PciE 4x vs 16x question

lavoisier · 03-29-2007, 03:01 AM

I have just installed an XFX 8800GTS and I fined that my PciE slot is only 4x. Would replacing the motherboard with a 16x supported slot give an increase in performance?

Thanks in Advance

**smz** · 03-29-2007, 06:12 AM

I'm sorry I have to post your reply in the way of a question for the other team members. Has anyone heard of the primary graphics port for PCI-E only run at 4x?

I gotta look this up. It was bad enough making the switch from AGP and forking out the money for the PCI-E... but I never assumed anything less than PCI-E x16... hmmm The only thing i've seen about the x4 is perhaps using it in a dual video card scenario.

lavoisier · 03-29-2007, 06:49 AM

My motherboard supports both AGP and PCI-E and the PCI-E slot is 4x. I have also tried to overclock the card using RivaTuner where I am told the graphics adaptor driver cannot be found. I then tried ntune and ATItool with much the same success.

I am sure this carsd I have should be doing far better than it is.

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

Thanks

MaverickUK · 03-29-2007, 07:18 AM

Yes smz, it does run at 4x as far as i'm aware and i'm pretty sure i'm not confusing that with PCI. PCI-E is almost similar to AGP in quite a few ways, just the amount of bandwith through-put is a lot more faster than it's AGP counter-part.

MaverickUK · 03-29-2007, 08:48 AM

Infact, i believe it uses the same throttling (this is the wrong word, but i cant think for the life of me the word i want to use!) as AGP. From 1x all the way to 32x

lavoisier · 03-29-2007, 10:36 AM

Rivatuner etc problem sorted. They were just not Vista compliant.

Still would like to know(in not too 'techy' language) about the 4x 16x etc.

Thanks Guys

PS in case you aren't aware

I'm a newbie.

MaverickUK · 03-31-2007, 09:58 AM

Basically PCIE and AGP have a first speed at 1x, but these speeds can be 'pumped' to a value that is a multiple of the origional value and the "4x" or "#x" etc shows this. If you see "32x" this means the origional speed is pumped 32 times faster than the origional value of 1x (the speeds are measured in mhz).

The # would be replaced with a number (i.e. 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1).

**Kalim** · 03-31-2007, 12:59 PM

Yes PCIe x16 has the most bandwidth at 250MB/s x 16 lanes = 4GB/s

That amount of bandwidth is not utilized at the moment by anything. I'm not sure what the maximum utilized ATM is to say, as its differs in each application. Graphics intensive games usually prove a little difference with x16 bandwidth.

See here for comparisons of PCIe cards running at 1, 4, 8 or 16 times:
http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/printpage.php?id=438
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/104...0gt/index.html

lavoisier · 03-31-2007, 01:35 PM

Thanks for the info. Doesn't mean to much to me, not being a 'techie'.

I have changed my mobo and noticed an improvement in my card. My old mobo took both AGP and PCI-E, maybe this was something to do withit.

I'm still trying to overclock my card but not getting very high rates using ATITool, getting 621 core and 1014 mem. Any suggestions how I could improve this?

Cheers

geek73 · 03-31-2007, 01:40 PM

ATI tool is good at overclocking, the best thing you can do is get some watercooling if you want it to go any higher..You get better airflow as well. You dont want to overheat the crd or you will have a nice expensive paper wieght..

lavoisier · 03-31-2007, 01:58 PM

When ATI Tool 3Dtests the card, it goes no higher than 73-74C. I thought cards had a limit of 120C and that 90-100C would be ok.

03-29-2007, 03:01 AM	#1 (permalink)
lavoisier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8 OS: Win Vista	PciE 4x vs 16x question I have just installed an XFX 8800GTS and I fined that my PciE slot is only 4x. Would replacing the motherboard with a 16x supported slot give an increase in performance? Thanks in Advance

03-29-2007, 06:12 AM	#2 (permalink)
smz Hardware Tech Specialist Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 705 OS: Mac OS X / W2K3 Server / XP Home/MCE/Pro / Vista Ultimate / Ubuntu Linux My System	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question I'm sorry I have to post your reply in the way of a question for the other team members. Has anyone heard of the primary graphics port for PCI-E only run at 4x? I gotta look this up. It was bad enough making the switch from AGP and forking out the money for the PCI-E... but I never assumed anything less than PCI-E x16... hmmm The only thing i've seen about the x4 is perhaps using it in a dual video card scenario. __________________ {{{{ Scott - 25+ Years HW & SW Expertise - Dos, Linux, Mac OS X, & Windows }}}} Abit IP35 / Core 2 Quad Q6600 / APC 650 UPS / Antec 900 ATX w/Antec Trio 550 PS XFX GeForce 8400GS w/512MB / 320GB Maxtor SATA II HD / 4GB Corsair CAS4 DDR2 HP Laser P1006 & PS 2610 / D-Link DGL-4500 Router / Dell 24" LCD / Asus G1 Laptop

03-29-2007, 06:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
lavoisier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8 OS: Win Vista	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question My motherboard supports both AGP and PCI-E and the PCI-E slot is 4x. I have also tried to overclock the card using RivaTuner where I am told the graphics adaptor driver cannot be found. I then tried ntune and ATItool with much the same success. I am sure this carsd I have should be doing far better than it is. Any help or suggestions appreciated. Thanks

03-29-2007, 07:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
MaverickUK Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Cheshire, England. Posts: 883 OS: XP Home My System	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Yes smz, it does run at 4x as far as i'm aware and i'm pretty sure i'm not confusing that with PCI. PCI-E is almost similar to AGP in quite a few ways, just the amount of bandwith through-put is a lot more faster than it's AGP counter-part. __________________ Currently studying: CompTIA A+ CompTIA N+ Cisco Certified Network Associate

03-29-2007, 08:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
MaverickUK Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Cheshire, England. Posts: 883 OS: XP Home My System	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Infact, i believe it uses the same throttling (this is the wrong word, but i cant think for the life of me the word i want to use!) as AGP. From 1x all the way to 32x __________________ Currently studying: CompTIA A+ CompTIA N+ Cisco Certified Network Associate Last edited by MaverickUK; 03-29-2007 at 08:50 AM.

03-29-2007, 10:36 AM	#6 (permalink)
lavoisier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8 OS: Win Vista	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Rivatuner etc problem sorted. They were just not Vista compliant. Still would like to know(in not too 'techy' language) about the 4x 16x etc. Thanks Guys PS in case you aren't aware I'm a newbie.

03-31-2007, 09:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
MaverickUK Tech Hardware Team Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Cheshire, England. Posts: 883 OS: XP Home My System	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Basically PCIE and AGP have a first speed at 1x, but these speeds can be 'pumped' to a value that is a multiple of the origional value and the "4x" or "#x" etc shows this. If you see "32x" this means the origional speed is pumped 32 times faster than the origional value of 1x (the speeds are measured in mhz). The # would be replaced with a number (i.e. 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1). __________________ Currently studying: CompTIA A+ CompTIA N+ Cisco Certified Network Associate Last edited by MaverickUK; 03-31-2007 at 10:06 AM.

03-31-2007, 12:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kalim Roaming To Help Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 5,642 OS: Many	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Yes PCIe x16 has the most bandwidth at 250MB/s x 16 lanes = 4GB/s That amount of bandwidth is not utilized at the moment by anything. I'm not sure what the maximum utilized ATM is to say, as its differs in each application. Graphics intensive games usually prove a little difference with x16 bandwidth. See here for comparisons of PCIe cards running at 1, 4, 8 or 16 times: http://www.tbreak.com/reviews/printpage.php?id=438 http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/104...0gt/index.html

03-31-2007, 01:35 PM	#9 (permalink)
lavoisier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8 OS: Win Vista	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question Thanks for the info. Doesn't mean to much to me, not being a 'techie'. I have changed my mobo and noticed an improvement in my card. My old mobo took both AGP and PCI-E, maybe this was something to do withit. I'm still trying to overclock my card but not getting very high rates using ATITool, getting 621 core and 1014 mem. Any suggestions how I could improve this? Cheers

03-31-2007, 01:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
geek73 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 694 OS: SuSe Linux My System	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question ATI tool is good at overclocking, the best thing you can do is get some watercooling if you want it to go any higher..You get better airflow as well. You dont want to overheat the crd or you will have a nice expensive paper wieght.. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

03-31-2007, 01:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
lavoisier Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8 OS: Win Vista	Re: PciE 4x vs 16x question When ATI Tool 3Dtests the card, it goes no higher than 73-74C. I thought cards had a limit of 120C and that 90-100C would be ok.