PCI Express X16 and PCI Express X16 2.0 ?

Question

What is the difference I dont think my computer has PCI Express x16 2.0 but I know it has PCI express X16. I need a new video card and I know some say PCI Express X16 2.0 is this backwards compatiable is there a difference or what do I need to know?

Answer 1

The version of PCI-Express you MAY have on your motherboard,(More specifically the Southbridge chip), may be the PCI-Express 1.1 version.

This is the most common version. PCI-E 2.0 is the latest version. Yes, a PCI-E 2.0 based graphics card, will work in a PCI-E 1.1 version slot.

PCI-E 2.0 is backward compatible.

Info on PCI-Express:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pci-express

(Scroll way down the page, until you come to the 'PCI-Express 2.0' heading. Read this paragraph.)

Answer 2

PCI Express x16 2.0 cards WILL be backwards compatiblle with a PCI x16 1.0 slot.

The only difference is that the bandwhich is like doubled with 2.0

Answer 3

any pci express x16 video card and a 2.0 card withh fit in any pci expressx16 board or 2.0 board they are completly backwards compatible with each other

Answer 4

pci express x16 2.0 is a newer slot compared to pci express x16, it was introduced to solve a problem with both SLI but the more effected crossfire, when 4 ATI cards are placed in crossfire, the speed of each slot is reduced to x8 speed, years later, Intel (the creators of PCI express) came up with 2.0 as a fix for both SLI and crossfire, it is able to transfer 16GB of data, double the amount of its predecessor meaning that 4 card in crossfire would technically be able to run at x16 speed.

if you purchase a 2.0 card then it will be fine if run in an x16 slot, but if you use multiple cards in crossfire or SLI then they would be really bottlenecked

Answer 5

They have the same slots and stuff. But  I think PCI x16 is the older version of x16 2.0.