretically you should be able to use them together with a Gigabyte GC-Alpine Ridge card (Need to be purchased separately) to use Thunderbolt 3.

 

[highhrider]

Hi @Jamesbond007 , thank you for the advice. You have been super helpful!! I went ahead and made changes to my build with your recommendation for Thunderbolt 3 to work. I also changed some other things. This is what I have on order now:

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Gaming 7
Core i7-8700K (BestBuy.com priced matched MicroCenter.com - $319)
CORSAIR HYDRO SERIES H150i PRO RGB AIO Liquid CPU Cooler
Sapphire Radeon PULSE RX 580 8GB
Ballistix Sport LT 32GB Kit
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
CORSAIR RMx Series, RM750x
CORSAIR CRYSTAL 570X RGB Mid-Tower Case

Once everything works, I'll order Gigabyte (Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt 3 PCIe Card)

Everything arrives by tomorrow, so I'll start the build during the week and finish by the weekend. I'll update here on how everything worked out.

Thanks,