2x PCI-Express x16
From an enthusiast perspective, the most important characteristic of the new X38 chipset are its two x16 PCI-Express interfaces, providing both single-card and dual-card configurations with full bandwidth. The graphics chips makers have had such products in their portfolio for a while now: AMD/ATI sells the ATI Crossfire Xpress 3200, Nvidia makes the Nforce 680 chipset.
Previously, the best Intel could offer was a dual x8 interface on the 975X or an x16/x4 configuration on the P35 and the 965P chipsets. Either way, users with a Crossfire configuration were unable to harness the full power of their graphics hardware, since at least one of the cards didn’t have access to the full bandwidth.
Currently, only AMD/ATI can take advantage of dual-card operation on X38-based boards. Support for Nvidia’s SLI technology will only be included in the upcoming dual-socket “Skulltrail” platform, Intel’s answer to AMD’s QuadFX (4x4). Just to be clear: There will be no support for Nvidia’s SLI on the X38 platform … for now.
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the whole point is that p35 and x38 are very similar but the x38 handles 2x16x PCIe could you not do a crossfire comparison to see the differences