So is the next big step PCI 2.0 ?

[Srfrbum]

I was just wondering if the enxt batch of video cards coming out are going to be PCI 2.0 only... I don't really want to upgrade my motherboard but I see that I may be forced to if I want to play with the new generation of video cards...

Thanks.

 

[Avalon]

No. PCI-e 2.0 is backwards and forwards compatible with PCI-e 1.x, you're fine with your current motherboard.

 

[Srfrbum]

Originally posted by: Avalon
No. PCI-e 2.0 is backwards and forwards compatible with PCI-e 1.x, you're fine with your current motherboard.

O RLY...... Will there be a significant loss in performance if a PCI 2.0 video card is used in a normal PCI Express Mobo ?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

No one was forced to upgrade from AGP and it's still alive and kicking.

 

[Dudewithoutapet]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
No one was forced to upgrade from AGP and it's still alive and kicking.

QFT, don't worry about PCI-e 2.0. And what Avalon said too.

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: Srfrbum

Originally posted by: Avalon
No. PCI-e 2.0 is backwards and forwards compatible with PCI-e 1.x, you're fine with your current motherboard.

O RLY...... Will there be a significant loss in performance if a PCI 2.0 video card is used in a normal PCI Express Mobo ?

Not in the upcoming generation, no.

After two years, I guess you'll start seeing differences, it's not a concern yet... 😉

 

[Auric]

Upgrading in the nearer term will only be required to maintain a higher-end gaming system where the bandwidth of 2.0 is required for the best GPUs (or multiple GPUs) and you want to take advantage of better CPUs (early 1.x mainboards are obviously also limited in their CPU upgrade path). But as far as just plunking in newer midrage 2.0 cards in the old system, that should be fine for some time (although not necessarily worthwhile).

 

[nitromullet]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: Srfrbum

Originally posted by: Avalon
No. PCI-e 2.0 is backwards and forwards compatible with PCI-e 1.x, you're fine with your current motherboard.

O RLY...... Will there be a significant loss in performance if a PCI 2.0 video card is used in a normal PCI Express Mobo ?

Not in the upcoming generation, no.

After two years, I guess you'll start seeing differences, it's not a concern yet... 😉

If even that soon... Considering the fact that dual gpu systems with an 8x/8x PCIe configuration still perform as well as 16x/16x setups, I don't think that the PCIe bandwidth will be an issue for quite some time. The increased power supplied by PCIe 2.0 slot over PCIe 1.x may be more important in the future though.

Either way, the introduction is certainly not going to "force" anyone to upgrade. IMO, by the time it's really necessary everyone will already have a PCIe 2.0 board, and its successor will have already been introduced.

 

[wraith3k]

I am building a new system and thinking of getting the 8800GT or some other pci-e 2.0 card. Is it worth waiting for nforce 700 chipset-based motherboards to come out so I can get pci-e 2.0? Would there be a noticeable difference in speed or anything else?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: theslug
I am building a new system and thinking of getting the 8800GT or some other pci-e 2.0 card. Is it worth waiting for nforce 700 chipset-based motherboards to come out so I can get pci-e 2.0? Would there be a noticeable difference in speed or anything else?

Intel X38 has PCIe-2.0 I believe. Unless you plan to SLI, it's the best solution for a new build now. The problem is that most of them are DDR3 boards which means it gets expensive.

I don't think PCIe-2.0 is a big deal so if you need SLI and are building now any of the current boards would be more than enough.

 

[Snooper]

They generally update to a new interface standard long before they actually NEED the improved performance. That way, once technology has advanced to the point that it is needed, the framework to allow it is already in place.

The PCIe -> PCIe-2.0 upgrade is more in line with the AGP->AGPx2->AGPx4->AGPx8 path than the totally new (and completely incompatible) AGTx8->PCIe upgrade. But, they had hit a hard wall on AGP, so they had to change the basic hardware design. That always gets expensive for us, so just be glad that we are not in that situation now!

 

[Capt Caveman]

Note - not all current PCIE 1.x mobo's are compatible with PCIE 2.0. I believe all PCIE 1.1 mobos are compatible but only some 1.0a mobos are compatible.