# Using a PCI-E 3.0 in a 2.0 slot



## LTC

No, you will not see a decrease in performance, PCI-E 3.0 isn't being fully utilized, even with high-end GPU's...


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## Goran H.

It's so miniscule if it even exists. You don't have to worry anything, it's borderline marginal error. Go for it.


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## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *LTC*
> 
> No, you will not see a decrease in performance, PCI-E 3.0 isn't being fully utilized, even with high-end GPU's...


this^^ as mentioned you will not see a decrease in performance as a single high end card wont saturate PCIe 2.0.. 3.0 is really benificial for multi high end gpu's setups with high res multpile monitors


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## The Overclocker

thanks guys. Just to make sure, my cpu and everything in my sig will work? I think it's only Intel that needs a 3.0 supporting CPU.


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## Tarun

*SOURCE*

Hope that helped


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## drbaltazar

not many mobo are x16 and most actual one are single slot only!maybe some like the extreme 11 are x16 quad slot but anything less then top of the line will probably be x8


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## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Overclocker*
> 
> How much performance do I lose? I want to get a 7850, but my mobo only has 2.0. Does it matter all that much?


if you are not in a hurry wait till this month end. you could see price reductions on HD 7870 and HD 7850. Nvidia GTX 660 is releasing in late june for USD 300. so if you can do wait









http://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-gtx-660-images-leaked-launching-25th-june/

here is a acer desktop with the gtx 660

http://www.elkjop.no/product/data/stasjonar-pc/ASG3620002/acer-stasjonar-pc-aspire-predator-g3620

here is the translation

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkjop.no%2Fproduct%2Fdata%2Fstasjonar-pc%2FASG3620002%2Facer-stasjonar-pc-aspire-predator-g3620


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## The Overclocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> if you are not in a hurry wait till this month end. you could see price reductions on HD 7870 and HD 7850. Nvidia GTX 660 is releasing in late june for USD 300. so if you can do wait
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-gtx-660-images-leaked-launching-25th-june/
> here is a acer desktop with the gtx 660
> http://www.elkjop.no/product/data/stasjonar-pc/ASG3620002/acer-stasjonar-pc-aspire-predator-g3620
> here is the translation
> http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkjop.no%2Fproduct%2Fdata%2Fstasjonar-pc%2FASG3620002%2Facer-stasjonar-pc-aspire-predator-g3620


I won't even have enough money for the 7850 until July -August. How much do you think it will drop?


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## The Overclocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tarun*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *SOURCE*
> Hope that helped


Thanks it did. It's like... a 0.1 FPS difference...


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## raghu78

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *The Overclocker*
> 
> I won't even have enough money for the 7850 until July -August. How much do you think it will drop?


*This is a guess.* HD 7850 for USD 220 and HD 7870 for USD 280 - 300. If Nvidia GTX 660 perf is better than HD 7870 then HD 7870 will go down to even USD 270.


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## The Overclocker

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *raghu78*
> 
> *This is a guess.* HD 7850 for USD 220 and HD 7870 for USD 280 - 300. If Nvidia GTX 660 perf is better than HD 7870 then HD 7870 will go down to even USD 270.


Perfect. And if the 7870 goes down, it should push the 7850 down more as well. Thanks.


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## jason2k

Hi guys,

I'm planning to get a HD7970 card to put into my PCIE 2.0 mobo for gaming purpose. The graphic card were to drive five 32" monitors at the highest possible resolution (2560x1600 for each monitor perhaps). Is such configuration possible without my FPS suffer (much)? Will such configuration stretch PCIE 2.0 to its limit or just nice within tolerable utilization?

Thanks


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## duox

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jason2k*
> 
> Hi guys,
> I'm planning to get a HD7970 card to put into my PCIE 2.0 mobo for gaming purpose. The graphic card were to drive five 32" monitors at the highest possible resolution (2560x1600 for each monitor perhaps). Is such configuration possible without my FPS suffer (much)? Will such configuration stretch PCIE 2.0 to its limit or just nice within tolerable utilization?
> Thanks


You are really goong to need multiple cards for that, but still i wouldnt worry about multiple cards on 2.0.


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## jason2k

but eyefinity 5 monitors into one big display is not able to support multiple cards right?


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## arfaad

All performance aside guys, will there be anything to worry about on Sandy Bridge boards like my sig rig?

I've read in other forums that you can damage your CPU or board by attempting to implement a 3.0 card in cases where the CPU does not support the tech.

The argument that most cards don't use the 3.0 architecture to spec is very valid but I'd just like to hear about any possible problems arising out of combining this new standard on Sandy Bridge etc.

These boards have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to optimizing and can be a headache when problems arise and there is simply no obvious explanation unless you are a complete expert and understand every single setting in the BIOS. So would it be wise to invest in a current gen card with an 'older' board and cpu?


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## stubass

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arfaad*
> 
> All performance aside guys, will there be anything to worry about on Sandy Bridge boards like my sig rig?
> 
> I've read in other forums that you can damage your CPU or board by attempting to implement a 3.0 card in cases where the CPU does not support the tech.
> 
> The argument that most cards don't use the 3.0 architecture to spec is very valid but I'd just like to hear about any possible problems arising out of combining this new standard on Sandy Bridge etc.
> 
> These boards have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to optimizing and can be a headache when problems arise and there is simply no obvious explanation unless you are a complete expert and understand every single setting in the BIOS. So would it be wise to invest in a current gen card with an 'older' board and cpu?


interesting.. i have personally not heard of or even come across anyone having issues running PCIe 3.0 cards on sandy bridge CPU's.. you just wont make use of the PCIe 3.0 standard but not that matters as current gen cards dont even max out PCIe 2.0


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## Vonnis

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *arfaad*
> 
> All performance aside guys, will there be anything to worry about on Sandy Bridge boards like my sig rig?
> I've read in other forums that you can damage your CPU or board by attempting to implement a 3.0 card in cases where the CPU does not support the tech.
> The argument that most cards don't use the 3.0 architecture to spec is very valid but I'd just like to hear about any possible problems arising out of combining this new standard on Sandy Bridge etc.
> These boards have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to optimizing and can be a headache when problems arise and there is simply no obvious explanation unless you are a complete expert and understand every single setting in the BIOS. So would it be wise to invest in a current gen card with an 'older' board and cpu?


I've never heard of a PCIE 3.0 compatible card running in a PCIE 2.0 slot causing problems. I ran GTX680 SLI just fine on my X58 system. You could run a 600/7000 series card in PCIE1.1 if you wanted, they're backwards compatible and will run at whatever speed the slot allows.
So no, there's nothing to worry about.


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## Indigo340

This thread answered my question perfectly, thanks guys


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