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One PCI-Express Question

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  • One PCI-Express Question

    I have read that many chipset producers are announcing upcoming PCI Express and DDR-2 supported solutions. I was wondering if it is possible that they will present us with motherboards where one can use two identical graphics cards like it used to be with PCI graphics cards?
    :bounce: :bounce2: :bounce: :bounce2:

  • #2
    There will be 2 separete types of PCI-X slots. The 1x slot which will be used for non-bandwidth hungry cards like 100Mbps NICs and sound cards, and then there will be a larger, 16x slot used for Graphics and I think there may be an option for gigabit NICs.

    So if you are referring to putting 2 PCI-X cards in 2 Separete PCI-X slots, it is unlikely, since most boards will only come with 1 16x slot. Its the same with AGP. Had they offered 2 AGP slots, and the chipsets supported it (not sure whether they do or not), it would have been possible.

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    • #3
      Thx, I get it now. BTW I use Firefox, it simply rulez...
      :thumb:

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      • #4
        It should be noted that PCI-X and PCI Express are two completely different technologies. PCI-X is a replacement for the PCI bus. It is available now, but is much more expensive and is only used on server boards. PCI Express replaces both AGP and PCI. I also believe that PCI-X may be compatible with PCI, however PCI Express is definitely incompatible with PCI.

        Most of this stuff should be announced/paper launched this coming month on March the 18th when CeBit technology conference starts in Germany.

        Lots of tech goodness coming...

        It also should be noted that most new technologies show a drop in performance at the beginning and then ramp up. I forgot the website and it's link but they got their hands on some DDR2 and a compatible chipset and it showed a large drop in performance (again I forgot how much but I think it was in the 10% too 20% range.)

        The new Prescott P4 are less powerful then Northwood P4 at the same speed. Same thing that the original P4 was less powerful than the P3. But then they ramped of the Mhz/Ghz and it all worked out in the end.

        Don't expect much from BTX, DDR2, or PCI-Express till the end of this year or the sometime next year.

        Then again, I *AM* holding my breath just like everyone else.

        EDIT: Woe, this post need a lot of fixxes. All done now.

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        • #5
          ufuk21p: Some motherboards will ship with an AGP and PCI-Express slot, but you won't be able to use both together. I doubt you will ever see a motherboard with two PCI-Express slots, but you never know.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by SmokeyTheBalrog
            Lots of tech goodness coming...
            You can say that again..

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            • #7
              "Two cards, twice the speed? Sure, such a dual-card configuration could boost 3D performance, if the driver can distribute the work intelligently between the cards. The trouble is: the images rendered by the second card would need to take a detour through the system memory before being displayed. It seems doubtful that this would work fast enough, due to the inherent delays and latencies involved. Then again, maybe we will see solutions using direct connections between the cards, similar to the Voodoo 2 SLI setup at the dawn of 3D accelerators. After all, it worked very well then, why not today...?"

              this was quated from toms hardware website in an article about pci express .

              check it out for yourselves

              http://www.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040310/index.html


              :wave:

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              • #8
                That maybe so but very few ppl went with the Voodoo2 SLI setup at first due to the enormous cost of the setup and most that did only did so after Voodoo2's came out on the 2nd hand market but then there's also this to consider that came from the same article;
                [b]There is another thing I'd like to say while we're on the topic of using multiple graphics cards in one system. It's a fairytale that there can be only one AGP slot on a motherboard. The AGP 3.0 specification allows for what's called a fanout bridge, which would allow a second AGP slot. So, two-card systems have been possible for quite a while now - sadly, they're just not being implemented. I wonder, is this for lack of demand or other reasons?
                Now if this type of setup came out in either AGP 3.0 or PCI Express then it'll likely do so in the high end workstation class due to the high cost of implementation (eg; hardware, specific software and R&D to get it all to work reliably). nVIDIA has been known a couple of times to have worked on this (even b4 its takeover of 3dfx) but they have yet to market anything after all this time. So ya'd have to ask ya self if nVIDIA hasn't yet been able to do it, then why, as I'm sure that they could've convinced mobo and chipset manufacturers to implement dual AGP slots. I'm sure that there must be reasons somewhere and nVIDIA would know what those reasons are otherwise dual AGP slots would've already been out and dual 16x PCI Express slots a certainty.

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