PCIe 3.0 vs 4.0: 5 Key Differences and Full Comparison

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Let’s compare the side-by-side to see what really sets them apart and which one might be right for your next build.

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PCIe 4.0 has an insatiable appetite for data, handling up to twice the bandwidth of its predecessor, PCIe 3.0. At a throughput rate of 1 GB/s (gigabytes per second) per lane, PCIe 4.0 can move mountains of data in the blink of an eye.

Transfer Speed and Bandwidth

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If you’re looking for an interface that can deliver your data faster, PCIe 4.0 is the way to go. With a latency of just 125 nanoseconds, PCIe 4.0 is twice as fast as PCIe 3.0, which has a latency of 250 nanoseconds.

Latency

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PCIe 4.0 is definitely the one to beat on the power efficiency front. With its more advanced features and higher power limits, it’s no surprise that it consumes more power than PCIe 3.0. However, the real difference lies in power efficiency.

Power Efficiency

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PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 3.0 have some distinct variations in terms of compatibility. PCIe 4.0 devices can operate on PCIe 3.0 slots as PCIe is backward compatible, but they will only be able to reach the slower PCIe 3.0 speeds.

Compatibility

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