Cadence Demonstrates Breakthrough PCIe 7.0 Optical Connection at 128 GT/s

The first stable demonstration of PCIe 7.0 over optics marks a significant step in high-speed data transfer technology.

Cadence showcased a PCIe 7.0 connection reaching 128 GT/s using off-the-shelf optical parts at PCI-SIG DevCon 2024.
The demonstration maintained a pre-FEC BER of ~3E-8, exceeding PCIe specifications, over two days without interruptions.
Optical PCIe connectors offer potential benefits for enterprise applications, including hyperscale, cloud computing, and data centers.
PCIe 7.0 specifications are still being finalized, with real-world hardware expected by 2028.
The PCI-SIG group is developing technology-agnostic specifications to support a wide range of optical technologies.