additional pci-x lanes on 680i used for physics cards in future?

[adsmith82]

Does anyone know if current physx cards are useful? I have read lots of mixed feelings about them. I was just trying to figure out which motherboard to buy for a friend's build, and started thinking about why the 680i boards have 3 pci-x slots. I thought maybe the 8x slot is reserved for future physics solutions, but can't find any information on this. Can someone enlinghten me?

 

[hennessy1]

yes you are correct that is what they had in mind but looking how gpu's are and fusion and fusion like products are idk if there will be a real need for one of those cards.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

PCIe. PCI-X is on server motherboards.

I have a P5N32-E SLI Plus, and I'm using the other 8X for a PCIe RAID controller. So it can be useful for things beyond the PhysX cards.

 

[adsmith82]

ahh... insightful info from both of you, thanks for replying

 

[cdfire]

PCIe sound cards are on the way also.

 

[aka1nas]

They aren't intended for the current Ageia PhysX card. Those are not available in a PCI-E format yet, even. Supposedly, ATI and Nvidia will come out with setups that allow you to use another GPU as a physics solution, which is what the third x16 slot is for. That way, you could SLI on the first two slots and throw a third video card in for physics. Both ATI and Nvidia announced their upcoming physics solutions immediately after the Ageia PhysX card was released and then completely clammed up, revealing no details since. At this point, I don't think they actually have anything and SLI/Crossfire + Physics exists only in a few powerpoint slides.