PCIe x16: What's the real difference between 2.0 and 3.0?

Alright, it’s finally happening—it is high time I upgrade my graphics card. But I’m hitting a bit of a snag with this whole PCI-E slot situation. Is it actually possible to slap a PCI-E 3.0 card into this motherboard of mine? Here’s the link to my board's specs so you can take a look: http://www.gigabyte.us/products/prod...px?pid=3645#ov

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answer...-x16-slot.html

So, let me get this straight—how am I supposed to figure out if this link actually works for me, or am I just going to be spinning my wheels here? Is it actually functional, or is it just another dead end?

Yeah, regarding the tech side of things—it’s compatible, so the graphics card should work fine. Just a heads-up though, there are links included where you can compare interface performance. The main thing you really need to double-check is whether the new card requires extra power connectors—you'll want to make sure your current power supply can actually handle the load and has enough wattage for the upgrade.

George Sanders37 said:Yeah, regarding the tech side of things—it’s compatible, so the graphics card should work fine. Just a heads-up though, there are links included where you can compare interface performance. The main thing you really need to double-check is whether the new card requires extra power connectors—you'll want to make sure your current power supply can actually handle the load and has enough wattage for the upgrade.

I'm going to drop a link later today for the specific graphics card I'm looking at buying, along with the PSU I plan to swap in. That way you guys can take a look and tell me if it's a solid combo or a disaster waiting to happen. Either way, thanks a ton—you guys have been a massive help.