Belkin F5U602EA user manual Introduction to PCI Express

Introduction

Introduction to PCI Express

For the last 10 years, PCI has been the mainstream interface for personal PCs, with nearly every computer using the same PCI bus specification—32-bit, running at 33MHz, and yielding a maximum data-transfer rate of only 133.3Mbps. In today’s information age, with data size growing exponentially, there is increased demand for faster transfer rates. This demand led to Intel’s development of the PCI Express standard, which offers increased speed and stability for data transfers.

Common PCI Express bus forms include x1, x2, x4, x8, and x16, with each form being characterized by a unique slot design. A one-path transmission on a one-lane (x1) PCI Express bus can reach speeds of up to 250MB—nearly double the standard PCI transmission speed. A 16-lane (x16) PCI Express bus can reach speeds of up to 16Gbps.

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