PCI-E 8x VS 16X

[Klaty]

I am right now using the Asus Pentium 4 desktop computer. Now, i am searching around for graphic card. And i have listen that a graphics card in a 16x PCI slot will not perform that good as a graphics card in a 8x PCI slot. Is this true? And assume that i have two HD 5770 in crossfire, one in a 16x slot and one in a 8x slot, will this will make performance much lower then two/both in the 16x slots in crossfire? Please help me with this query.

[Marthaz]

According to me, there would not be any problem or affect on the performance as you told. Then also you are worried about it, then would recommend you to go with overclocking the PCI-E bus, but also note that it should not be going over 120. Otherwise problem will come. If you would be using the beast of a cards like a 9800GX2 or a 3870x2, then surely your performance will be affected. Hope your problem will be fix.

[ApPy10]

I think there be some performance decrease, maybe around 3-6% down. I don't know you will agree or disagree, but can't say exactly about the HD 5770. Actually i have similar claims about a small decrease in performance. But still not completely confirm on it, still checking. Hope you got enough information and your problem would be fix soon.

[Team Leader]

I was thinking same, that there will be difference between the PCI-E 16x and 8x slot, until i tested it on computer. Once i did this test(of 16x and 8x) and came to conclusion that videocards will not show any differences performance between PCI-E 8x and 16x. But there is doubt that there can be difference in performance between PCI-E 16x and 8x, if there is a glitch in the chipset somewhere around.

[kiLLer]

My knowledge the graphic cards says, there cannot be any performance difference between the two cards you told and if there it should be negligible. Maybe it would be around 4-6% difference in 3DMark, but can be still consider has a normal variance and not indicative of actual performance. Think so actual difference will be seen in games, whereby if the pipe is not big enough for the data being transferred at any time, you will get sudden FPS drops, hitching and pauses. Hope your problem will be fix.

[Birdie]

My personal experience says that there will be not a huge difference in both of them(i.e 8x and 16x). And there will no problem until the PCI-E bus cannot transfer enough, and at 8x, there is still enough bandwidth. It performance would really come if 4x was the story or considered. Hope so, your problem will be solved soon.