| PCI Express ~ Key Attributes |
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- High Performance:
- Scalable lane width (1x thru 32x (x16 for graphics))
- Scalable frequency
- Higher bandwidth - Initial bit rate 2.5Gb per s/lane/direction
- Simplified I/O:
- Consolidated I/O
- Unified proliferated segments
- Works in existing PCI environment - Backwards compatible through emulation
(It is defined to boot PCI 2.2 complient OS's unmodified.)
- Advanced architecture:
- Layered architecture for longevity,
- Reliability, availability and serviceability
- Advanced power management:
Current PCI has protol and signaling fighting between the software and mechanical layers, PCI Express segments this into transaction, data link and physical to smooth the transfers.
- Next generation 3D / Multimedia:
- Virtual channels
- Quality of service / isochrony
Supports up to 8 Virtual Channels (VC) with idependent traffic paths. Traffic Classes (TC) are labelled for differentiation. TC's mapped to VC's for platform flexibility. These can be mapped and configured through software.
- Power: (need to validate these)
- 25W for x1 slots (most need only about 10W)
- Apparently a similarly 25W for x1 - x8 slots
- 75W for x16 slots
- Ease of use:
- New form factors / innovative designs.
- (But) Does not require changes to ATX chassis/cases
- Hot plug, hot swap
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