What is PCI Express(PCIe)?

The official name for the PCI Express® interface is “Peripheral Component Interconnect Express” and is often abbreviated as PCIe. PCIe is a high-speed and scalable serial communication interface between single board computers and the system's option cards or between individual components on an SBC. Scalability is achieved in a PCI Express interface by enabling individual PCIe lanes to be combined to provide additional bandwidth and faster data communication speeds. Using one PCIe lane or combining 4, 8 or 16 PCIe lanes creates PCI Express interface links of x1, x4, x8 and x16 respectively. The effective interface speed of a x4 PCIe 1.1 or Gen 1 link is roughly equivalent of the fastest parallel bus interface: 64-bit/133MHz PCI-X.

PCI Express 2.0 or Gen 2 is now available at the silicon level in a variety of Intel® processors, Intel® chipsets and a number of PCIe switching devices.  PCIe 2.0 option cards take advantage of the 2x increase in clock speed provided by the PCI Express 2.0 interface.  The base clock speed for PCIe 2.0 is 5.0GHz and 2.5GHz is the PCIe 1.1 clock speed.  PCI Express 3.0 is appearing on the horizon and for more information on PCI Express iterations see PCI Express 3.0, PCIe 2.0 and PCIe 1.1 Interface Differences.

Supplying you with bandwidth for high-end video streaming and data acquisition, PCI Express is perfect for the most demanding applications. PCI Express card options are available in x1, x2, x4, x8, x16 and x32, equating to superior performance, ease of integration and improved data transfer. Our PCI Express products integrate easily with your existing PCI-X and PCI technology, making it a cost-effective solution to your upgrade concerns.

Backplanes like our BPC7041, BPX6806 and BPX6719 offer multiple PCI Express slot options and can be modified for custom configurations. Our graphics-class BPG6714 backplane also supports high-end PCI Express card products for graphics and video interfaces, and we carry 2U butterfly and multiple SHB segment backplanes (PCI Express-supported) to suit other application requirements.

PCI Express Engineering Expertise

At Trenton, our engineers are recognized for their knowledgeable and innovative approach to industrial computing solutions. Trenton offers consulting services for design, prototyping and manufacturing, helping you make the most of your embedded system. For a custom quote or information about standard products with PCI Express slot options, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 770-287-3100 or 800-875-6031.

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