Here’s why PCIe 7 will be a major upgrade when it comes to your PC
PCIexpress 7, or PCIe 7, is the next (next) generation of PCI Express technology that will increase the available bandwidth for all add-in cards on your desktop PC. I know, I know — you may still be working on upgrading to PCIe 5. Don’t worry, this one’s at least a couple of years away.
But when it does land, it promises to unlock the potential for even greater graphics performance, and open up future generation NVMe SSDs for even faster read and write speeds. In total, it’ll quadruple the available bandwidth over existing PCIe 5 slots, along with making improvements to efficiency and latency. Here’s everything we know about PCI Express 7 so far.
What is PCIe 7?
PCI Express 7 is an upcoming generation of expansion port for computer motherboards. It’s an advanced version of existing PCI Express connectors that allow graphics cards and other add-in cards, like USB hubs and high-speed network cards, to connect to the computer.
The latest publicly available generation of PCI Express technology at the time of writing is PCIe 5. It’s found on some motherboards and there is a limited range of NVMe SSDs which can utilize its high-bandwidth connection. Modern graphics cards are compatible with PCIe 5, but they do not require it to run at peak performance.
The next-generation of PCI Express will be PCIe 6, with PCIe 7 set to follow it sometime later.
How fast is PCIe 7?
PCIexpress 7’s has a per lane transfer rate of 128 Gbps. That’s double that of PCIe 6, and quadruple that of PCIe 5.
In a standard graphics card x16 slot, this would work out to a total bandwidth of 512 GBps. The PCI SIG interest group that defines and develops PCIe technology, claims that PCIe 7 will also benefit from reduced latency and improved power efficiency. It will also be backward compatible with all previous generations of PCIe technology.
PCI SIG believes that PCIe 7 will be utilized for high-end graphics cards, but also for enabling up to 800 Gbps Ethernet connections, and artificial intelligence calculations.
A big benefit of this high per-lane data rate, however, will be in enabling higher-speed connections in smaller PCIe slots. A PCIe 7 x1 slot will offer the same bandwidth as a PCIe 4 x16 slot, making it possible for high-speed drives and even graphics cards to utilize smaller PCIe connections for more compact computing.
When will PCIe 7 be available?
PCIe 6 was announced in 2022 and will see the first products and devices that support its debut towards the end of 2023. PCIe 7 is currently slated for a 2025 debut, so it may not be until 2026 that we see the first PCIe 7 supporting products launch.
Editors’ Recommendations
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
DuckDuckGo’s Windows browser is here to protect your privacy
A few months ago, DuckDuckGo launched a privacy-focused browser on macOS. Well, Windows users no longer have to miss out, as the browser has found its way onto Microsoft’s operating system. If you want a web browsing experience that protects your privacy, it could be a good time to check it out.
The browser is available as a public beta, according to a blog post from DuckDuckGo. It comes with a bunch of built-in privacy protections that could be ideal if you’re tired of trackers and cookies snooping on your internet sessions.
Best gaming PC deals: Play Diablo 4 and more from $490
If you don’t know how to build a PC or you simply prefer the convenience of a pre-built unit, there are some great gaming PC deals around right now. Covering many of the biggest brand names like HP and Alienware, we’ve picked out the best around. Whether you’re a huge Fortnite fan, or you like playing all the latest games like Diablo IV or Hogwarts Legacy, there’s something here for you. Keep reading and we’ll take you through gaming PCs for every budget from budget gaming rigs to the most high-end options around.
HP Victus 15L — $490, was $830
The HP Victus 15L is a good starter gaming PC. It has an Intel Core i5 processor, along with 8GB of memory and Intel Arc A380 graphics card. You also get 256GB of SSD storage. If you’re not familiar with the graphics card, it’s roughly on par with the Radeon RX 6400 or the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650. That means it won’t handle the latest and greatest games but if you’re an avid Fortnite fan or don’t mind adjusting some settings on older games, it’ll do the job. There’s a HDMI 2.1 port for connecting it to a monitor or TV too. Just be ready to temper your expectations and don’t count on getting the best performance all the time.
Dell is having a huge sale on some of its best laptops in Canada
This content was produced in partnership with Dell Canada.
For anyone living in Canada, there are some fantastic laptop deals going on right now over at Dell. With a huge sale on, you can save up to $850 off a wide range of laptops including the coveted Dell XPS 15 as well as more budget-friendly offerings too. There are even savings to be had on gaming laptops, gaming desktops, monitors, and more. With so many different laptops featured as part of the sale, we recommend hitting the button below to see what’s out there. There’s sure to be an ideal match for you. If you’d prefer a little guidance, read on while we take you through some highlights.