Implementing PCI-e x12/x4 setup
Implementing PCI-e x12/x4 setup
The initial reaction was that PCI-e x12 doesn’t exist, which matched my assumption. But thinking about a challenge with limited PCI-e lanes, I started questioning why such a setup wouldn’t work and began researching. This led me to the PCI Express 3.0 manual on page 408: https://www.mindshare.com/files/ebooks/PCI Express Technology 3.0.pdf. It seems at least a configuration is feasible. The main question now is whether an x16 slot can be adapted to act like an x12 slot, while the second slot serves as a x4 instead of an x8/x8 combo. I have no idea where to find guidance or who to consult, but if this is something others are curious about, I hope someone can assist. I’m certain 2080 Ti drives struggle with x8 slots, but an x12 should work fine, freeing up four lanes for a high-end PCI-e SSD and resolving most of my issues on the Z390 chipset. Can’t be the only one facing this issue, right?
You can't set up an x16 slot for 12 lanes since the system doesn't allow that change. No other PC I know supports this setup either. Generally, unless you're frequently transferring big data streams, you won't face significant speed problems. In fact, SSDs often outperform HDDs not just for reading speed but for handling many simultaneous read operations.
The thread references recent Intel Xe graphics specifications. Two articles discuss the block diagram from Igor Labs, highlighting potential updates for laptops and possible desktop adaptations. A 12x link is mentioned as a possible addition to laptop systems.