Does Arctic OC 8A96 have a USB4 or thunderbolt header

[astrorx]

Does the Arctic OC 8A96 motherboard have a USB4 or thunderbolt header?  I want to add either a USB4, thunderbolt, or 20Gbps USB 3,2 gen 2x2 port, but because of the NVIDIA GTX 4090, there is not enough room to install a PCIe card.  The card would block the air intake fan of the video card, Almost touching it.

Thank you,

Astrorx

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @astrorx 

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for posting your query! We're here to help you get back up and running.

The Arctic OC 8A96 motherboard in the OMEN by HP 45L Gaming Desktop PC GT22-2000i does not appear to have a USB4 or Thunderbolt header based on available specifications.
OMEN by HP 45L Gaming Desktop PC GT22-2000i series specifications | HP® Support

Since adding a PCIe expansion card is not an option due to space constraints with the NVIDIA GTX 4090, you might consider:

• External Thunderbolt or USB4 hubs that connect via existing USB-C ports.
• Motherboard USB-C ports—check if any support USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) for high-speed data transfer.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[astrorx]

Thank you Hawks_Eye.  My USB4 device connected to a USBC 3.2 port gives only 10Gbps speeds.  The motherboard only has 10Gbps USB C ports.  I kind of solved the problem by installing a WD 4 TB NVME internal drive (SN850X) to the empty M.2 slot.  It has a data transfer rate almost twice that of a USB4 drive, but of course is not removable.

[Hawks_Eye]

@astrorx 

That’s a smart workaround! 

Installing the WD 4TB NVMe drive (SN850X) in your M.2 slot was a great move—it significantly boosts data transfer speeds compared to USB4, even though it’s not removable.

Since your motherboard only has 10Gbps USB-C ports, that was likely the limiting factor for your USB4 device, but now you’ve bypassed the bottleneck with a high-speed internal drive. You’ve effectively optimized performance without needing an external solution!

If you need anything else, I'm all ears (or rather, all text). Just let me know! 

Stay fantastic, and have an amazing day ahead! 

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[astrorx]

👍

[Hawks_Eye]

😊 👍