PCI-E Maximum Payload Size
Common Options : 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096
Quick Review
The PCI-E Maximum Payload Size BIOS feature determines the maximum TLP (Transaction Layer Packet) payload size used by the PCI Express controller. The TLP payload size determines the amount of data transmitted within each data packet.
When set to 128, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 128 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 256, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 256 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 512, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 512 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 1024, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 1024 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 2048, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 2048 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 4096, the PCI Express controller uses the maximum data payload of 4096 bytes within each TLP. This is the maximum payload size currently supported by the PCI Express protocol.
It is recommended that you set PCI-E Maximum Payload Size to 4096, as this allows all PCI Express devices connected to send up to 4096 bytes of data in each TLP. This gives you maximum efficiency per transfer.
However, this is subject to the PCI device connected to it. If that device only supports a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, the motherboard chipset will communicate with it with a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, even if you set this BIOS feature to 4096.
On the other hand, if you set this BIOS feature to a low value like 256, it will force all connected devices to use a maximum payload size of 256 bytes, even if they support a much larger TLP payload size.
Details of PCI-E Maximum Payload Size
The PCI Express protocol transmits data as well as control messages on the same links. This differs the PCI Express interconnect from the PCI bus and the AGP port, which make use of separate sideband signalling for control messages.
Control messages are delivered as Data Link Layer Packets or DLLPs, while data packets are sent out as Transaction Layer Packets or TLPs. However, TLPs are not pure data packets. They have a header which carries information like packet size, message type, traffic class, etc.
In addition, the actual data (known as the “payload”) is encoded with the 8B/10B encoding scheme. This replaces 8 uncoded bits with 10 encoded bits. This itself results in a 20% “loss” of bandwidth. The TLP overhead is further exacerbated by a 32-bit LCRC error-checking code.
Therefore, the size of the data payload is an important factor in determining the efficiency of the PCI Express interconnect. As the data payload gets smaller, the TLP becomes less efficient, because the overhead will then take up a more significant amount of bandwidth. To achieve maximum efficiency, the TLP should be as large as possible.
The PCI Express specifications defined the following TLP payload sizes :
- 128 bytes
- 256 bytes
- 512 bytes
- 1024 bytes
- 2048 bytes
- 4096 bytes
However, it is up to the manufacturer to set the maximum TLP payload size supported by the PCI Express device. It determines the maximum TLP payload size the device can send or receive. When two PCI Express devices communicate with each other, the largest TLP payload size supported by both devices will be used.
[adrotate group=”1″]The PCI-E Maximum Payload Size BIOS feature determines the maximum TLP (Transaction Layer Packet) payload size used by the PCI Express controller. The TLP payload size, as mentioned earlier, determines the amount of data transmitted within each data packet.
When set to 128, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 128 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 256, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 256 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 512, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 512 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 1024, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 1024 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 2048, the PCI Express controller will only use a maximum data payload of 2048 bytes within each TLP.
When set to 4096, the PCI Express controller uses the maximum data payload of 4096 bytes within each TLP. This is the maximum payload size currently supported by the PCI Express protocol.
It is recommended that you set PCI-E Maximum Payload Size to 4096, as this allows all PCI Express devices connected to send up to 4096 bytes of data in each TLP. This gives you maximum efficiency per transfer.
However, this is subject to the PCI device connected to it. If that device only supports a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, the motherboard chipset will communicate with it with a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, even if you set this BIOS feature to 4096.
On the other hand, if you set this BIOS feature to a low value like 256, it will force all connected devices to use a maximum payload size of 256 bytes, even if they support a much larger TLP payload size.
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