Sorry, normally I would have just put this in the computer thread, but I kind of need some quick answers, as I plan on buying a card today.
Now, in my computer, my PCI-E slots have a logo next to them that say "PCI-E X25." What does the 25 mean? Is it the number of pins, or something? Will this restrict me from installing and using a videocard that's listed as PCI-E x16?
The 25 refers to the number of 'lanes' for that interface. Thankfully PCIe is backwards compatible so you should be all right installing a 16 card in a 25 lane slot. Quoted from the article:
PCIe slots come in a variety of sizes referred to by the maximum lane count they support. A larger card will not fit in a smaller slot but a smaller card can be used in a larger slot. The number of lanes actually connected may be smaller than the number supported by the slot size. While a 16 lane card cannot be used in an 8 lane slot it can be used in a 16 lane slot with only 8 lanes connected.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCIe
The 25 refers to the number of 'lanes' for that interface. Thankfully PCIe is backwards compatible so you should be all right installing a 16 card in a 25 lane slot. Quoted from the article: