PCI Express 2.0 and bearlake

[Devoluti0n]

I know this issue could go in multiple forum areas, but I thought video would be most appropriate.

What does everyone think of the upcoming PCI Express 2.0 slots in Intels Bearlake chipset in Q3 of this year? Apparently they will offer up to twice the bandwith of current PCI express slots.

I know PCI Express is in fine shape, but I'm wondering how close is the current bus to being saturated?

That being said, how long do you you all think it will be before most all high end video cards are produced in PCI Express 2.0 and not so much in current PCI express form.

Reason I'm asking is my old P4 Socket 478 system is just not cutting it for me anymore, and I'm looking to be building a new machine from scratch soon. The first bearlake chipsets wont have PCI express 2.0 and im wondering what you all think about waiting on PCI Express 2.0 for a system that will hopefully last 2-3 years. Thanks!

 

[vhx]

AFAIK graphics cards aren't even saturating an 8x bus these days. It's basically the same move as Agp 4x - 8x, not really needed, but more of a just-in-case for the future.

 

[Devoluti0n]

That's what I've read to be true, thanks.

But with AGP and the move to PCI express, the video card manufacturers mostly stopped making higher end AGP products.

I'm just hoping they don't decide within a year or so to stop producing the highest end cards in PCI-Express current form and only go the route of PCI Express 2.0. This slight, basically unimportant question plagues me daily as to whether to jump on the first bearlake motherboards or wait for PCI express 2.0 boards in Q3. The joys of being a nitpicker ^^

 

[Sniper82]

I haven't read a thing on PCI-E 2.0. But is it possible cards coming in the next year(or whenever) or so being 2.0 but be backward compatible? Like AGP was when it went to 8x and video cards was 8x? Or are the slots different?

 

[Devoluti0n]

To the best of my knowledge PCI express 2.0 is backwards compatible with current PCI express cards, I believe they are the same slot type. That being said, I'm not sure if PCI express 2.0 cards will work in current PCI express slots...maybe they will and just not be able to utilize the extra bandwith, not too sure really.

Any insight or thoughts are always appreciated!

 

[Telon]

I think Intel, AMD, Segate ect, need to be working on a revolutionary Data Transfer rate from Hard drives Optical drives. WE keep seeing big improvement's on CPU's, GPU's, Audio, and the Bus they travel on but the Data transfer from Hard drives hasn't change much over the years.
The Ram Drive might be a big improvement but the cost of those are more than most can afford.

 

[soybeast]

I believe the limitation for hard drives isn't in the interface, but rather physical and mechanical limitations. A disk can only spin so fast before it obliterates itself

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: Telon
I think Intel, AMD, Segate ect, need to be working on a revolutionary Data Transfer rate from Hard drives Optical drives. WE keep seeing big improvement's on CPU's, GPU's, Audio, and the Bus they travel on but the Data transfer from Hard drives hasn't change much over the years.
The Ram Drive might be a big improvement but the cost of those are more than most can afford.

Don't look to Seagate for the next gen hard drives, SanDisk will provide you with what you need. We're talking crazy access times for LAPTOP hard drives (well SSDs in this case). It puts the Raptor to shame and even the fastest SCSI/SAS drive!

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Originally posted by: Telon
I think Intel, AMD, Segate ect, need to be working on a revolutionary Data Transfer rate from Hard drives Optical drives. WE keep seeing big improvement's on CPU's, GPU's, Audio, and the Bus they travel on but the Data transfer from Hard drives hasn't change much over the years.
The Ram Drive might be a big improvement but the cost of those are more than most can afford.

Don't look to Seagate for the next gen hard drives, SanDisk will provide you with what you need. We're talking crazy access times for LAPTOP hard drives (well SSDs in this case). It puts the Raptor to shame and even the fastest SCSI/SAS drive!

Small sizes and high prices keep this from taking the market over like the Borg

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Devoluti0n
I know this issue could go in multiple forum areas, but I thought video would be most appropriate.

What does everyone think of the upcoming PCI Express 2.0 slots in Intels Bearlake chipset in Q3 of this year? Apparently they will offer up to twice the bandwith of current PCI express slots.

I know PCI Express is in fine shape, but I'm wondering how close is the current bus to being saturated?

That being said, how long do you you all think it will be before most all high end video cards are produced in PCI Express 2.0 and not so much in current PCI express form.

Reason I'm asking is my old P4 Socket 478 system is just not cutting it for me anymore, and I'm looking to be building a new machine from scratch soon. The first bearlake chipsets wont have PCI express 2.0 and im wondering what you all think about waiting on PCI Express 2.0 for a system that will hopefully last 2-3 years. Thanks!

you DO realize that you could put off your upgrade for a year ... until PCIe2 is more common and you have a LOT of choices

upgrade your 3.0 CPU to P43.4EE = $100 and an AGP x1950p $200 [minus selling your PressHot and GT] ... probably well under $200 total upgrade costs -IF your PS is adequate

i went from ~6,000/6500 with an x850xt/7800GS OC and a P42.80c@3.31Ghz to 9280 in 3DMark05 with my 3.4EE @ 3.74Ghz and x1950p/512M

i can now wait

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: potato28

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Originally posted by: Telon
I think Intel, AMD, Segate ect, need to be working on a revolutionary Data Transfer rate from Hard drives Optical drives. WE keep seeing big improvement's on CPU's, GPU's, Audio, and the Bus they travel on but the Data transfer from Hard drives hasn't change much over the years.
The Ram Drive might be a big improvement but the cost of those are more than most can afford.

Don't look to Seagate for the next gen hard drives, SanDisk will provide you with what you need. We're talking crazy access times for LAPTOP hard drives (well SSDs in this case). It puts the Raptor to shame and even the fastest SCSI/SAS drive!

Small sizes and high prices keep this from taking the market over like the Borg

$350 for a 32GB SSD is not bad at all. Compare that to a 15,000RPM SAS drive that retails for about ~$200, I'd say the initial price for these drives are outstanding. Also take into consideration, we should be up to 128GB by the end of the year.

 

[Paratus]

Originally posted by: Devoluti0n
I know this issue could go in multiple forum areas, but I thought video would be most appropriate.

What does everyone think of the upcoming PCI Express 2.0 slots in Intels Bearlake chipset in Q3 of this year? Apparently they will offer up to twice the bandwith of current PCI express slots.

I know PCI Express is in fine shape, but I'm wondering how close is the current bus to being saturated?

That being said, how long do you you all think it will be before most all high end video cards are produced in PCI Express 2.0 and not so much in current PCI express form.

Reason I'm asking is my old P4 Socket 478 system is just not cutting it for me anymore, and I'm looking to be building a new machine from scratch soon. The first bearlake chipsets wont have PCI express 2.0 and im wondering what you all think about waiting on PCI Express 2.0 for a system that will hopefully last 2-3 years. Thanks!

I've got basically the same rig you do and with the upgrade to an X1950PRO I don't feel any reason to upgrade this year.

Some P4/X1950PRO benchies

(My scores aren't quite as impressive as Apoppins but even Oblivion plays OK at 12x10 w AA & HDR)

 

[Devoluti0n]

Thanks for your replies everyone! I'll consider the upgrades that Apoppin and Paratus mentioned, but I still feel it's time to take my gaming experience to the next level. My 20" widescreen looks great at 1680x1050 and I'd really like to be able to run games in all their glory (or close to it) at that rez.

Still, a few hundred dollars could put alot of life into my current system. I'm just dreading summer that's creeping in. When weather temps get to 105+ outside, my Prescott turns my room into a small nuclear bomb!

 

[gramboh]

I'm in kind of the same boat, P4 Northwood @ 3.2, 2GB ram, 6800SG (unlocked, 6800 Ultra speeds).

I wanted to wait for Bearlake with PCI-E 2.0 and DDR3 as well as for R600/G90, I thought this would be a good time to upgrade. It appears Bearlake is a ways off and DDR3/PCI-E 2.0 won't be on the first gen mobos anyway.

I'm just going to build a C2D E6600/2GB/8800GTS 640MB box in the next week or so. I ordered a Dell 2407WFP so I need a better PC to play it on.

I wouldn't wait around for Bearlake and the new standards, who knows how long it could take.

 

[AnotherGuy]

I am in the same exact situation as you... but instead of intel i have an a64 3000 oced to 2.3 with my AGP x800Pro... I so wanna upgrade but im holding back either till pci-E 2.0 comes out... or maybe just till AMD comes out with their K8L processors and see what to get core duo or the amd.... I am just sick of AGP, i donno if i will resist till end of this year thoe.... Sometimes i think just upgrade my vidcard... but then in half a year that money i spent on vidcard upgrade will be wasted...

I SO DONT KNOW WHAT TO DOOOOOO!!!!!

 

[apoppin]

if it's really six months, tough it out

if it's a year, i wouldn't put up with slow ... especially since you can upgrade to x1950p for $200 - minus selling your current card [$80] and then selling the Pro in a year for $100

add up the figures ... it's relatively cheap

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
$350 for a 32GB SSD is not bad at all. Compare that to a 15,000RPM SAS drive that retails for about ~$200, I'd say the initial price for these drives are outstanding. Also take into consideration, we should be up to 128GB by the end of the year.

How are those $350 when the these are $1300? http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6545

Are the ones from SanDisk actually available anywhere?

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom

Originally posted by: JackBurton
$350 for a 32GB SSD is not bad at all. Compare that to a 15,000RPM SAS drive that retails for about ~$200, I'd say the initial price for these drives are outstanding. Also take into consideration, we should be up to 128GB by the end of the year.

How are those $350 when the these are $1300? http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=6545

Are the ones from SanDisk actually available anywhere?

Because Fujitsu got a hold of some bad crack rock and became delusional?

As far as reports go, the SSDs from SanDisk are available now to computer manufacturer, so we should hopefully see them sold individually soon. The funny thing is, the Fujitsu drive is slower.