If you want the new GeForce GTX480 card, but don’t have a motherboard that’s capable of the new PCIe x16 standard, you might think it’s beyond your means. Many people don’t realize that the PCI-Express system is comprised of multiple independent data-paths, called “lanes” by many, and that while the GeForce GTX480 uses all 16, it still works with fewer. Surely there’s a huge performance penalty, right? That’s what TechPowerUp set to find out:
To maintain its speeds, it would hypothetically require high system bandwidth, leading one to think that lesser PCI-Express configurations would cripple it. The theory couldn’t be more wrong, as seen by the mere 2% performance loss going from x16 to x8 (which reduces bandwidth by 50%). To cite results from one of the latest and resource-heavy games in our bench, Collin McRae DiRT 2, that translates into something like 63.2 FPS vs. 62.1 FPS, at 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution – barely a difference.
We also examined how much PCI-E 2.0 x4 (or PCI-E 1.1 x8, older motherboards) would affect the GTX 480. And the result coarsely put is “not much”: 8%.
Less than 2% difference when dropping it from x16 to x8. While you realistically wouldn’t run a card like that, it does bode well for people who want to run the card in SLI configurations, where it proves that the card is not starved for data.
techPowerUp :: GeForce GTX 480 PCI-Express Scaling Review :: Page 1 / 25.
None of the applications they test with is going to put any load on the bandwidth of the slot. They aren’t moving a lot of data back and forth. Mostly reusing the same textures and meshes over and over. For visualization applications, where you might be moving huge datasets back and forth continuously, or for CUDA applications that have to upload AND download datasets continuously, this could be VERY important.
Thz for this.
I have this doubt about my Asus Commando PCI-E 1.1. After my 8800gt is dead i think if new gtx460 is capped or limited with PCI-E 1.1.
If i need to upgrade to PCI 2.0 for play 100% with gtx 480.
If only is 2%. Not change nothing. I think can running only at 50-66-60% maximum… but also if i run only at 90% for me is OK!.
Save Money.