AMD's newest RX 9000 series graphics cards are the first AMD GPUs to support PCI-Express 5.0. These include the RX 9070 XT, RX 9070, and RX 9060 XT models, offering improved bandwidth and future-proofing for high-performance gaming systems.
The RX 9000 series represents AMD's transition to PCIe 5.0, providing twice the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 for better performance with high-resolution gaming and content creation workloads.
Find RX 9070 XT on Amazon or RX 9060 XT on Amazon
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AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series | Radeon RX 9070 XT, RX 9070, RX 9060 XT (16 GB), RX 9060 XT (8 GB), RX 9060 |
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Find PCIe 5.0 AMD Graphics Cards on Amazon
The AMD RX 9000 series introduces several key improvements:
- PCIe 5.0 Support: First AMD consumer GPUs with PCIe 5.0 x16 interface
- Improved Performance: Enhanced architecture for better gaming performance
- Power Efficiency: Optimized power consumption compared to previous generations
- Future-Proofing: Ready for next-generation systems and motherboards
Performance Implications for GPUs and NVMe Drives
Most current graphics cards, including high-end models like the NVIDIA RTX 40 series, do not fully utilize PCIe 4.0 x16 bandwidth. Upgrading to PCIe 5.0 alone typically won't deliver significant graphics performance gains for these GPUs. However, newer PCIe 5.0-compatible GPUs, such as the NVIDIA RTX 5090 or AMD's latest Radeon series, can leverage the additional bandwidth for improved frame rates in demanding applications like 4K gaming, ray tracing, and content creation tasks including video rendering.
Upgrading to the latest generation CPUs (e.g., Intel's 14th Gen or AMD's Zen 5) provides broader performance benefits beyond PCIe 5.0 support:
- Compatibility with faster DDR5 memory for improved data access speeds.
- Increased core and thread counts for enhanced multitasking and CPU-intensive workloads.
- Additional PCIe 5.0 lanes for GPUs, plus more PCIe 4.0 lanes for M.2 NVMe SSDs.
- Enhanced bandwidth for M.2 storage on platforms like Intel's 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen CPUs, where Direct Media Interface (DMI) 4.0 doubles the throughput of DMI 3.0.
High-performance M.2 NVMe SSDs can nearly saturate a PCIe 4.0 x4 connection, delivering impressive read/
Looking ahead, PCIe 5.0 GPUs may require fewer lanes to achieve peak performance, freeing up bandwidth for other expansion cards like additional storage or networking devices.
Bandwidth
The primary advantage of PCIe 5.0 is doubled bandwidth per lane compared to PCIe 4.0, enabling faster data transfer for bandwidth-intensive components like GPUs and NVMe SSDs. Each PCIe generation approximately doubles the speed per lane, as shown below.
| PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0 | |
|---|---|---|
| x1 Bandwidth | 2 GB/s | 4 GB/s |
| x2 Bandwidth | 4 GB/s | 8 GB/s |
| x4 Bandwidth | 8 GB/s | 16 GB/s |
| x8 Bandwidth | 16 GB/s | 32 GB/s |
| x16 Bandwidth | 32 GB/s | 63 GB/s |
Devices optimized for PCIe 5.0, such as modern GPUs and NVMe SSDs, can fully exploit this increased bandwidth. For GPUs, this means smoother gameplay, higher resolutions, and faster rendering. For NVMe SSDs, it translates to quicker boot times, reduced game load screens, and accelerated file operations in video editing or data-heavy workflows.
However, not all devices saturate PCIe 4.0 bandwidth yet. Upgrading makes the most sense if:
- You're using cutting-edge PCIe 5.0 or high-end PCIe 4.0 GPUs and NVMe SSDs that demand higher throughput.
- You want to optimize lane allocation by adopting PCIe 5.0 devices, which deliver equivalent performance with fewer lanes.
- You're future-proofing your build against upcoming hardware demands.
Storage
NVMe SSDs benefit most from PCIe 5.0's enhanced speeds, offering superior throughput for both consumer and professional use cases. Top-tier PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs from brands like Crucial, WD Black, Samsung, and Lexar achieve sequential read/
As of 2025, PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs are readily available in M.2 form factors and work directly in compatible motherboards with PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 slots (common on newer Intel and AMD platforms). For older systems or additional drives, PCIe add-in cards (AICs) remain a viable option to harness full PCIe 5.0 speeds.
Lanes
PCIe 5.0's doubled bandwidth per lane allows devices to achieve high performance with fewer lanes, optimizing the limited PCIe resources provided by CPUs. For instance, a GPU might deliver full bandwidth on just x8 lanes instead of x16, freeing lanes for NVMe SSDs or other peripherals.
This efficiency extends to storage: PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs can match or exceed PCIe 4.0 performance using only x2 lanes, enabling AIC adapters to support multiple drives without lane bottlenecks. Even for networking, a single PCIe 5.0 lane could support 10 Gbps Ethernet, though this is less critical for GPU and NVMe-focused builds.
Future-Proofing
If you're building a new PC, opting for PCIe 5.0 compatibility is a smart investment for longevity. Emerging GPUs and NVMe SSDs will increasingly leverage this bandwidth for higher resolutions, AI-driven features, and massive storage arrays. Consider your upgrade timeline: If you plan to refresh your GPU or add more NVMe drives within the next 2–3 years, PCIe 5.0 ensures your system remains relevant without requiring a full rebuild.
PCIe 5.0 is worth considering for gaming if you:
- Want maximum future-proofing for your graphics card
- Plan to use high-resolution displays (4K/8K) or VR headsets
- Need the fastest possible data transfer for content creation
- Want to take advantage of next-generation storage and expansion cards
Learn more about PCIe 5.0 benefits in Is PCIe 5.0 Worth It? The Benefits of PCIe 5.0.
The newest desktop graphics cards use PCI-Express 5.0 bandwidth. Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5000-series and AMD's Radeon RX 9000-series add-in boards expose full PCIe 5.0 x16 connectivity when paired with a PCIe 5.0-capable CPU and motherboard.
Earlier PCIe 4.0 GPUs such as Nvidia's RTX 4000-series or AMD's Radeon RX 7000-series still work seamlessly in PCIe 5.0 slots thanks to backwards compatibility, and they typically do not saturate a PCIe 4.0 x16 link.
PCIe versions such as 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 are sometimes informally referred to as PCIe Gen 3, PCIe Gen 4, and PCIe Gen 5. This naming is based on them being the third, fourth, and fifth generations of PCI-Express.
Learn more in my PCI-Express article.