PCI-E2 gfx card in PCI-E motherboard

[Jesterarts]

Hey guys,

I'm looking to upgrade my 7900gtx graphics card to a 9800gtx+ graphics card.

My only concern is that the 9800gtx+ is a PCI-E2 graphics card.

Now... my understanding on this after some research is that the 9800gtx+ SUPPORTS PCI-E2 but will still work on with PCI-E. Just I won't get the full benefit of it.

Can someone shed some light on this before I go out and buy it next Sunday?

Thanks in advance!

[jameswh]

I don't think you should face any issues with putting a PCI-E 2 card into a PCI-E 1.1 slot. As you said, it WILL work, but you may not receive the maximum speed p/ lane. I think PCI-E 2 (correct me if I'm wrong) is capable of handling 250mb/s p/lane more than a PCI-E 1.1. I doubt there'd be a noticable difference.

[Jesterarts]

Cool... thanks... did some further reading and i need PCI-E 1.1 x16 for to work... which I have! :P

Though... looks like i won't be getting the card this sunday after all... since the payment date has already been delayed...

ANyway, thanks mate...

[jameswh]

No worries.
Quite envious of you, the 9800GTX+ seems like a beast of a card! Totally wipes the floor with my 3850.

[Jesterarts]

New gfx card is in and has been put through it's paces...

Got a PX9800gtx+ 512mb...

Thus far, Far Cry 2, Fallout 3, COD Modern Warefare, GRID and Deadspace all maxed out... all running smooth...

Very pleased... as i picked up the card for 230 bux!

[jameswh]

$230? Nice. Not sure what they're worth, but that certainly sounds like a bargain.
I got so frustrated with Far Cry 2. Those damn Seouth Effreekan accents got to me.

[Jesterarts]

Hahaha... the fact the game is so repetative got ot me!!

Well... I was expecting to pay about 280 ish for it... so i was stoked for that price.

[Jesterarts]

Ok... fired up the big boy today... Crysis and Crysis warehead...

Can't pull it out to VERY HIGH graphics settings... but... in HIGH it looks sensational and runs very smooth... hasn't chugged once yet!!

Hooray for my new gfx card!

[jameswh]

Are you running DX10?

[Jesterarts]

Yep... DX10 ftw!

I've found a bit where it isn't quite as smooth in Crysis... big battle scene where there is tanks, marines, koreans, choppers and explosions all over the shop... It's just noticable that its struggling... but that could very well be the CPU stuggling... as its only a e6600.

Other than that.... Installing COD5 World at War now...

COD4 looks simply amazing... just insane... and GRID... awesome...

[jameswh]

Oh god, yes! CoD 5 is great! No one else seems to like it, but I thought it was a fantastic game. Totally surpassed my expectations.
The beginning of the game was a little slow, dull and boring - seemed like just any other WWII shooter. As soon as I was thrown into the European theatre of the game, I was totally immersed. You play as the Russians during the closing days of WWII, pushing the Germans out of Moscow and back into Berlin.

[Jesterarts]

Just finished COD5... WOW... nothing more fun that blowing off limbs with a high caliber machine gun at full resolution with all graphics cranked up!

The beach landing missing was insane... very saving private ryan...

ONLY down side... I finished it... already... on Hardened...

Can't wait for COD Modern Combat 2 now!!

[f1tzy]

lol i bought it 6 months ago and still havent finished it on regular

[Jesterarts]

*In pimply nerd voice* Yeah I'm pretty uber hardcore...

I did try it on Veteran but that got frustrating as you get shot like twice and you die... so I'm not UBER to the power of three hardcore...

[jameswh]

Jesterarts, have you played the zombie mission yet?!

[Jesterarts]

Yeah... Had a quick go at it... I moved the couch out of the way and zombies came from upstairs!! took me out... lol

It would be awesome in MP.

[f1tzy]

Do you have to finish single player to unlock zombies mode?

[Jesterarts]

Yep... I'm pretty sure that's the case... I think you need to finished single player to even open the zombie level in MP.

[Captain Kermit]

I got bored with no internet and couldn't play multiplayer a few weeks back, finished World at War on veteran. Not easy, but doable. COD4 is way harder, still only finished it on hardened so far.

As you've already found out, PCIE2 cards work fine in PCIE1.1, and should probably work in PCIE 1, but it may not be working to full potential in PCIE1. The only time it'll ever use all the traffic in PCIE2 is if you were to put them in SLI.