2 full bit PCI Express slots?

[boe]

Currently I only see motherboards with one full bit PCI-Express slot for the video card. ATI and nVidia say their cards will be operational for SLI mode for boards with more than one full bit PCI express slot.

Alienware is in the process of getting their motherboard patented to support the SLI video array option. Any news on any intel or other chipsets and motherboards supporting this?

 

[Crashman]

That would be x16, PCIe is rated in the number of data paths. The most I've heard of any chipset potentially supporting is 32 data paths, that would be 2 x16 slots and no other slots! That's why companies are planning boards with 2 x16 slots operating in x8 mode, with 1/2 the throughput.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[boe]

Wow - I hadn't heard that.

Can you tell me how 1/2 the x16 would compare to 8x agp? As far as I know, nothing is taking advantage of 8x so if they were comparable, I'd be comfortable.

 

[Crashman]

PCIe x8=2000MB/s. AGP8x=2048MB/s

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[onesaint]

have they done any dual agp motherboards?

GA-7NNXP, XP3000+ Barton
1 gig corsair pc2700, 2 Maxtor 80GB SATA 150
1 Seagate 160 gig ATA 133,
Asus GeForce4 TI4800, Samsung 172X
D. VINE 4 Chassis (moded)

 

[Crashman]

Dual AGP has only been possible since AGP 3.0 spec and likely requires special hardware to negotiate trasactions. Most companies were already beginning preparations for PCIe when AGP 3.0 was introduced, so they passed up the opportunity. Alienware had a special dual AGP board designed specifically for them, but you probably won't be able to buy it separately.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>