PCI-E 2.0 card in PCI-E 1.1 slot

[leo2kp]

I tried looking some stuff up but couldn't find any conclusive answers. First, I know that a PCI-E 2.0 card will work in a PCI-E 1.1 slot like mine. I was wondering if anyone knew weather or not putting an 8800GTS 512 in a PCI-E 1.1 slot will give it enough bandwidth, or would I see any kind of performance increase by going to a board with a PCI-E 2.0 slot? I imagine it would be fine and that PCI-E 2.0 allows for better SLI/Crossfire configurations (3 card setup) which means the 8800GTS 512 wouldn't even come close to maxing the bandwidth of the 1.1 in a single-card setup. Am I correct?

Thanks all

 

[rubix_1011]

Considering that there hasn't been a card created that ever maxxed out the bandwidth of the interface it utilizes (AGP or PCI express) I would say you are quite safe with this install. The 8800GTS (G92) is benchmark-wise about on par with the (older) higher 8800 GTX/ultra levels. The only thing I can think of that might make any difference is if PCI-e 2.0 has any additional support for SLI that would give it advantage over PCI-e 1.1. I am guessing that even this is most likely effected more by driver support than the newer chipsets.

 

[leo2kp]

The major difference is bandwidth (2.0 is has 2x more than 1.1) and since the 8800GT and GTS 512 are both PCI-E 2.0, I wasn't sure if they utilized more bandwidth in a single-card configuration than a 1.1 slot could offer. Thanks for your reply but I'm looking for something more definitive, like benchmarks between a PCI-E 2.0 and 1.1 boards with a GTS 512. Without that we can only speculate but you're probably right. It's probably not an issue.

 

[3Ball]

Nope it will be fine. You have it right. We are pretty far away from using that much bandwidth imo. The industry is just on the move faster in some areas than others as always.

Best,

3Ball

 

[leo2kp]

Yea I suppose that's true. It just boggles me why they would put that on a card that wouldn't even use it. I can see a motherboard doing that for a super fast card, but not the card itself if it's not going to use it. Oh well, that's the way it works I guess. And maybe it's not just bandwidth either. Maybe they have power issues that were worked out :-/ I'm just going to get one anyway

 

[rubix_1011]

I understand the argument, but take a look at some of the PCI-e ports to AGP by ATI. They have been very successful and require little more than a PCI-e to AGP bridge chipset for this to work with the older interface.

This is the same concept that was used with the AGP 4x/8x cards, and both were compatible in either speed slot. Even the newer 'ported' cards that are native PCI-e haven't maxxed out the AGP bandwidth they are being utilized on. This could be coming to an end very quickly, though.

 

[cpburns]

the primary reason for PCIe 2.0 is extra power through the slot to the card. with that extra (doubled) power they're also offering more speed as future headroom. the most any case uses these days is still around 10 or 11x. so AGP 8x is now maxed.

even when the industry went to PCIe x16 though, most cards were still only using 6x bandwidth. the move was not about the bandwidth primarily, but about the new options it opened up to the industry. SLI and CF were a no-go on AGP architecture because of the way AGP was built in regards to memory and CPU access.

PCIe 2.0 offers 150W through the slot now, compared to 75W through a 1.1 slot. this is why the 8800GT and the HD3870 can get by with a single 6pin PEG connector. and technically, according to the 3870's power consumption, that PEG is only a fallback, a safety option. it allows the card to run on 1.1 slots, or overclock on 2.0 slots. as it is, the card receives enough power from the slot to run cordless. not sure about the 8800GT but i believe the situation is similar.

also, 2.0 allows other options such as digital power management to the slot. you can specify exactly to the watt how much power each slot receives, given the bios options.

 

[yabyab]

Alright, let me get this straight.

1. There is no difference in performance if I run the 8800GT on a Mobo that doesn't have a 2.0 PCI-e slot? (since we haven't got the tech to fully use the bandwidth the 1.1 PCI-e offers)

2. The only advantage a motherboard with PCI-e 2.0 offer is that you don't need to connect the cord of the 8800GT to power it, since the PCI-e 2.0 offers a 150w compared to the 1.1 PCI-e which only offers 75w?

In this case, I conclude. Getting a motherboard that support 2.0 PCI-E would only help me to ignore the installation part of the Cord when I slot in my 8800GT?

 

[flak]

I'm interested in this too. I searched for tests, but didn't found any. If someone has the capability to run such tests... please...

 

[dragonsprayer]

bandwidth is not an issue

 

[Hatman]

Well there may actually be some apps that benefit from it slightly but you wont see a boost in any game.

Tbh the power thing is very nice for me helps keep it veyr neat cant wait to upgrade to a pci-e2 mobo.

 

[HoryWan]

Alright, let me get this straight.

1. There is no difference in performance if I run the 8800GT on a Mobo that doesn't have a 2.0 PCI-e slot? (since we haven't got the tech to fully use the bandwidth the 1.1 PCI-e offers)

is this also true for a 8800 gts 512 (g92)?

 

[B-Unit]

Correct, even a 9800GX2 can run on as little as 4x 2.0 (8x 1.1) without serious bandwidth problems.