The PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) interface is a crucial component in connecting GPUs, SSDs, capture cards, and other hardware to your PC's motherboard. PCIe 5.0 has become more common in recent motherboards and SSDs, bringing significant performance improvements over the previous PCIe 4.0 standard. But is the upgrade to PCIe 5.0 worth it, considering factors like data transfer speeds, bandwidth, and frequency?
What is PCIe 5.0?
PCIe 5.0, also called Gen 5, is the latest PCIe standard, offering double the data transfer speed of PCIe 4.0. This results in better performance for most PCIe peripherals, particularly SSDs, though GPUs haven't yet fully utilized the higher bandwidth. Motherboards from both AMD and Intel, such as those supporting AM5 and LGA 1700 sockets, now offer varying degrees of PCIe 5.0 support. However, both the motherboard and the connected device must support PCIe 5.0 to fully benefit from the speed increase; otherwise, the system will default to the slower PCIe 4.0 speeds.
GPUs and PCIe 5.0
While PCIe 5.0 SSDs have been widely available since mid-2023, the situation is different for GPUs. Even though PCIe 5.0 was released four years ago, no consumer graphics cards have yet adopted the standard. However, rumors suggest that upcoming GPUs may finally support PCIe 5.0.
What About PCIe 5.0 in Power Supplies?
Though power supplies (PSUs) don’t directly handle data transfer, PCIe 5.0 has introduced the new 16-pin 12VHPWR cable for ATX 3.0 PSUs. This allows for better power delivery to PCIe 5.0 devices, but it's not required to use these components. The PCIe 5.0 label on a PSU mostly indicates support for the 16-pin connector.
PCIe Gen 5 vs Gen 4
Currently, PCIe Gen 4 is widely supported and was a substantial improvement when first introduced. However, it is now reaching its limits, particularly for SSDs. PCIe 5.0 doubles the available bandwidth, allowing SSDs to reach speeds of up to 16GB/s, compared to 8GB/s on PCIe 4.0. Additionally, devices with 32 lanes can reach 128GB/s of bandwidth on PCIe 5.0.
| PCIe Generations | Bandwidth | Gigatransfer | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCIe 1.0 x32 | 8GB/s | 2.5GT/s | 2.5GHz |
| PCIe 2.0 x32 | 16GB/s | 5GT/s | 5GHz |
| PCIe 3.0 x32 | 32GB/s | 8GT/s | 8GHz |
| PCIe 4.0 x32 | 64GB/s | 16GT/s | 16GHz |
| PCIe 5.0 x32 | 128GB/s | 32GT/s | 32GHz |
Should You Upgrade?
Although PCIe 5.0 is essential for future-proofing, having PCIe 5.0 doesn’t necessarily translate to immediate improvements, particularly for GPUs, which don’t currently require the extra bandwidth. On the other hand, PCIe 5.0 SSDs have shown significant improvements in file transfer speeds compared to PCIe 4.0 models.
However, upgrading to PCIe 5.0 may involve replacing your motherboard, CPU, and memory, making it a costly decision. Additionally, new PCIe 5.0 SSDs often require large heatsinks or even active cooling, which could affect your system's thermal performance.
PCIe 4.0 remains a viable option for most users, especially given its compatibility with older hardware and the continued availability of fast, affordable SSDs. PCIe 5.0 SSDs are still more expensive per gigabyte and may take time to become more mainstream.
Looking Forward
Though PCIe 5.0 was introduced in 2019, PCIe 6.0 is already on the horizon, with products expected by 2025 or 2026. This means PCIe 4.0 will likely remain relevant until then, and PCIe 5.0 will continue to gain ground as newer hardware is released.
In conclusion, while PCIe 5.0 offers significant potential, its immediate benefits are most noticeable in SSD performance, and GPUs have yet to catch up. For most users, sticking with PCIe 4.0 still provides excellent value and performance.