PCI Express (PCIe) 5.0 is the latest PCIe standard that offers higher bandwidth compared to previous generations. With double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, PCIe 5.0 enables faster data transfer speeds which can improve performance for bandwidth-hungry applications like gaming, video editing, and machine learning. But is this new technology worth adopting yet? Here are some key considerations.
What is PCIe 5.0?
PCIe 5.0 delivers up to 128GB/s bidirectional bandwidth, doubling the 64GB/s maximum speed of PCIe 4.0. This increased throughput allows devices like high-end GPUs and NVMe SSDs to operate at higher levels of performance when paired with a PCIe 5.0-compatible motherboard and CPU.
Some of the key improvements offered by PCIe 5.0 include:
- Higher peak bandwidth – Up to 128GB/s raw bit rate compared to 64GB/s in PCIe 4.0.
- Increased lane counts – x16 connections can deliver up to 32GB/s per lane, enabling high throughput with fewer lanes.
- Improved encoding – PCIe 5.0 utilizes PAM4 encoding which packs more data per signal.
- Lower power – More efficient architecture and improved power management capabilities.
PCIe 5.0 offers backwards compatibility so PCIe 5.0 devices will work in PCIe 4.0, 3.0, and 2.0 slots and motherboards. However, the PCIe 5.0 device will be limited to the bandwidth of the lower generation slot.
Benefits of PCIe 5.0
Here are some of the potential benefits that PCIe 5.0 can enable:
Faster gaming performance
Higher bandwidth means graphics cards can offload frame buffer data faster, reduce latency, and improve frame rates. Nvidia quotes their GeForce RTX 4090 with PCIe 5.0 seeing up to 2x increase in bandwidth compared to PCIe 4.0 x16. This leads to higher frame rates in GPU-limited scenarios at high resolutions and graphics settings.
Faster content creation and workflows
PCIe 5.0 offers significant bandwidth improvements for workstation graphics cards and other add-in cards used for video editing, 3D rendering, AI inferencing, and more. Large assets like high-res textures and video can load faster.
Blazing fast storage
NVMe SSDs continue to push the limits of storage performance. PCIe 5.0 provides the bandwidth headroom for next-gen SSDs to reduce game load times, improve transfer speeds, and enable real-time editing of high-bitrate video.
Lower latency and bottlenecks
Higher bandwidth relieves pressure on the PCIe bus which has been a bottleneck with GPUs and some SSDs saturating PCIe 4.0 x16. More bandwidth and proper multi-GPU scaling can reduce latency sensitivity.
Future-proofing
Adopting PCIe 5.0 now will help “future proof” your system for next-gen GPUs, SSDs, and other devices that can take advantage of the increased bandwidth in the years ahead.
When will PCIe 5.0 devices be available?
PCIe 5.0 devices are starting to hit the market now but widespread adoption will take some time. Here are some release timelines:
- Late 2022 – Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs and Z790 motherboards will offer first PCIe 5.0 support.
- Early 2023 – AMD Ryzen 7000 Zen 4 CPUs and X670/X670E motherboards will have PCIe 5.0 capabilities.
- Late 2022 – Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs will have PCIe 5.0 support.
- 2023 – Next-gen SSDs supporting PCIe 5.0 and NVMe 2.0 specs will start appearing.
It will take a few years for PCIe 5.0 to become mainstream. But early adopters can start taking advantage of the increased bandwidth today with select platforms.
What will be the real-world performance gains?
The performance gains realized from adopting PCIe 5.0 will depend on several factors:
Application workloads
The types of work a PC or device is used for will determine if PCIe 5.0 provides any meaningful benefit. Games, video production, 3D modeling – bandwidth hungry applications stand to gain the most.
GPU and SSD models
Hardware specs like GPU architecture, memory configurations, and SSD controller and NAND type play a big role. Higher end models are more likely to see advantages from PCIe 5.0’s added bandwidth.
Resolution and graphics settings
Higher resolutions and maxed graphics settings in games will tax the PCIe bus more, leading to bigger gains from increased bandwidth.
CPU PCIe lane allocation
How many PCIe 5.0 lanes the CPU provides to the primary x16 slots for GPUs and M.2 slots for SSDs will impact performance.
Multi-GPU setups
Systems with multiple high-end GPUs will benefit more from PCIe 5.0 allowing each GPU to access the needed bandwidth.
Early reviews of Nvidia RTX 4090 show around a 2-5% performance increase in 4K gaming when using a PCIe 5.0 system. More bandwidth dependent applications or multi-GPU systems may see bigger gains. But for many, PCIe 4.0 still offers sufficient bandwidth.
Are there any downsides to PCIe 5.0?
While faster is generally better, there are some potential downsides or limitations to consider with PCIe 5.0:
Higher costs
PCIe 5.0 hardware like motherboards and SSDs currently demands a premium price which may not suit all budgets. The costs should come down over time though.
Platform lock-in
To fully utilize PCIe 5.0, the latest CPUs and motherboards are required. This reduces upgrade flexibility on older systems.
Marginal gains in some scenarios
If not running cutting edge hardware and bandwidth hungry workloads, PCIe 5.0 may provide little to no discernible improvements over 4.0.
Limited device ecosystem initially
It will take time for more GPUs, SSDs, and add-in cards to adopt and take advantage of PCIe 5.0.
Increased complexity
PCIe 5.0 requires more robust signal integrity and thermal designs due to faster signaling. This makes motherboard design and manufacturing more complex.
For mainstream users, these limitations may not make PCIe 5.0 a mandatory upgrade yet. But the increased bandwidth headroom can certainly benefit high-end systems and workloads.
Should you upgrade to PCIe 5.0 now?
Here are some guidelines on whether you should upgrade to PCIe 5.0:
You’re building a new high-end system
If assembling a new cutting edge platform in late 2022 through 2023, PCIe 5.0 capability should be strongly considered. The latest CPUs and motherboards will have this support.
You run professional creative apps
For production workloads like 8K video editing, 3D rendering, or code compilation, a PCIe 5.0 system can accelerate transfer times and improve efficiency.
You play games at 4K 120+ FPS
To power the latest games at max settings and high frame rates, a PCIe 5.0 system can help eliminate bottlenecks.
You want future upgradability
Adopting PCIe 5.0 now will ensure your PC is ready for coming waves of GPUs and SSDs that can tap into the added bandwidth.
You’re on a tighter budget
PCIe 4.0 still offers great performance for more affordable system builds. PCIe 5.0 is not essential yet for more moderate budgets.
You have a PCIe 4.0 system
If you built or upgraded recently to PCIe 4.0, it’s not imperative to urgently adopt PCIe 5.0 yet.
For high-end usage like professional content creation, scientific computing, financial analysis and gaming at 4K 120+ FPS, the bandwidth of PCIe 5.0 can provide measurable improvements. More mainstream users can likely stick with PCIe 4.0 a while longer.
The future of PCIe 5.0
While in its infancy today, PCIe 5.0 will become the new standard over the next few years. Here is what the future holds for PCIe 5.0 technology:
- More affordable PCIe 5.0 motherboards, GPUs and SSDs as adoption increases.
- Higher efficiency and lower power draw as manufacturing matures.
- Wider accessories ecosystem supporting PCIe 5.0.
- Advances to GPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, SSDs and other add-in cards taking advantage of 5.0 bandwidth.
- Potential increased lane counts on high-end platforms – x16 to GPUs, x8 to SSDs.
- Support in smaller form factors like mini-ITX and laptops.
- Future specifications like PCIe 6.0 building on PCIe 5.0 foundations.
While the transition from PCIe 4.0 to 5.0 may not seem monumental today, PCIe 5.0 lays the groundwork for future high-speed devices. Adoption is just getting started and will accelerate over the next few years.
Conclusion
PCIe 5.0 brings a welcome doubling in bandwidth relative to PCIe 4.0. This can bring measurable performance improvements today for bleeding edge platforms and workloads. However, for more mainstream users PCIe 4.0 still offers sufficient performance.
Over time, the cost of entry to PCIe 5.0 will come down. More devices like GPUs and SSDs will support it natively too. Eventually PCIe 5.0 will become the new standard as its ecosystem of compatible hardware expands.
While an exciting new technology, PCIe 5.0 is not an urgent mandatory upgrade for most. But it provides a worthwhile performance boost today for high-end gaming PCs, workstations and servers. For these demanding use cases, PCIe 5.0 is a worthwhile investment for cutting edge speed.