This Chapter

This chapter describes performance advantages and key features of the PCI Express (PCI-XP) Link. To highlight these advantages, this chapter describes performance characteristics and features of predecessor buses such as PCI and PCI-X buses with the goal of discussing the evolution of PCI Express from these predecessor buses. The reader will be able to compare and contrast features and performance points of PCI, PCI-X and PCI Express buses. The key features of a PCI Express system are described. In addition, the chapter describes some examples of PCI Express system topologies.