The PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) has unveiled version 0.7 of the PCIe 7.0 specification draft for member review, marking a key milestone toward the anticipated final release in 2025.
The new specification aims to double the capabilities of PCIe 6.0, reaching a raw bit rate of 128GT/s. For devices using a 16-lane configuration, this translates to impressive bi-directional transfer speeds of up to 512GB/s.
Building on technology introduced in PCIe 6.0, the new standard will continue using Pulse Amplitude Modulation with 4 levels (PAM4) signaling. This advanced encoding method enables two bits of data transmission per clock cycle, effectively doubling data rates compared to PCIe 4.0 and 5.0.
While the draft specification shows promise, consumers should temper their expectations about immediate availability of PCIe 7.0 devices. Historical patterns suggest a substantial gap between specification release and market availability. For context, PCIe 5.0 SSDs only reached retail stores in 2023, four years after the standard's release in 2019.
The implementation of faster PCIe standards brings technical challenges, particularly regarding heat management. As transfer speeds increase, so do operating temperatures. This has led to growing requirements for robust cooling solutions, including large heat sinks and active cooling systems for internal components.
The PCI-SIG maintains a three-year cycle for new standards development, with the PCIe 7.0 final specifications expected to be published later in 2025. The industry group plays a central role in developing standards for connecting motherboards to key components like GPUs and storage devices.