PCI-SIG, the group behind PCIe technology has announced that the PCIe 8.0 specification is finalized. It doubles the data speed of PCIe 7.0 to 256 gigatransfers per second (GT/s), offering up to 1 terabyte per second of bandwidth in both directions using 16 lanes. This is great news for future tech like AI and data centers. Here’s a simple breakdown.
PCIe 8.0 is built for heavy-duty tasks like artificial intelligence, machine learning, high-speed networking, and quantum computing. It’s also designed for industries like cars, huge data centers, and military tech.
The new spec keeps up the tradition of doubling bandwidth every three years, following PCIe 7.0’s release earlier in 2025. It uses advanced tech like PAM4 signaling and Flit-based encoding for fast, reliable data transfer while saving power.
The spec ensures devices work with older PCIe versions, so you won’t need all-new hardware. It also focuses on low lag and strong reliability, which is key for critical systems like AI servers. New connectors are being tested to handle the high speeds without errors, making it ready for future data-heavy needs.
PCIe 8.0 is set to launch for PCI-SIG members by 2028. This gives companies like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia time to build devices that use it. Data centers are already preparing for PCIe 6.0 and 7.0, and PCIe 8.0 will keep up with the growing demand for faster data transfer, especially for AI.