Newer faster memory tech?
Yes please!
What do I have to do to get it in my system?!
Oh, we’re about to find out?
Ok, great.
This is DIYin5!
Hello everyone!
I’m your host Trisha Hershberger and today we’re talking about how to get the latest
add-in hardware specs on your system.
We’re talking about PCIe Gen4!
While the PCIe 4.0 standard was announced in 2017, we just got to see SSDs and graphics cards
using this new tech at Computex 2019, so if you are looking for the latest and greatest,
this video is for you.
If you find the information in the video useful and want more tech tips on a variety of topics
ranging from photography to smartphone hacks, give us a like and subscribe so you are sure not to miss out.
So why should we care about PCIe Gen4?
In a word “double”.
PCIe 4.0 will have double the bandwidth and lanes when compared to Gen 3.
In other words this will be twice as fast as the older spec.
PCIe slots can be configured with one lane or multiples of four lanes, such as x1, x4,
x8, x16, x32 and each new generation doubles the bandwidth of the previous one.
For instance, a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface can be replaced by a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface that
provides the same amount of bandwidth.
This is especially great for add-in hardware like graphics cards, SSDs, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet cards.
Ok, I’m sold and I want it.
How do I know if it will work in my system?
These new standards require support from CPU and motherboard.
Currently the only processors that support PCI Gen 4 are from AMD.
Yup, you heard that right!
AMD was first to market with a major upgrade that PC builders are excited about and it’s
part of the reason most people would agree that AMD kicked serious hiney at Computex this year.
Currently the AMD Ryzen Gen 3 and EPYC CPUs support 4th Gen PCIe.
So that means it’s supported on all the latest desktop, notebook, and server processors from AMD.
High-five to you AMD!
But you’ll need to pair that brand-new CPU with a newer motherboard too.
Originally AMD tried to support the new standard on some older motherboards but that proved
to be too difficult since not all motherboards are created equal.
Currently the new spec is only supported on X570 and newer motherboards,
but you should definitely check with your motherboard manufacturer to make sure it’s capable.
Should you upgrade to Gen4?
This is always the hardest question to answer because everyone is in a different spot.
If you’re already in the market for a new system, then it’s always a good idea to
future proof and look for Gen4 capable hardware.
The tech is backward compatible so you can still use all the hardware that supports the old standard.
But if you’ve updated in the last year or two and still have
a pretty high-functioning system, then you can probably wait.
Look at it this way, some components have more performance to gain from this update
than others - SSDs, GPUs, Wifi, etc - but if those components are already operating
at max capacity with PCIe 3.0, then an update probably isn’t going to give you the immediate
performance boost you are looking for.
Even AMDs latest gaming graphics cards are based on PCIe Gen3, since it has enough throughput
to maximize the experience.
The last thing you should know is that Gen 4 definitely does pull more power, and therefore heat.
You might need to really consider airflow and cooling options for your build.
Here are some other information nibblets you should know.
Gen 4 is great, but Gen 5 is not that far away.
Within the next two to five years, PCIe 5 will be a thing.
The truth is PCIe 4 took a long time to come to market and the standards for Gen 5 are almost a reality.
The standards board that sets the specs is closing in on
a finalized version of Gen 5 as we film this video.
But, like with all new hardware standards, it’s going to take some time before you
see companies producing hardware with the new speeds.
And of course, as always, you know when the time comes, we got your back.
So, what is it about PCIe 4.0 that has you most excited?
Are you going to incorporate this shiny new tech into your rig or hold off?
Let us know in the comments.
Also, if you’re looking for more great PC upgrade tips,
feel free to check out these other DIYin5 videos.
Thanks so much for watching everyone and I’ll see ya next time with more DIYin5!