PCI-E 2.0 vs X16?

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audiobahn1000

Member
What’s the difference? Is X16 PCI-E 1.1 or is 1.1 something different? I was looking on Newegg and I thought PCI-E 2.0 was better then x16 but the best 2.0 card they have on their site isn’t half as good as the best x16 card they have on their site.

Also what’s the max bandwidth of x16 and 2.0?
 
PCI-E 2.0 is the latest revision of PCI-E, and is currently only available on the Intel X38-based motherboards. Both versions have x16 speed capabilities, and you are right, PCI-E 2.0 is better.
 
What advantages does 2.0 have over x16? What’s the main difference between the two? And if 2.0 is so good why is it that the best card I could find for 2.0 only had half the RAM and GPU speed as a top of the line x16 card? I don’t see how a 2.0 card with 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM and a 750 Mhz. core and 1,500 MHz. RAM can outperform a x16 card with 1 gig of GDDR 4 RAM @ 2,500 Mhz. and a 1,500 Mhz. core.
 
2.0 doubles the bandwidth of Pci-e 1.1, the current standard, from a x16 lane bus to a x32 lane bus. That's is it's advantage and main difference. As you can see, this will have no effect on current cards. Only later, when new cards are released, more powerful, and able to take advantage of this extra bandwidth, will you see 2.0 come into it's own. Think the Geforce 9 series or it's AMD equivalent.

Remember not to judge a card solely on it's specs. GPU tech is akin to CPU; A 4.0ghz P4 would not beat a 2.2ghz A64 chip, contrasting architecture oppose the direct comparison of conjecturable asset.

PCI-E
 
So basically I should not spend extra money to get a 2.0 mobo and card and just get a x16 one instead because x16 cards currently outperform equivalently priced 2.0 cards?
 
Basicly video cards don't even utilize this bandwidth yet so there is no point in spending extra money on it.
 
audiobahn1000 said:
So basically I should not spend extra money to get a 2.0 mobo and card and just get a x16 one instead because x16 cards currently outperform equivalently priced 2.0 cards?
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Where did you get that from? PCI-E 2.0 is very new, and only a few select cards support it. One being the 8800GT, which is an awesome card and outperforms the 8800GTS.

If you are going to get a new motherboard, you should get one that supports PCI-E 2.0.
 
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