About PCI types

Aerozord · 11-14-2015, 05:19 PM

So I was looking at upgrading my graphics card but its a PCI 3.0 and my motherboard has a PCI 2.0. Now I know it will "work" but I'm concerned I wont get as much out of it if I connect it. I dont want to blow over 200 bucks on a graphics card if I can only access a fraction of its processing power.

phil_ · 11-14-2015, 07:30 PM

This article from 2013 says, in a nutshell, that using PCI 2 or PCI 3 slot for your graphics card doesn't make a noticeable difference; not because PCI3 isn't faster but mostly because then current games and cards weren't able to utilize the extra bandwidth.

So that's a maybe, leaning towards it won't make a difference. Although, if your motherboard only has PCI 2 slots, isn't it getting a bit old? I've got a PCI-E 3 slot on my desktop, and that motherboard is old and cheap enough that they no longer make compatible RAM or CPU.

Aerozord · 11-16-2015, 02:24 PM

Replacing the motherboard essentially means rebuilding the entire thing. I normally save that for when I am ready to up my processor so I can make sure they are compatible.

Which I might still do, money is alot tighter than I thought lately this is more something for my Christmas list

11-14-2015, 05:19 PM	#1
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	About PCI types So I was looking at upgrading my graphics card but its a PCI 3.0 and my motherboard has a PCI 2.0. Now I know it will "work" but I'm concerned I wont get as much out of it if I connect it. I dont want to blow over 200 bucks on a graphics card if I can only access a fraction of its processing power. __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

11-14-2015, 07:30 PM	#2
phil_ Just sleeping Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: At home, probably in bed. Posts: 6,482	This article from 2013 says, in a nutshell, that using PCI 2 or PCI 3 slot for your graphics card doesn't make a noticeable difference; not because PCI3 isn't faster but mostly because then current games and cards weren't able to utilize the extra bandwidth. So that's a maybe, leaning towards it won't make a difference. Although, if your motherboard only has PCI 2 slots, isn't it getting a bit old? I've got a PCI-E 3 slot on my desktop, and that motherboard is old and cheap enough that they no longer make compatible RAM or CPU. __________________ Be T-Rexcellent to each other, tako.

11-16-2015, 02:24 PM	#3
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Replacing the motherboard essentially means rebuilding the entire thing. I normally save that for when I am ready to up my processor so I can make sure they are compatible. Which I might still do, money is alot tighter than I thought lately this is more something for my Christmas list __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."