Question about PCI Express 3.0

[Gdavis101]

Are PCI Express cards backwards compatible to PCI Express 2.0 MOBO's? I am assuming that one would not get the total benefits out of a 3.0 card on a 2.0 MOBO if they were. I have been poking around and looking at either building a whole new system (I7) or just upgrading what I have, (E8500) and from what I can tell I would be much better off going by way of a new system. My Dad asked me the other day about upgrading his video card (He is running GTX260 with an E6500 processor, but it might be best just going new for his system as well given the bloated prices on the older PCI Express 2.0 cards.

Thanks in advance!

[Meshman]

I'm pretty sure I've read that a 3.0 card will work in a 2.0 slot, just not with the benefits that 3.0 bring (throughput).

For the most part, going newer is better. And as you note, prices on older tech seem to go up when their life cycle end. I bought ram for a three year old system and it cost more then newer, better ram for today's system.