PCIe 3.0

[gnuelxela]

Hi all,
I'm on my last piece to buy before starting to build my new desktop.

I'm confused on PCIe 3.0. I know several boards in the mkt already support PCIe 3.0 (namely Gen3 boards). As I notice, those boards have an additional chipset on the board so that it can support the new PCIe 3.0.

So does this mean if I get a non-Gen3 board, I can NEVER get PCIe 3.0? I highlighted NEVER as I am not sure if this will help me get PCIe 3.0: Upgrade to Ivy Bridge CPU + Update BIOS.

fyi, I'm currently looking at ASUS P8Z68-V. Not sure if I should get Gen3 version as who knows maybe I will upgrade to IB in the future?

Thanks~

 

[IGemini]

PCIe 3.0 you don't get just from updating the BIOS/CPU. The board needs to be manufactured to meet the increased power delivery and speed of the 3.0 specification.

 

[gnuelxela]

I think the power requirement are the same as v2.1
Only the bus speed which is controlled by the controller?

 

[Dahak]

there is also the pcie switches on the motherboard, especially on boards that do sli and crossfire but can also be on others too.

So basically if the board is NOT BUILT for PCIe 3.0 then you WILL NOT get it. even if you upgrade the bios/cpu

 

[vailr]

Conversely: if sometime later, you wanted to use a PCIe 2.1 motherboard with a (yet to be produced) PCIe 3.0 video card, that should still function at PCIe 2.1 speed, no?

 

[gevorg]

PCIe 3.0 you don't get just from updating the BIOS/CPU. The board needs to be manufactured to meet the increased power delivery and speed of the 3.0 specification.

Depends on the board you have:

http://www.brightsideofnews.com/new...port-and-pcie-30-support-on-motherboards.aspx

One of the world leaders in motherboard manufacturing has announced that all of their 6-series motherboards will be ready to support PCIe 3.0 as well as Intel’s latest 22nm processor offerings in the socket 1155 pin-out. This covers all of their H61, P67, H67 and Z68 motherboards.

 

[Dahak]

Conversely: if sometime later, you wanted to use a PCIe 2.1 motherboard with a (yet to be produced) PCIe 3.0 video card, that should still function at PCIe 2.1 speed, no?

Yes it should*

*provided that the device manufacture allows it. I have read on some occasions that the device maker did not allow it in ie 1.0 when it was a 2.0 card. Think it was related to a higher end sas raid card.