This document covers external cabling solutions for PCI Express. Its purpose is to define
electromechanical specifications for the complete interconnect, including cables and cable
connectors. Some of the projected usage models for such solutions are:
5 Expansion I/O
Split-system desktop
Tethered docking for mobile platforms
External graphics controllers
The focus of this document is on copper-based cabling. Optical-based solutions might be covered in
10 subsequent revisions.
Other than providing signaling compliant with the PCI Express Base Specification, and any erratea
thereof that might exist, this cable specification makes no assumptions as to the source and
destination thereoff. For instance, a source could be the Root Complex, Switch or other PCI
Express device and the destination could be a Switch, end-point or other PCI Express compliant
15 device. Contained within this specification are the cable, connector and board side requirements for
providing a reliable cabled PCI Express solution.