All PCI Express graphics cards are connected via x16 PCI Express slot. The resulting bandwidth is 4 GB/s upstream as well as downstream, which easily surpasses the conventional AGP by a factor of four. It's still difficult to predict what this will mean in practice. However, we will be looking at this topic more closely in a separate article.
Confusion Through Compatibility?
The upward and downward compatibility with different PCI Express speeds could easily cause lots of confusion because the mechanical structure of a PCI Express connector reveals very little about the PCI Express speed at which it might run. For example, it will be possible to plug a x8 PCI Express card (in the later generations) into a faster x16 slot, while in reality the card only runs with four lines, i.e. x4 PCI Express.
- Intel's Vision Of Future And What The Alderwood/Grantsdale Launch Is All About
- BTX Form Factor: More Efficient Layout For Components
- Volumetric Zones
- BTX, MicroBTX, PicoBTX
- Cooling The Core Components Via Thermal Module
- DDR2: 200 And 266 MHz To Start With
- DDR2 Latency Times
- Overview Of DDR Vs. DDR2
- A Quick Start: Corsair CM2X512
- PCI Express: Up To 8 GB/s
- PCI Express Graphics Cards
- PCI-X Vs. PCI Express
- Socket 775: CPUs Without Pins
- Comparison: Sockel 478 And Socket 775
- Prescott Vs. Northwood: An Insight
- Grantsdale/Alderwood In Detail
- Southbridge: ICH6, ICH6R, ICH6W
- MainConcept MPEG Encoder
- SiSoft Sandra Pro 2004
- The Competition: SiS And VIA
- Conclusion
