Is a 680i LT SLI compatible with a PCI Express 2?

[nerdwithnoname]

I have this motherboard:

EVGA NFORCE 680i LT SLI
Version 2
Chipset Model nForce 680i SLI SPP
Chipset Revision A2
Southbridge Model nForce 680i SLI MCP
Southbridge Revision A2

Will this motherboard be compatible with a PCI Express 2.0 graphics card? From what I understand it needs to be PCI Express 1.1, because 1.0/1.0a do not support it.

I've read here where they say a nForce 680i LT SLI C55 MCP55P is PCI Express 1.1, so I believe my board is compatible, but I really want to make sure before buying anything.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mousemonkey]

I'm using a motherboard that has a 680i chipset and it has been running faultlessly for the last three and a half years with a pair of PCIe 2.0 cards in SLi on it.

 

[acer0169]

I believe that's a 1.1 slot so it should take a 2.0 graphics card without issues.

 

[Mousemonkey]

A PCIe1.0 slot should also have no problems, like the PC I'm using to post this which is using a 2.0 card in a 1.0 slot.

 

[jitpublisher]

If I remember correctly, and I think this is the reason people still wonder about PCIe slot versions, that when slot 1.0a came out, there were at that time, some slot 1.0 cards that would not work in the 1.0a, or vice versa, something like that anyhow. But that was a long time ago, and it only pertained to a couple of cards. Basically, anything else except a very few cards made right during that transition period, are fully backwards compatible.

 

[nerdwithnoname]

Thank you all for the help, I do really appreciate it.

Yeah it does seem confusing indeed. On Wikipedia it says “PCIe 2.0 cards are also generally backward compatible with PCIe 1.x motherboards, using the available bandwidth of PCI Express 1.1. Overall, graphic cards or motherboards designed for v 2.0 will be able to work with the other being v 1.1 or v 1.0.” This is still not a definite answer and still somewhat confusing. I don't like the idea of spending $100+ on a nonreturnable video card that "should" work with what I have.

@ mousemonkey,

I use a program called Speccy that you can download here, it's an advanced System Information tool and this is that data it gives me on my motherboard.

If it's not to much trouble maybe you could also run it and ether compare, post a pic, or send me a pic via Removed of your motherboard's data for comparison. Or just let me know if it's the same. In any case I will probably just go with the PCIe 2.0 card I was looking at.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Mousemonkey]

That doesn't tell you whether you have PCIe 1.0 or 1.1 slot's. Try the trial version of Everest, the motherboard and GPU sections should tell you what slot spec you have and also the PCIe spec your current card(s).

 

[nerdwithnoname]

That doesn't tell you whether you have PCIe 1.0 or 1.1 slot's. Try the trial version of Everest, the motherboard and GPU sections should tell you what slot spec you have and also the PCIe spec your current card(s).

That's True. I did not know how to find that information out, so I thought that we could at least compare both motherboards to help confirm my boards compatibility. But if you know for certain that you are running a PCI express 2.0 card in a 1.0 slot that would be good enough for me.

I gave Everest a try, but I could only find the information on my GPU and not my motherboard.

 

[Mousemonkey]

That's True. I did not know how to find that information out, so I thought that we could at least compare both motherboards to help confirm my boards compatibility. But if you know for certain that you are running a PCI express 2.0 card in a 1.0 slot that would be good enough for me.

I gave Everest a try, but I could only find the information on my GPU and not my motherboard.