Intel Mulls Propagating PCI-Express 2.0 x2 Interface

[DanTheBanjoman]

Originally Posted by FordGT90Concept

I could see Dell and HP saying no. I doubt IBM cares.

What would be their arguments to be against it?

[Wile E]

I honestly don't see a problem with this. We already have the hardware to do it on the mobo side. There's no harm in developing add-on cards that use x2. I don't understand why some of you are against it. It won't hurt anything.

[FordGT90Concept]

Originally Posted by DanTheBanjoman

What would be their arguments to be against it?

Technical support calls, lots of them. People shove a 2x card into a 4x slot and find out either it doesn't work or it isn't getting the bandwidth they expected.

Originally Posted by Wile E

I honestly don't see a problem with this. We already have the hardware to do it on the mobo side. There's no harm in developing add-on cards that use x2. I don't understand why some of you are against it. It won't hurt anything.

Most hardware isn't set up to handle it because it isn't in the PCI-SIG specifications. Even by the off chance that some motherboards are wired for 2x, that doesn't mean the BIOS are ready.

We are against it because there's a high likelihood that if you buy a 2x card, either the system BIOS is going to reject it or you're only going to end up with 1x performance. In both cases, it defeats the purpose (just buy a 4x card and a non-POS motherboard and be done with it).

It's pretty obvious PCI-SIG felt that increments smaller than 4x were unnecssary; there's no reason for that to change today. We're talking like 3/4 inch longer on the slot and 4 times the performance. The difference in size is moot because virtually all motherboards are designed for at least one 16x slot.

If they were getting rid of everything larger than 4x, for example, then I could see justification for a 2x card. That simply isn't going to happen though (at least not any time soon).

[DanTheBanjoman]

Originally Posted by FordGT90Concept

Technical support calls, lots of them. People shove a 2x card into a 4x slot and find out either it doesn't work or it isn't getting the bandwidth they expected.

And this does not exist with x1 cards in x4 slots or any other combination? How about x16 physical with x4 electric? I really don't see how this is a valid argument.

[Wile E]

Originally Posted by FordGT90Concept

Technical support calls, lots of them. People shove a 2x card into a 4x slot and find out either it doesn't work or it isn't getting the bandwidth they expected.


Most hardware isn't set up to handle it because it isn't in the PCI-SIG specifications. Even by the off chance that some motherboards are wired for 2x, that doesn't mean the BIOS are ready.

We are against it because there's a high likelihood that if you buy a 2x card, either the system BIOS is going to reject it or you're only going to end up with 1x performance. In both cases, it defeats the purpose (just buy a 4x card and a non-POS motherboard and be done with it).

It's pretty obvious PCI-SIG felt that increments smaller than 4x were unnecssary; there's no reason for that to change today. We're talking like 3/4 inch longer on the slot and 4 times the performance. The difference in size is moot because virtually all motherboards are designed for at least one 16x slot.

If they were getting rid of everything larger than 4x, for example, then I could see justification for a 2x card. That simply isn't going to happen though (at least not any time soon).

BIOS update will fix most problems. Using a 2x card still leaves you with 2 lanes to use elsewhere where they may be more needed.

Sorry, but you don't have a valid argument against. Adding a 2x specification will not harm anyone, but could help at least a fringe market. Nothing you have stated has suggested otherwise.